- -

September 2017

- 2 -

Dear Friends in Christ, It is good to be ministering among you again after being on maternity leave. Many thanks to

staff, to all those in leadership, to Rev. Bob LePage and Rev. Dan Yourkevich for their ministry

during these 8 months. The time away was full and offered me and my husband, Jake, an

opportunity to learn the new rhythms of family life with our little one. What they say is true,

the time went by quickly. It is hard to believe we are gearing up for another fall season!

I hope that the summer months offered you opportunities for relaxation and time to be with

loved ones and friends. I also hope that, like me, you are looking forward to the months ahead

at Westminster. From bible studies to outreach events, worship services to fundraisers, there

will be no shortage of opportunities for us to gather together as a community of faith.

The big kick off to the new church year is Sunday, September 10, 2017, WELCOME Sunday! –

Welcome to worship, Welcome to community, Welcome to the journey! We will dedicate the new

Inclusion Cross, bless backpacks, and break bread during communion and during lunch after

service. Please come as it will not be the same without you.

In worship this fall we will be exploring themes of Giving, Gratitude and Generosity (did you

know that small acts of generosity and expressions of gratitude positively re-wire our brains?);

you will hear from two of our young people on September 17 as they share with us their

experience of Rendez-Vous (don’t know what that is?...come and find out!); World Communion

Sunday is October 1st (when the chocolate bread will be back!); after Thanksgiving we will begin

a series on the Prophets whose words give us a lot to consider today in light of local and world

events.

All of this and (you guessed it) so much more! (Keep your eye out for events that are coming

up by reading this monthly newsletter, by looking at the announcements in our worship bulletin

and checking out the website.)

Being God’s church together is a marvelous thing. We will celebrate what it means to be

Christ’s people!

Joyful, joyful—

Rev. Michelle

- 3 -

New Team Member for Westminster United Church

The Ministry and Personnel Committee (M&P) is delighted to announce that as of July 31st,

Beth Navarro, is the new Office Administrator at Westminster United Church. Beth was most

recently an Office Administrator at Discovery Church in Bowmanville. Beth is a graduate of

Brock University and has work experience in Durham Region, the Czech Republic and China.

During a recent chat, Beth said, “I have been made to feel so welcome by everyone I’ve met,

but I haven’t met everyone yet! So please feel free to stop by the office and say ‘hi’. I’m thrilled to

be a part of the Westminster Team and I am excited about the start of the new Fall ministry year.”

- 4 -

It’s time

for us to

once again!

Another fun, exciting year is waiting just for

YOU!

Come join us every Sunday Morning

at 10:30am

Come see old friends, make new ones and learn how

God, Jesus and You all fit into this awesome world we live in!

J.a.M begins on

Sunday, September 10th

- 5 -

HEY KIDS!

Bring your Backpack with you to church on

Sunday, September 10th

for our

Blessing of the Backpacks.

What a great way to start off a brand new school year!

We’ll also be blessing brand new Backpacks and School Supplies

that will be donated to Denise House…

Thank you to all who have contributed to this important project!

……………………………………………………………………………………...

Wine, Women and the Word

The next meeting of this monthly Bible Study will be on

Tuesday, September 19th, from 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Topic:

"Beautiful Already - Reclaiming God's Perspective on Beauty”

Please bring your bible, if you have one.

……………………………………………………………………………………...

From August 16 - 19, Westminster was well represented at Rendezvous

by Emma Cullen and Logan Hampson. Rendezvous is a national

gathering of United Church Youth and Young Adults and this year it

was held in Montreal at Concordia University. Emma and Logan joined a

large contingency of young people from the Bay of Quinte Conference for

this unforgettable adventure. In just a short time both Emma and Logan

will be sharing their experiences with us. We look forward to hearing from

them...and we welcome them home!

