Giving Thanks at the Corner of 12th and … Hope

During the Stewardship season, Westminster has a tradition of inviting members to speak from the pulpit during a worship service. In this Moment for Stewardship, folks have spoken of how their faith has been impacted by Westminster and its programs and the importance of keeping those programs healthy, vibrant and successful.

On November 13, Stewardship Program Co-Chairs Katherine Youngblood and Jim Carter spoke to us about Thanksgiving and of giving thanks as we count our many blessings. They spoke of Westminster's place in the City and being a place of heritage, of heart, of horizon... and of hope. 

Listen now! Take just a minute to listen to Katherine and Jim as they spoke during worship on November 13. Click on the link at the bottom of this journal post.

Participating in our Westminster Stewardship Program is a  thanksgiving celebration. We are, in fact, giving thanks to God for the many blessings that have been ours as a part of this community. Our blessings are many!

Katherine and Jim urge all of you to join them and so many others by participating in the 2012 Stewardship Program. You should have received a pledge card in the mail recently, and many of you turned them in yesterday during worship. Thank you!

If you haven’t pledged yet, please consider doing so now, in this week of Thanksgiving. It’s easy: simply click here to make your 2012 pledge online now. Or if you prefer, call the church office at 612.332.3421 to request that a pledge card be sent to you.

Now is the time to count our blessings, and to make our blessings count.

Youngblood & Carter Moment for Stewardship

A Place for Our Family

The Niebuhr familyDuring the Stewardship season, Westminster has a tradition of inviting members to speak from the pulpit during a worship service. In this Moment for Stewardship, folks have spoken of how their faith has been impacted by Westminster and its programs and the importance of keeping those programs healthy, vibrant and successful.

On Sunday, November 6, Leigh and Jess Niebhur, together with their daughters Mae and Elle, all talked about their search for just the right church for their family and the blessings that they count since becoming part of the Westminster community. Click on the link below to listen to their story!

Moment for Stewardship

Counting Our Blessings Slideshow

This slideshow was created from the many images that have been used throughout the Counting Our Blessings: Stewardship 2012 program. We received such positive feedback about the slideshow on Festival Sunday that we decided to post it on the Counting Our Blessings blog website. Hope you enjoy the show!

The Blessings of Fellowship

by Susan & Geoff Francis

Note: this "Moment for Stewardship" appeared first in the October 14 issue of the Westminster News newsletter.

When we were asked to join the Membership Committee in 2007, we thought: How can we contribute? What experience do we have?

We had recently become new members ourselves, and felt that we were still trying to wrap ourselves around all that happens here at Westminster. This is a big place, with a lot to offer. What would we have to contribute to new members when we weren’t sure about our own place in the church? We had our reservations but decided to jump in and be a part of this committee.

Each fall, winter, and spring, new member classes are offered. The classes focus on learning what it means to be a Presbyterian and learning about Westminster’s programs and missions. Typically, on a Sunday evening and the next Thursday, new members share a meal with each other and then eat and meet with the Session. These meals not only nourish our bodies—they also provide us time together in fellowship.

This is a congregation that places emphasis on fellowship as God intends. We look forward to each group of new members with anticipation. We have learned that as volunteers the important thing is not what we know about the church, but taking the time to be hospitable and interacting with each new member. When we were new to the church, the welcoming nature of the congregation and the genuine fellowship that we found here was a major part of why we decided to become members. That fellowship has lead to the development of many friendships within the congregation. These friendships have been a blessing in our lives. We moved to the area just months before first attending Westminster, and since we have no family in Minnesota, these church relationships are all the more consequential to us.

We know that many prospective members have similar circumstances. They are in transition from one religious community to another and possibly relocating here. They are now in the place that we were. It is our hope that they are blessed in the same way what we have been by the fellowship of this church.

With each new member class, we find ourselves counting our blessings as we get to know new and wonderful people. Being volunteers with a focus on fellowship gives us an opportunity to make a difference, to touch people’s lives. It gives us a chance to give back to our church community. In fellowship with each other we get a chance to share our blessings.

New Blessings in Uptown

During the Stewardship season, Westminster has a tradition of inviting members to speak from the pulpit during a worship service. In this "Moment for Stewardship," folks will speak to how their faith has been impacted by Westminster and its programs and the importance of keeping those programs healthy, vibrant and successful.

On Sunday, October 23, Westminster young adults Max Musicant and Meghan Paul-Cook spoke eloquently about our church's emerging ministry in Uptown Minneapolis, as we work with Grace-Trinity Community Church. (More information about the background of this new ministry can be found in this issue of the Westminster News. Scroll to Tim Hart-Andersen's letter on page 3).

If you heard Max and Meghan on Sunday, you know it's worth an encore listen. If you missed it, here's your chance! Click on the link below to listen to Max and Meghan and their Moment for Stewardship.

Moment for Stewardship