A Word from Laura
Western friends,
On behalf of the session, we appreciate all who turned out for our congregational conversation last week. You heard and discussed around tables aspects of our financial situation and some of the session’s thinking and decisions about moving forward.
Part of this process involves making changes to our congregational staffing model; you will be hearing more about this in the days to come. The most difficult aspect of these changes is the decision not to have a full-time administrative assistant. As a result, Shenella McGaskey will be leaving this role at the end of March.
Free Inquiry Class will consider “The Political Influence of Charismatic and Evangelical Christians.”
On Sunday, February 19, the Free Inquiry Class will consider “The Political Influence of Charismatic and Evangelical Christians.”
The session, beginning at 9:45 am in the Conference Room and on line, will be led by Matthew D. Taylor, a Protestant Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies …
A Word from Laura: Farewell to Patrick
With a heavy heart, I share with you the news that our interim music director Patrick Merrill shared officially with me, the Personnel chair, clerk of session and choir this past week: that he is leaving Western to pursue an opportunity to work at St. Stephen Martyr Catholic Church, where his wife Grace has served as a cantor for over a decade. (click to read more)
The Negro Spirituals Project at Western presents “Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals”
The Negro Spirituals Project at Western invites you to listen in on Friday, February 24th at 9 p.m. on your local PBS station to see "The Magic of Spirituals" a documentary that shares “the behind the scenes story of a famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, by celebrated singers Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle.
Congregational Conversation
Dear Western Friends,
On behalf of the Session, I invite you to join us for a congregational conversation following worship on Sunday, February 12.
Last Sunday, you heard from some of our leaders sharing both gratitude for your continued generosity as well as some of the financial challenges we face as a church. As we respond to changes in our post-pandemic life – fewer in attendance, shifts in membership and giving, needs requiring technological dexterity – we are also working to adjust our staffing and programming.
Western's Negro Spiritual Fund Honors Black History Month
As part of our celebration of Black History Month, we will be singing and/or performing a Negro Spiritual every week during our Sunday worship. Recognizing that none of the composers of Negro Spirituals ever received compensation for their performances, Western joined other churches last year and established the Negro Spirituals Fund to “pay it forward” by making gifts to organizations performing this type of music.
Click to read more.