- 6 -

A word from the editor…

The purpose of our monthly newsletter is to inform our Westminster

community about our church and its people. Hard-working committees and

groups are not the only active members of Westminster United Church. You

and your family also play a role in our ministry.

Submissions to The Westminster World are always welcome! If there is a

newsy event you want to celebrate, let us know: a child’s accomplishment in

sports or the arts? a special anniversary? an exciting, exotic travel adventure?

If you have an opinion about an especially moving sermon, hymn, anthem that you want to share,

let us know.

Please send your article in a WORD document to bcrumb@sympatico.ca by the 21st of the month for publication in the next month’s Westminster World.

September Music Notes

I trust everyone had a lovely (wet) summer and is ready to dive into our busy fall! The Senior Choir

kicks off the season with a potluck supper, graciously hosted by Bob and Gail Brimbecom, on

Thursday September 7, at 6:00 pm. New members are warmly welcomed. Please call Margaret for

information.

Many thanks are extended to our summer pianists/organists , Heather VonZuben and Jennifer Tilk,

and to the soloists, Susan Shkolnik, Chris Shkolnik, Jennifer Dunn, Madelyn Freckleton, Dave Keddy,

Joan Ward, Barry Knibbs, Katie Bonikowsky, King Whitney, Nancy Wallis, Catherine Climpson, and

Elizabeth Hatter. Your gifts of music enhance our services of worship.

If you are hiding in the congregation and would like to share your vocal or instrumental talent, please

talk to Margaret. Let's be creative,too - are there older youth and/or young adults who would like to

form bands or vocal ensembles?

Consider joining:

Senior Choir meets in the sanctuary Thursdays at 7:00 pm.

Junior Choir meets after JaM on Sunday mornings with Heather in the large SS room.

SALT (Worship Band) meets in the sanctuary most Sunday evenings at 7:00 pm.

Wanted! Nurses!

Both R.N. and R.P.N. The Wellness Committee is seeking volunteers to assist with the monthly Blood Pressure Clinic. The Westminster Blood Pressure Clinic is offered after church once a month, except during the summer months. A registered nurse is required to offer blood pressure readings and health teaching related to the same.

If you are an RN or RPN and can volunteer for 1-2 times a year, please contact; Maureen Dingman - m.dingman@rogers.com or 905-576-3151 for more information.

- 7 -

WHITBY -- Joanne MacPherson and her husband Clarence have helped to sponsor Sut Khan Thang, right, from Myan-

mar, through the Bridge to a New Home refugee sponsorship coalition. Five area churches -- Brooklin United Church, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Durham, Westminster United Church, Kingsview United Church and Columbus United Church -- make up the coalition. Khan Thang helped to make the MacPhersons a vegetable garden. August 1, 2017. - Sabrina Byrnes / Metroland

Sut Khan Thang’s harrowing story is slowly being pieced together through exchanges in broken English since he arrived in Whitby four months ago. Originally from Myanmar, the 41-year-old escaped the horrors of military rule in his home country in 2002 to flee — first to Thailand and then Malaysia — where he spent 14 years living a precarious existence before finally being accepted to Canada as a refugee. “He was arrested in Myanmar, that’s why he had left,” said Joanne MacPherson, a Whitby resident and chair of the outreach committee at Westminster United Church, which is sponsoring Khan Thang’s resettlement. “(From) what we’ve been able to gather, he and his mother had some kind of students at his

house and because of that, the military came and arrested him so he was in jail for one week and

his mother got him out. She told him he should leave because they were going to keep coming for

him.”

Westminster is one of five local churches — the others are Brooklin United Church, Unitarian

Universalist Congregation of Durham, Kingsview United Church and Columbus United Church —

that make up the Bridge to a New Home refugee sponsorship coalition. Last year, the coalition

announced it was raising money in an effort to present the gift of life in Canada to a refugee f

amily, leading up to the country’s 150th birthday in 2017.

MacPherson said that members decided from the outset that they would open their doors to any-

one from any background or religious faith and beyond just Syrian refugees.

