Westminster Presbyterian Church
Let the doors of this church be a way to service.

Sunday, December 15, 2019
Third Sunday of Advent
Sacrament of Communion
8:30 A.M. Worship in Parish Hall
10:00 A.M. Worship in Sanctuary

The Rev. Dr. Blythe D. Kieffer will preach the sermon "A Desert in Blossom" based on scripture readings Isaiah 35:1-10 and Matthew 11:2-11. The ministry of music will be provided by the Westminster Choir and Dale Rogers, Organ.
Westminster Christmas Vespers
Sunday, December 22. 2019 at 4:00 P.M.
This beautiful culmination of the Advent season features choral music and carols sung by the Westminster Choir, the Walnuts and the St. Andrew’s Sisters. Ann Collins will join the St. Andrew’s Sisters as a fiddler in a rousing Early American carol. The Choir Christmas dinner will be in Parish Hall following the Christmas Vespers.

Giving Opportunities

Adopt-A-Family Tree for Contact Ministries
There are 12 tags left on the tree. 
Westminster members support Contact Ministries by purchasing gifts for the nine families that live in the upstairs shelter. Your family can choose a tag from the tree (near the elevator) for a specific person within the family. Once the gift is purchased, please bring the unwrapped gift(s) and tag and place under the tree before Sunday, December 15. It is important to secure the gift tag with tape to prevent the tag from falling off. All gift ideas are suggestions, so you have some flexibility with brands, price, and purchasing items that are similar. We also have tags for wrapping paper, ribbon, and tape for the mothers to wrap their children’s presents. We are thankful for the congregation’s generosity and gifts of love sent to these families.
​
Picture
Kenya Mission Trip
January 14-30, 2020

We are grateful to the Kenya Mission team led by Rev. Christian Choi. Team members include Dr. Jane Arbuthnot, Jen and Dr. Marc DeJong, Tara Fritsch, Bob Fox, Harold Hale, Mary and Charlie King, Drs. Todd and Judy Knox, Kevin Milward and Mary Ray. This is Westminster’s first full-scale international mission trip.  The team will serve as ambassadors as we partner with the Outreach Foundation to fund, construct, and dedicate a church and classrooms. $15,000 designated to mission from WPC’s Support & Endowment Fund is making this possible. 

Gifts for International Kenya Mission
The congregation is invited to donate some of the gift items the team will take with them to Kenya.  All the tags have been taken, but we still need 30 more Reading glasses. Please place the gifts in the large basket.  Additionally, a basket is located next to the small Christmas tree for the additional Reading glasses (the stronger strengths) for the elderly people who will be recipients.  
Christmas Eve, December 24 Services
5:00 p.m. Children’s Christmas Pageant
A short service filled with spontaneity and delight! The children will act out the Christmas story as the Confirmation Class of 2020 reads, and we will sing many favorite Christmas hymns.
6:00 p.m. Festive Christmas Dinner in Parish Hall
Enjoy a delicious meal of roast turkey, baked ham, two types of potatoes, gravy, vegetables, garden salad, rolls, and fresh fruit pies. Adults are $17, children 6-12 are $11.50 and children age 5 and under are at no charge. RSVP and make payment online at HERE no later than Monday, December 16. Reservation forms will be in bulletins on December 8 and 15.
7:30 p.m. Westminster’s 100th Candlelight Service
The Westminster Choir will provide music and our high school seniors will read the Christmas Story in this 100th Annual Service of Lessons and Carols. Dr. Kieffer will give the meditation. Bring your bells to ring in the Festival of Christmas. 
11:00 p.m. Candlelight Communion Service
The solemn, joy of this service is a meaningful way to welcome Christmas Day.  Dr. Kieffer will give the meditation and Rev. McGill will provide special music. 
Picture
Steadfast Neighbor

How precious is your steadfast love, O God?
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wing. Psalm 36:7
​
​
For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  Galatians 5:14
Session approved the Steadfast Neighbor Endeavor in April 2019 empowering the Strategic Planning Committee and related task forces (Hardscape, Landscape, and Mission) to continue to groom their plans, communicate to the neighborhood, seek permits and bids, and develop mission opportunities.

The significance of the name: “Steadfast Neighbor” affirms our commitment to the neighborhood and resonates with the “steadfast love of God.”  Steadfast in the sense of continuity, consistency, resilience, being there, and staying the course provides rich imagery for God’s faithfulness to us and God’s call for us to be faithful to our neighbors. Learn more by clicking here.
Picture
Mission Statement
With each new day, we reaffirm our common purpose 
to join in the worshipful praise of God,
to teach children, to lead and inspire the young,
and to call everyone to life-long learning in the church,
to be influential participants in society by being accountable to the Gospel,to show the love and compassion of Jesus Christ toward each other,​and toward those who are hurting,
to be a caring community welcoming both friends and  strangers
to own our Presbyterian heritage, reformed and always reforming, to be prayerfully open to the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. 
Connect to ChurchLife on your phone
Subscribe to the
Westminster Weekly Email.
WE WELCOME VISITORS!
Information about who we are is in our Welcome Brochure located in the pew pockets
and on our website at www.wpcspi.org. Please complete the Ministry of Friendship
​folder located on the end of each pew.


Westminster Presbyterian Church is an Earth Care Congregation of the PC (U.S.A.), committed to caring for God's earth in worship, education, facilities, and outreach, promoting environmental stewardship in property decisions, administrative practices, and teaching. Click here to read the latest Earth Care tip.

Presbytery of Great Rivers highlighted WPC's Earth Care efforts in their weekly newsletter on
Mar. 28, 2019. Click here to read the newsletter, in which Dr. Peter Kieffer shared his passion of leading environmental justice ministry at Westminster. 
This is footer code