WESTMINSTER TIMES    

 

Published by Westminster Presbyterian Church                                                                                                                        Non-Profit Org.

2732 Broadway                                                                                                                                                                                     U.S. Postage Paid

Paducah, KY  42001 - Phone:  270-443-2919                                                                                                                                     Paducah, KY

Rev. Larry A. Walker, Pastor                                                                                                                                                                             Permit 181

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                MARCH 2006

 

 

 

 

This Won’t Preach, But It Will Write

 

Our dear friend, Peg, told me the following wouldn’t “preach”, but that it would “write. I agree, so I take pen in hand:

 

Westminster has a monthly prayer breakfast, held the Tuesday after the third Thursday. (This isn’t a secret prayer meeting despite the obscure placement in the month might suggest.)  It’s the Tuesday after our regular church board meeting.

 

The prayers are at the church at 7:30 a.m., breakfast is at the Cracker Barrel at 8:05.

 

We lift up prayers for the people, for the church, for the world. We’ve also been reading one Psalm per month. At that rate, it will take us 12 ½  years to move through the 150 Psalms in the Bible. Last month, Ted, with a smile, suggested we step it up to read two Psalms per prayer meeting. We came to a radical consensus to do just that. With this accelerated program, we can read and pray the Psalms in 6 ¼  years. We vow to keep the faith, and be persistent.

 

Last month we read Psalms 7 and 8. Do you remember in Psalm 8 where the psalmist asked, “What is man that thou art mindful of him? Yet thou has made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor”, giving him dominion over all the animals, birds, and sea creatures.

 

That discussion rolled over to the breakfast table at Cracker Barrel. We were at our customary table, the round table near the fireplace. They had a fire going.

 

We talked about our Westminster Wednesday’s class for adults. We’re studying the beloved Twenty Third Psalm in a book by “America’s rabbi”, Harold Kushner, called “The Lord is My Shepherd”. (Rabbi Kushner gained fame by his earlier book “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”).

 

Rabbi Kushner says that “a soul is what people have that animals don’t”. We talked about that.

 

Bob, while polishing off a “Smokehouse Breakfast” - 2 eggs, sausage, biscuits, gravy, and especially grits- and telling Freddy that he if he put ketchup on his eggs he was going to have to leave the table, made mention that he knows for a fact that raccoons when coming up to a house to feed on cat food will definitely stay and watch television through the glass patio door. (He didn’t say what the raccoon’s favorite programs are). During our far-ranging discussion over a second cup of coffee, on the topic of chiggers- blackberry- picking and home cures for chiggers, Bob, a retired engineer, mentioned that growing up in Mississippi, he was well aware of chiggers that would jump out of trees onto people, “air assault chiggers” that would ambush people from above.

 

Yes, prayers were given up to God. Psalms were read. We were reminded that God has given each one of us a soul, and made each one of us just a little bit less than Himself. We spoke of many things, families, and church, and God, television-watching raccoons, and air assault chiggers.

 

The Greeks have a compound word that translates to “companion” in English. Means, “having bread with”. A true companion is someone that you share a table with, and break bread. Or, maybe biscuits with honey or molasses.

 

See you at the next prayer breakfast, you can’t miss it. It’s the Tuesday after the third Thursday.

 

In Christ,

 

 

Rev. Larry Walker

 

 

 

 

         

 

Burlond & Martha Murphy                                                              Share Our Surplus

Lucille Short (mother of Judy Edwards)                                       refrigerator, beds (all sizes), bed frames

Kathryn King (mother of Francie Edwards)                                              couch and chair, TV, small kitchen table

Armed Forces and World Leaders                                                 & chairs, small household items, vacuum.           

Joe & Ellen G. Utley                                                                         microwave, 2 burner hotplate, blankets,

Nadine Burris                                                                                                442-3725

Jonathan Burris                                                                               

Joe & Ellen G. Utley                                                                        

Nadine Burris                                                                                                HELP  NEEDED  !!!!!

Jonathan Burris                                                                                Office volunteers needed! Person needed

Angie Morgan                                                                                               to act as receptionist and answer phones

Leigh Ann Morgan Crabtree                                                                       3 hours on Monday. Also, need substitutes

Rodney Wilkins (Marsha’s husband)                                                         and volunteers for special projects and

Peggy Walker                                                                                                monthly newsletter. If interested, call

Angie Morgan                                                                                               Rebecca or Sandy at the church office.

Leigh Ann Morgan Crabtree                                                                      

Rodney Wilkins (Marsha’s husband)                                                        

Peggy Walker                                                                                               

Nadine Burris                                                                                                                       

Jonathan Burris                                                                               

Angie Morgan                                                                                              

Leigh Ann Morgan Crabtree                                                                                  

Rodney Wilkins (Marsha’s husband)                                                        

Peggy Walker           

Armed Forces/world leaders

Joe & Ellen G. Utley                                                                                    

Nadine Burris                                                                                                                                                                       

Jonathan Burris

Angie Morgan

Leigh Ann Morgan Crabtree

Ruby Frost

 

 

Announcement: Coming Soon Change of Sunday Service Hour: Summer Months Worship at 9:30 a.m.   June 4th - August 13   (Session approved this recommendation from the Worship and Music Committee at the February meeting)

 

Kevin Gallagher            March 4

Ellie Felts        March 9

Michael Burns  March 13

Syrus Stewart    March 17 (1year old)

Susan Floyd      March 18

Buck Edwards   March 19

Ernestine Pelletier   March 20

Glen McQuage     March 20

Fred Morgan. Jr.               March 22

Diane Gray        March 27

Kathy Turner    March 29

Penny Shemwell           March 29

Bruce McBride   March 31

 

 

REMEMBER: …Tickets to church with food & staples for Paducah Cooperative Ministry.  Please remember to bring items, especially, peanut butter, canned meats, soups, etc.

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

… to Meghan and Russ Hurley on the birth of their daughter, Caroline Ann on February 10. 7lbs. 2oz. and 18 ½ inches long.

 

MESSAGE FROM

            THE WORSHIP/MUSIC COMMITTEE: 

 

If you are unable to attend Westminster worship services and would like to have Holy Communion served to you at home, please call the church office (443-2919) or Velva (534-4418) or Rose (554-7778).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Materials explaining the “tentmaker ministry covenant“, and the shared ministry with the pastor, lay leaders, and the congregation are available in the church office. The Congregation approved this at the February 19 meeting.

 

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN:

 

…Guild/Morning Circle will meet at the church on Tuesday, March 13, at 1 p.m. for Bible study and fellowship.

…Evening Circle will meet at the church on Tuesday, March 13, at 6 p.m.

 

An updated church address list is available in the narthex.

 

 

CONFIRMATION CLASS forming for young people in the 6th grade and older who want to learn more about Jesus Christ, the Christian faith, the Presbyterian Church, and move toward joining Westminster Presbyterian.  Please contact Rev. Walker right away. Classes are starting Sunday March 19 at 12:30 p.m. Please bring lunch money and register with Rev. Walker.

 

 

Sister Church News

 

Holy Week noon break services at First Presbyterian Church 11:45 April 10, 11, 12, 13,, & 14. Bring a sack lunch.

 

 

Living Waters For The World.

Help provide clean water in Guatemala!  Provide a person or financial support to the Presbytery sponsored team that is going in September. Call 1-800-811-9170 for information about how you can help or be involved.

 

Many thanks to Sarah Walker for stepping up as Youth Director.