Westmoreland News and Notes

We continue our well-attended and highly touted “Summer on the Circle.” Betsy Bennett has lauded the program so much I asked her for a squib for this week’s “This Sunday.”

Summer on the Circle at Westmoreland is excellent!
David and I are still going to take our planned vacation next week, but we’re sorry we’ll miss even one of these special summer Sundays. All three parts of the morning are wonderful, beginning with a class from 10-10:40, then our worship all together from 10:50-11:30, then our “tell me about your class” conversations at coffee hour. Each person there believes he or she has been to the “best” of the classes, and honestly, the only difficult part of the morning is deciding which class to attend at 10! Each is a single lesson, not dependent on having attended previous sessions of that class, and each has its own special focus.

Art: In the art class, Wesley Seminary graduate student Amy Gray leads a lively discussion of three paintings of a particular New Testament story. We’ve done Annunciation and Nativity so far, and she has introduced two incredible contemporary, illustrated Bibles to us.

Music: Alejandro is teacher, story-teller, and performer as he leads the enthusiastic exploration of classical masterpieces of specific regions. He shares some music of that region with all of us in the prelude and postlude parts of worship. He has taken us to Spain and Eastern Europe; next week it’s Latin America!

Bible Study: Bob and Jessica lead energetic discussions of a particular quandary presented in the Gospel of Luke, in their adult and youth Bible study groups. Each class is an exciting investigation, a teaching and learning complement to the scripture from Luke and the sermon on that scripture.

“Galactic Blast”: This cosmic adventure praising God is an active class for the children, but adults have been invited to help with their field trip to the Udvar-Hazy National Air and Space Museum on July 25. What a treat! Remember that the chaperones get to learn and ask questions and enjoy the lunch, too!

“Summer on the Circle” at Westmoreland is excellent! Betsy Bennett

So there you have it, a commercial from a real live participating Westmorelander. I hope you will make it this Sunday.
Church School for Everyone 10:00-10:40
Worship for everyone 10:50-11:30
Coffee Hour 11:30
For this week, at 11:45 a congregation-wide Church Council meeting in the Social Hall to hear what the Executive Committee has projected for the rest of the interim period until a new Senior Minister is in place. Moderator-Elect Pierre Toureille will be hitting the ether shortly with the full story. Stay tuned.

The worship service features some of our own again. John Forrest Douglas, a member of Westmoreland, now in care as he seeks UCC ordination, and a rising third-year student at Wesley Seminary, will preach. His topic from Luke 11:1-13 will be “The Praying Quandary.” He will also participate in the Bible discussion at 10:00 AM in the chancel. Ben West and Doreen Mannion, herself in care, will assist in the service. Ben Maddox will sing “The Lord’s Prayer” and then with Robert Benton a duet arrangement of the Prayer of St. Francis “Eternal Life.” Alejandro and I are around to fill in the blanks.

A Note from Elizabeth Benton:
We’ve launched our “Galactic Blast” summer program for our elementary age children and have enjoyed the journey. We’ve planned a special field trip to the Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum (by Dulles Airport).
When: This Sunday, July 25
Time: 11:30-2:30
Location: meet at the church in Jessica’s office/the library
Cost: $16.00 (includes space simulator and lunch at McDonald’s– in the building)
Do you want to chaperone?
Does your teenager want to chaperone?
Please contact Elizabeth, 202-550-1812 if you are interested in joining us for our field trip!

Also of happy note: By Sunday the Air Conditioning should be up and running to the extent of our present system. You probably saw the memo from the Trustees earlier in the week about the temporary fix being levied on the system. If anyone has an extra $200,000 tucked away under the mattress you want to put to a good cause, let the Trustees know. They face the financially daunting task of doing a long-overdue complete rebuild in the next months.

Lots of people on vacation. If you are in town, come to Westmoreland. You’ll be glad you did.
Next Sunday our annual communion service served in the pews with a joint sermon by Jessica and me. Gordon Forbes preaches on August 8.

Bob Maddox

This Sunday we continue our eight-week “Summer On the Circle” with education
and worship for all.

Remember the altered schedule:
Church School for everyone 10:00-10:40 AM
Worship for everyone 10:50-11:30 AM
Coffee Hour 11:30 AM

Classes, This Sunday’s Focus, and Locations:
*Journeying with Jesus to Jerusalem: Adult Version (Bible Study with Bob
Maddox)—Luke 10:38-42—Chancel, Sanctuary
*Journeying with Jesus to Jerusalem: Youth Version (Bible Study with
Jessica Petersen)—Luke 10:38-42—Youth Room, 40
*Classical Music’s Finest (Music from Around the World with Alejandro
Hernandez-Valdez)—Eastern European music by composers such as Chopin,
Dvorak, and Liszt—Choir Room
*Seeing the Faith (Religious Art with Amy Gray)—The Birth of Jesus—Library
*Galactic Blast! (Children’s Summer Program with Sarah Wilson)—Stars—Mabry
Room, 35
*Nursery (Young Children with Maricela Lloreda Manzano)—open at 9:00
AM—Children’s Center, Lower Level

Worship Service begins promptly at 10:50 in the Sanctuary. I will be
preaching on the Mary/Martha Quandary (Luke 10:38-42). Bradford Case,
Sydney Collins, and Emily Kuttner (three of our wonderful youth) will help
lead worship. Grace Cho will share her amazing keyboard talents as she
duets with Alejandro on the organ.