Continued on next page...

- 8 -

“Everybody was doing Syria and when we first got together and got a list from the United Church

of Canada, it was 36 pages long of refugees that were ready to come here for years before

anything happened with Syria.”

While they originally had their sights set on helping a family, coalition member Larry Morrow

explained how that changed after they heard about what Khan Thang had endured and received

what he described as a “plea” from Citizen and Immigration Canada.

“There’s a stigma on single gentlemen so ... it was almost put to us with a question: ‘Would you

take him?’” he said. “When we heard his story — the minimum that we did hear — I mean we just

sat around the table and it’s like, ‘Well, this is what it’s all about.’”

The only information they received from authorities before picking up Khan Thang at the airport

in April was that he had suffered “trauma and torture” in Myanmar and from what they knew

about refugees’ rights in Malaysia, his life there had been equally trying.

“He couldn’t work legally, he couldn’t have an apartment — he couldn’t have anything in Malaysia,” said MacPherson. Her husband Clarence became close with Khan Thang when he stayed with them for the first month after he arrived. They would take trips to get coffee at Tim Hortons in the mornings and do odd jobs together in between his ESL classes, and visits to church and other coalition members’ homes. “Some of what he’s told me about when he was in Malaysia (is) he worked various jobs and I’ve noticed when we’re working, like doing projects around the house, he knows how to use the tools, like skill saws and things like that so he’s done a range of things. He’s done mining, he’s done farmhand work,” he said. Khan Thang’s most recent job was at a Chinese restaurant where he worked 12-hour shifts for 50 days straight and got two days off. “Sut told us once for two years, he never saw the moon because of the hours he worked,” said Morrow. While driving him to class one day, they saw a police car go by and Morrow said he felt the need to remind Khan Thang not to worry. “I said to him, ‘The police are good here,’ and he says, ‘Malaysia, Burma — no good.’ What they’d do (in Malaysia) is they would stop him and because he didn’t have a passport, if you didn’t pay money, they’d take him to jail,” he said. Khan Thang now lives a house in Oshawa with three other people and the coalition members are confident he’ll be gainfully employed and conversing in English within a year. They’re now preparing to welcome a mother and four children expected to arrive this week from a UN refugee camp in Ethiopia. The coalition’s fundraising efforts are ongoing and they’re currently exploring affordable housing options for the family. MacPherson said the coalition is grateful for the positive experience they’ve had with Khan Thang and hope the community will continue to help them in supporting this family. “It’s a great feeling we get from doing this ... when somebody arrives at the airport and they have a suitcase just a little bit bigger than a carry-on, it’s not full and that’s all his possessions, that’s a very humbling experience. “Sut’s one of the reasons I would say that we’re willing to take this next leap of faith and bring a family of five, which we know is going to be much more of a challenge.”

Visit www.bridgetoanewhome.ca to donate, volunteer to support the cause

or for more information.

- 9 -

Bridge To A New Home

Needs Your Help!

Imagine, less than a year ago, Bridge To A New Home hosted a community launch to raise

volunteer help and donations. That was October 19, 2016.

We are now the sponsors of Sut and Frewenyi and her 4 children. The tremendous help for Sut

has paved the way for us to continue the considerable assistance Frewenyi requires since arriv-

ing August 10th. These needs include:

1) Daily help starting with the first school day to assist the children walking to and from

Bobby Orr Public School on Ritson Road, south of Bloor in Oshawa.

2) Transportation beginning approximately mid-September as Frewenyi begins English classes

at EA Lovell School on Centre Street in Oshawa.

3) Assisting in learning and understanding the use of appliances in her home.

4) Transportation for purchasing groceries, attending medical and dental appointments and

recreational opportunities.

The refugee committee will be continuing to need financial support and to undertake fundraising

activities. As previously advised, we are faced with a $12,000.00 surprise debt reflecting the costs

of bringing the refugees to our community. This is over and above the costs we anticipated to

support them for the future.

