The Vine September 23, 2007

Senior High Youth Group Meet at the church tonight at 6:00 p.m. to travel to Holmes Lake for sand volleyball. We will be back to the church by 8:00 p.m. Host for the evening: Jaggers family Middle School Youth Group Meet Jessica and Shaun at the church tonight at 6:00 p.m. for basketball and other fun activities.

Men's Tuesday Fellowship Breakfasts All men are invited for a Continental breakfast each Tuesday morning at 6:45 in the Parlor. A program follows at 7:00. We dismiss by 8:00. This Tuesday, Sister Phyllis Hunhoff of the Sisters of St. Benedict will present the program "Benedictine Spirituality."

Westminster Club will meet on Tuesday, September 25^th at 5:45 p.m. in Cole Hall, for a catered dinner and program. Cost of the meal is $7. Please bring your own table service (plate, utensils, cup). UNL Associate Professor of Textiles, Clothing and Design, Barbara Trout, and Yesterday's Lady, Sue McLain, from Beatrice will present a program that will include a vintage style show. If you have not been called for a reservation or wish to make one, please call the church office at 475-6702 on Monday, September 24^th.

Jack Rogers Event - at Westminster Jack Rogers, moderator of the 13^th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and professor of theology emeritus at San Francisco Theological Seminary, is the author of a new book, Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church.

Dr. Rogers is sharing his message with Westminster Friday, September 28^th at 7:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. The scheduled event will now be a dessert and lecture. Dessert will be served at 7:00 with a free-will donation. Lecture and discussion will begin at 7:15 p.m. Book sale/signing will follow the lecture. Register today in the Garden Room.         

Presbyterian Women (PW) is the national women's organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). With a history of more than 200 years and more than 300,000 members, PW is organized at all levels of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Purpose
Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves
          to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study,
          to support the mission of the church worldwide,
          to work for justice and peace,
          and to build an inclusive, caring community of women that
                  strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and
                  witnesses to the promise of God's kingdom.

History
Women's groups in the Presbyterian Church have a powerful history. Since the early 1800s Presbyterian women have organized themselves to support mission and combat social injustices nationally and internationally.

The Ladies Aid Society, forerunner of Presbyterian Women of the Church at Westminster was formed in 1905. Another group, the Ladies Missionary Society of Westminster formed in 1911 and the two groups merged to become Westminster Women's Society in 1921. Between 1958 and 1984 the name of the group was changed to Westminster Women's Association, Women of Westminster and finally Presbyterian Women.

Currently approximately 100 women are actively involved in mission and ministry through PW. Five circle groups meet monthly for Bible study and fellowship while the entire organization meets three times a year for mission and ministry activities.

Mission Matters to Presbyterian Women. In addition to being one of the points of the PW Purpose, support for mission is a thread running through all the work PW does in congregations, presbyteries, synods and church wide. Mission takes many forms for Presbyterian Women--participation in or support of the Global Exchange, giving money to PW and ecumenical offerings as well as the PW mission pledge and sharing in hands-on mission activities.

The diversity of mission programs encourages participation of women at all stages of their lives. We tell the story of mission to others. We offer emotional and financial support to mission workers and projects around the world. We pledge through our congregations and the PW organization. We make and purchase hospital supplies for Malawi, Congo and Haiti. We promote special offerings, such as the Fellowship of the Least Coin and the Presbyterian Hunger Fund, along with our own Birthday and Thank Offerings. We provide much-needed assistance to projects in our own communities. All of these forms of service show how PW can live out Mission Matters.

At Westminster Mission is carried out through Mission Sewers who sew items for distribution to local charities, through our contributions to the Thank Offering, the Birthday Offering, the Hunger Fund, the Fellowship of the Least Coin, the Presbyterian Women Leadership Fund, and Church Women United. In the past year $3,670 was contributed by the women of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Officers
     Moderator              Eliza Sams
      Vice Moderator     Ginny Rohrbaugh
      Secretary               Marianne Grandstaff 

CHURCH SACRAMENTS The next communion will be October 7^th. Baptism will be November 11^th, please call Marge 475-6702, by October 10^th.