*Of special note about these Sunday services—because they are abbreviated,
we will not be able to include every aspect of our regular worship services
in every service. But, in the course of the eight weeks, we will include
them all. So if your favorite part is missing one Sunday, hang in there.
It will show up later.

Sunday “Lunch Bunch”
Everyone’s invited to join the Middle East Committee for Middle Eastern food
at Layalina in Arlington, VA this Sunday after coffee hour. Gather in the
church parking lot between 12:00 and 12:15 to carpool. Maps will be
available for folks not familiar with Arlington. If you plan to attend,
contact Maryn Goodson (mpgoodson@comcast.net) no later than this evening,
Thursday, July 15.

Get involved!
Have a favorite hymn you would just love to sing this summer? Please make
your requests on the big board in the Narthex.

Looking ahead
John Forrest Douglas, former Volunteer, current Wesley student, and
relatively new member, will be preaching on the Praying Quandary (Luke
11:1-13) next Sunday. More of our own Westmoreland preachers to follow in
August. Every service will feature great music and will have its own unique
flavor; all in 40 minutes!

Where In the World are Your Ministers?
Bob returns on Saturday from a quick vacation, and I head off to Iowa this
Tuesday and will return to the office the following Tuesday. Let us know of
special needs in your life and family.

We had a great start to our “Summer On the Circle” last Sunday! If you are
home this Sunday, come to church. You’ll be glad you did. Wonderful things
are happening at Westmoreland with much more to come!

See you Sunday!

Jessica

By Bob Maddox

This Sunday we begin our eight-week “Summer On the Circle” round of Bible studies, music and art presentations, youth and children’s classes.

Remember the altered schedule:
Church School for everyone 10:00-10:40 AM
Worship for everyone 10:50-11:30
Coffee Hour 11:30

Locations:
Bible Study on today’s Lectionary Text for Adults in the Chancel with me.
Bible Study for youth in Room 40 with Jessica.
Alejandro’s sessions on music from around the world in the Choir Room.
Amy Gray’s sessions on Christian art in the Library.
Galactic Blast for children in the Mabry Room.
Nursery open at 9:00 AM

Worship Service begins promptly at 10:50 in the Sanctuary. Of special note about these Sunday services—because they are abbreviated, we will not be able to include every aspect of our regular worship services in every service but in the course of the eight weeks, we will include them all. So if your favorite part is missing one Sunday, hang in there. It will show up later.

Another heads up: Alejandro has written a beautiful chant taken from Isaiah 55 that we will learn and use every Sunday from now through August.

And speaking of Alejandro—you can request that we sing your favorite hymn by requesting it on the big board in the Narthex.

I preach this week. Jessica is up next week. John Forrest Douglas will preach on July 25. With more of our own Westmoreland preachers to follow in August. Every service will feature great music. Each service will have its own unique flavor. And each will be abbreviated.

This week we bid an official farewell to this year’s Volunteer Corps even though they will not actually be leaving until early August.

Coffee Hour is “Bring Your Own Snacks to Share.” It’s pot luck. Always a delicious time for us gourmands.

I will be gone Monday until Saturday of next week, the only time I could snatch a few days away. Jessica will be on call. Let us know of special needs in your life and family. I will be back to participate on July 18 and hear Jessica’s sermon about Mary and Martha.

We thank Marilyn Mix and others for helping in the office this past week while Sanelma Sutton attended the American Guild of Organists’ convention in DC.

Our attendance for the past two weeks was OK considering holiday travel. If you are home come to church. You’ll be glad you did. Much really good stuff is happening at Westmoreland with more to come.

The Fellowship Breakfast Team has decided to go the second mile and cook for us this summer.  Everyone then is invited to a smacking good July 4th breakfast in the Mabry Room beginning at 8:30 AM.  Can’t make it that early– they don’t clean up until about 9:30.  Our thanks to all those who provide this chance for Westmorelanders to enjoy great food and delightful conversation every first Sunday of the month.

At 10:00 join us in the sanctuary for our July 4th “Patriotic-Lite” service.  We will celebrate the nation and express out thanks to God through hymns, patriotic readings, prayers and meditation.  Harry Knox of the Human Rights Campaign, a member of DC’s First Congregational Church, and a candidate for UCC ordination will preach. His sermon is “A Spirit-filled Movement for LGBT Equality.” The lectionary notes will highlight his sermon text from Acts 19:1-7.  Mr. Knox will conduct a Forum discussion in the Social Hall at Coffee Hour.