The response for the committee to date has been most uplifting and we are heartened and moti-

“I don't want to live in the kind of world where we don't look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hand.

I can’t change the way anybody else thinks, or what they choose to do,

but I can do my bit.”

Charles de Lint

- 10 -

Sand Sculptures by Chuck Ritchey, Sr.

Maryland, USA

- 11 -

UCW Apple & Apple-Blueberry Frozen Pies Fundraiser

Glory be to God! Bless our pie making days coming this September.

The UCW will be making and freezing a total of 200 9”pies: Apple and Apple-Blueberry Pies,

available for $10 each. We will be taking orders for the pies after worship service in the Gym on

Welcome Sunday, September 10 and Sunday, September 17, till we reach the 200 mark.

Maximum order will be two pies per family. The frozen pies, with instructions for baking, will be

available for purchase and pick-up on Sunday, September 24 and Sunday, October 1, in the Gym

after service. Ready for Thanksgiving sharing.

Your support is a blessing! Our pies are a labour of love!

UCW News

SAVE THE DATE for the CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

Saturday, November 18th

9:00am - 2:00 pm

Treats, Treasures and New Vendors for All Interests and Ages!

- 12 -

AED (Automated External Defibrillator)

Information from Wellness Committee

Each Sunday you will notice at the bottom of your church bulletin a symbol that looks just like this one. You can also see this symbol at entrances to Westminster. It indicates that there is an AED in a prominent central location, for use in case of a cardiac emergency. Please be sure to see the AED on the wall in the Narthex, to the left of the Accessible Washroom. Our AED is maintained by the Wellness Committee. We currently have eleven people who have been formally trained and who review annually the use of the AED with CPR. They are called Targeted Site Emergency Responders. We are extremely grateful to them for taking on this responsibility. The training is valuable knowledge for anyone to have. In an emergency, the AED can provide lifesaving assistance until EMS (Paramedics) arrives. It is also important for all of us to know that the AED is very user friendly. ANYONE can use it in an emergency if a cardiac arrest is suspected. We are all protected by The Good Samaritan Act of Ontario 2001. The AED is stored in the white cabinet which will alarm if opened accidentally or intentionally. When the AED is taken from the cabinet, applied to a victim, and 911 has been called, the AED gives verbal instructions, and very plain diagrams tell you what to do. The AED monitors the heart rhythm and will not provide shock if one is not required.

Remembering it is better to do something, rather than nothing, can save a person's life when minutes count.

For more information about the AED, contact a member of the Wellness Committee.

- 13 -

PRAYING FOR PEACE

In light of recent world events, a multi-faith Peace Vigil was held at Pickering City Hall. Westminster joined in with prayers for peace and justice.

“The main message that’s been exemplified here this evening

is that hate won’t be tolerated, and it will be overcome by people of faith,

good will and love, as it always has throughout history”

Prayer is Powerful!

If you feel called to join the Prayer Team, we would love to see you on the first Tuesday of the Month from 11:00am-12:00pm in the Founder’s Room. No special skills are required, just a desire to help others.

If you do not wish to join the Prayer Team, but find yourself in need of prayer, there are many ways to get your request to our team… you can write your prayers down during Sunday morning worship, you can contact Cathy by phone or email or you can bring your prayers to us in person. You and your requests will be held in confidence and lifted up in daily prayer

If you would like more information, please contact Cathy Shaw at cshaw@westminster-uc.ca or 905-723-6442

- 14 -

Vacation Bible School

“I want to join the great parade. I want to join the happy caravan of God’s people, … People of all

nations and races, a singing, swinging procession and here am I!” “The Great Parade” started

each day of Westminster’s J*A*M*B*O*R*E*E VBS camp during July 10th to July 14th.

Although the camp participants and helpers tried very hard to be quiet during the Montessori’s

afternoon nap time, peals of laughter, gleeful shouts and animated conversations rang out

through the church halls and rooms. Some images of J*A*M*B*O*R*E*E bring to mind crowds

and multitudes of people and celebrations of large gatherings of people. That being our focus, we

learned the following stories: the feeding of the 5000 and the sharing of the small child’s lunch,

Miriam’s leading the singing and dancing of the Jewish people as they left Egypt, Mary and

Joseph finding Jesus as a child in the Temple after thinking he was lost for 3 days, Zacchaeus

climbing a tree to see Jesus over the crowds and changing after becoming his friend, and the par-

able of the Prodigal Son and celebrating the return home of the lost son.

Our heartfelt appreciation to all of the leaders who took the time to share their gifts with the chil-

dren. Each of them brought something different to our program, including cooking, crafts,

woodworking, music, orienteering games and so much more.

This year, we had a full house with 39 children, 19 youth leaders and 20 adult leaders (at various

times) participating in our church camp. We sang, danced, karaoked to Bruno Mars’ “Count On

Me”, made butter tarts, apple crisp, butter and cheesecake, and celebrated Canada (totem poles,

dream catchers, snow). The children made a tool/toy/art wooden caddy, created a glass stone

sun catcher, duct tape fabric wallet or change purse, felt banners and most importantly renewed

old and made new friendships.

This year our Outreach project was to collect good condition or new children’s books for

classrooms or school libraries for Shannen’s Dream. Shannen was a 15 year old First Nations

youth who had a dream that all First Nations children should have a proper school.

Unfortunately, she died before realizing her dream but the National UCW is trying to help realize

her dream.

On behalf of the VBS Planning Team, we want to thank YOU - each person of the congregation

for everything that you did to make our camp so successful – for sharing and bringing your

children/grandchildren, for the donations of treats and craft supplies, monetary donations and

your prayers.

Continued on next page...

- 15 -

Most importantly, our heartfelt gratitude goes out to those people who gifted us with their presence –

their energy and their time. Without you our camp would not have been possible: Mehdy, Sheava,

and Shadi Shabanian-Azad, Tim Ryan, Rylin Smith, Kimberly and Carleigh Pearce, Mackenzie Weir,

Aidan Rhody, Emma Cullen, Gail Wild, Michelle Ruff, Shirley Penny, Yoshi, Arthur Smith, Heather

and Lindsay Seabright, Heather VonZuben, Jaylen Berroa, Susan and Chris Shkolnik, Joanne

MacPherson, Sue and Bob Neil, Ashlyn and Kassia Macleod, Anna and A.J. Simmons, Jenavieve

Styles, Madelyn Berthelot, Jolene Baker, Marissa File, Shirley Wallis, George and Anna Xu, Wendy

Wen, Greta Hope, Garth Edwards, The Chair Man Group and Ronell.

Thank you so very much for sharing your gifts with the church camp.

Thank you for this amazing week filled with new friends, laughter and wonder.

As we return this Fall to old routines, why not begin something new and sign up for PAR?

(Pre-Authorized Remittance)...a great way to support Westminster all year round!

Thank you - Thank you to everyone who so very generously donated to the VBS Outreach Project Book Drive.

All the books have been sorted and bagged/boxed up for their move. We had a total of 524 books donated (ranging from board books to mature adult books)

or 11 bags/boxes. Thank you for supporting our camp project.