Jessica Petersen and I will lead the time of Communion.

Make every effort to attend this service of worship and celebration.

The Church Office will be closed on Monday, July 5.

Next Sunday, July 11, begins our eight-week “Summer on the Circle” program.  Church School for everyone begins at 10:00 with Bible study in the chancel, Alejandro’s music lectures in the choir room, Amy Gray’s Christian art session in the library, youth with Jessica in Room 40, and children in the Mabry Room.

Worship begins promptly in 10:50 built around our “Journey with Jesus to Jerusalem with Luke as Tour Guide” theme.  I will preach a short sermon entitled “The Nagging Neighbor Quandary.”  Coffee Hour will follow at 11:30.

This is the third year of this altered summer schedule that has proven quite successful.  See you then.

If you notice some differences on the parking lot it is because the church and our neighbor have trimmed some trees so the trustees can have an additional light installed on the lot.  In the next few days we will also have the entire lot restriped since the lines have faded.  Mary Sue Johnson has planted new flowers around the church sign out front adding elegant beauty to our lawn. The trustees are getting closer to a contract about our air conditioning system, as you can imagine, a huge decision.

Call as you need any of the staff.

Bob Maddox

Gary McDavid has provided pictures from the June 6th concert featuring Dr. John Lutterman, Jean Lutterman and Sarah Adamson. Take a look after the jump! Read the rest of this entry »

We have a new brochure you can download and print (or view online) describing the summertime activities around Westmoreland.

The Westmoreland Volunteer Corp Board

Cordially Invites You and Your Colleagues to Attend
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Benefit Concert Featuring
Dr. John Lutterman, Cellist
Accompanied by
Jean Lutterman, Pianist
& Sarah Adamson, Vocal Soloist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Celebration of our Twenty-Five Years of Service
Sunday Afternoon, June 6, 2010 at 4:30 PM
At
Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ

Followed by a Reception in the Social Hall
Free event, with contributions appreciated

We come down to my penultimate Sunday here, and the Gospel reading from the lectionary provides an intriguing starting place for my sermon: Jesus is speaking to his disciples near the end of his ministry and says, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now….” (from John 16:12-15). I wonder what those could have been. Oh, the possibilities that come to mind! In any case, what is the word that needs to be proclaimed now? We’ll explore this as I preach about “Next-to-Last Things.” With Jessica away, I also get to give the Children’s Time, and we will be joined by oboist Carole Libelo from the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and the Washington Conservatory.

On Saturday we will remember three saints of Westmoreland with two memorial services. At 10 a.m. we celebrate the lives of Harry and Jane Ames, and at 2, Gordon Livingston. Gordon, by the way, had requested that any memorial donations be sent to Charles Hall Youth Services, P.O. Box 1995, Bismarck, ND 58502. Charles Hall was his grandfather.

The time is going quickly – there are a lot of “last suppers” and farewells to go through before we get to the land of “Hello!” on the other side of the country. Lots of packing, as well! I think this corner of the building where my office is may well rise up a few inches when all my books and files have been removed! Daily I come across a lot of memories and reminders of all we have shared together in this church. Thus I treasure even more the remaining opportunities to…
…See you in Church!
Rich

Two big things this weekend at Westmoreland! First, the Saturday evening (5/22)
Combined Choir Concert, at 7 p.m., with reception and art show opening,
to support the great work of Bethesda Cares – an evening not to be missed!

Sunday (5/23) is Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, and we will celebrate
with the rite of Confirmation for a number of our youth at the 10 a..m.
service. Music will be led by the Feel the Spirit Band, and Jessica will
preach on the traditional Pentecost scripture, Acts 2:1-21 (the subject of
Bob’s Bible Study at 9). Wear red!

See you in Church…
Rich

The clock is ticking, the days are going by fast – I have three more sermons to preach at Westmoreland (and one Sunday to be in the Band!). This week’s sermon is inspired by a survey the Deacons took a while back, which asked about how folks’ spiritual needs are being met. Spiritual needs, of course, are different from other needs, and can be difficult to quantify. And I have wondered: is being unsatisfied necessarily a bad thing? Read Psalm 42, our scripture lesson for the day, in preparation (and attend Bob’s Bible Study at 9). The sermon, with a nod to the Stones, is called “No Satisfaction.” While Alejandro is in San Francisco to play a concert, we will be joined by pianist Ilya Sinaisky. The Choir will give us a preview of next week’s concert, with a movement from Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna.” And will will recognize our graduating seniors.

Come for worship, stay for the “Town Hall” meeting afterwards.

See you in Church!
Rich