God's blessings, The 2017 VBS Camp (leaders and children)

- 16 -

The next gathering of the Book Club is Wednesday September 27th at 1:00pm at the church to discuss the movie and book entitled Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. This is the phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel some of America's greatest achievements in space. The Academy Award winning film starred Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner. Before John Glenn orbited the earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as "human computers" used pencils, slide rules and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets and astronauts into space. Among these problem-solvers was a group of exceptionally talented African-American women, some of the brightest minds, who answered Uncle Sam's call, moving to Hampton, Virginia and the fascinating, high-energy world of the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory. Even as Virginia's Jim Crow laws required them to be segregated from their white counterparts, the women of Langley's all-black "West Computing" group helped America achieve a decisive victory over the Soviet Union in the Cold War, and complete domination of the heavens. Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the four African-American women who participated in some of NASA's greatest successes. It chronicles their careers over nearly three decades as they faced challenges, forged alliances and used their intellect to change their own lives and their country's future. To borrow the book or for more information, please call Susan at 905-493-3122.

A big THANK YOU to Sue Shkolnik, Gail Wild, Joan Sanderson and Ava Tomlinson for making

sure that our children were able to continue their awesome Christian Education throughout the

summer months at...

- 17 -

Did you know…

...that Ava Tomlinson’s sister Fern and her husband Mark have been visiting from Australia?

Good to welcome them to Westminster.

...that Megan, granddaughter of Mary and Wilf Bradnock has had two summer jobs?

Cashier and swimming instructor. Good for you Megan!

...that Crystal Smith is making a good recovery from her nasty fall in which she badly fractured her

elbow? Her sling is off after surgery, and movement in her elbow is improving. Crystal is planning

to work with two others as a team in the Nursery each Sunday. Thanks to her for continuing this

much needed, and much appreciated ministry.

...that Madelyn Freckelton of our Junior Choir sang a solo on Sunday July 16th?

Congratulations Madelyn, you did a wonderful job! Thanks for sharing your beautiful voice with us.

...that Maisie Morrison is no longer organizing Communion every month? Maisie has done this for

many years. There are a number of steps to this role and Maisie has done them with diligence

and grace and we are immensely grateful!

...that J.a.M continued throughout the summer? This children’s ministry was organized and written by

Cathy Shaw and led by Sue Shkolnik, Gail Wild, Joan Sanderson and Ava Tomlinson.

Much appreciation to all involved.

...that if you are using recyclable cups, plates, cutlery for an event, please provide a recyclable bin.

No bin, no recycling. Thanks.

...that Sut, our first sponsored refugee has been participating in many activities such as painting,

lawn cutting, visiting Niagara Falls, participating in English classes, a library conversation group,

and adult soccer? We welcome Sut to our congregation and into many of our homes.

...that Opaline Robinson is the youngest person listening to the Children’s Time led by her mother,

Rev. Michelle, while being held by her father, Jake.

...that we have enjoyed fine organ and piano leadership during the summer services as well as

outstanding vocal presentations? Thank you to all who have shared their gifts.

...that Melissa Motum, daughter of our Minister of Music, Margaret and her husband Ron, has been

hired in the ICU of the Ottawa General Hospital...and that Robert, son of Margaret and Ron, will be

taking part in an Invitational 3-week Playwrights’ Retreat in Stratford (max. 8 participants from across

Canada!) during the month of September? Congratulations and all the best to them.

- 18 -

You’re invited… Worship Service - Welcome Sunday and Communion

10:30am

Blessing of the Backpacks

J.a.M Sunday School Begins

Congregational Lunch

UCW Pie Sales/Orders

Sunday, September 10

Choir Practice Resumes

7:00pm

Thursday, September 14

Worship Service 10:30am

UCW Pie Sales/Orders

Sunday, September 17

Wine, Women and the Word

Bible Study

7:00pm – 9:00pm

Tuesday, September 19

Worship Service - Baptism/Dedication 10:30am

UCW Pie Purchase/Pickup

Sunday, September 24

Book Club

1:00pm - 3:00pm

Wednesday, September 27

Worship Service - World Wide Communion

10:30am

UCW Pie Purchase/Pickup

Blood Pressure Clinic

Sunday, October 1

UCW Meeting 7:00pm

Monday, October 2

Living Alone Lunch 12:00pm

Wednesday, October 4

Worship Service 10:30am

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Sunday, October 8