The CORNERSTONE - Westfield Presbyterian Church

JULY/AUGUST 2016
The CORNERSTONE
What’s INSIDE
A publication of Westfield Church, New Castle, Pennsylvania
2 Building Project Update ◄
Two Big Events for Kids
2 Outdoor Worship/Picnic
Summer Zoo and Safari Trips in July
3 David Champ and YO!
3 Project HOPE
3 Special Friends
4 Our VBS Adventure
Inserts: July and August Calendars and Birthday/Anniversary
Lists
Red Cross Blood Drive
Our annual summer blood drive takes
place on Thursday, July 28, from
1:30 - 7:00 P.M. To make an appointment you can visit
www.redcrossblood.org, call or
email Lee Ann Martin at
lhausmann133@gmail.com
724-667-8613 or call the church
office at 724.667.7045.
As the summer rolls through, we have a
lot planned for the families and children
of our congregation. On the weekend of
July 15-16 we are going to the Pittsburgh
Zoo for an overnighter. This event is for
families of students entering 1st through
6th grade. We will be participating in their
“Krazy Kritters” program overnight and
enjoying the zoo the next day. We get
pizza for snack Friday night, breakfast
Saturday morning, and admission to the
zoo all day Saturday as part of the $38/
person cost. Reservation deadline: July 10
on the YOUTH tab at the top of the
homepage. You will find information
about both trips, a reservation form, and
you can download a permission slip.
Permission slips are also available in the
back of the church and can be turned
into David Champ. Contact him for
more information about participating in
these events!
The other major event we have planned is
on July 20 for students who are entering
grades 4-12. This is a bus trip to the Wilds
Safari in Cumberland, Ohio. On this trip
students will get to ride a bus through a
Safari built by the Columbus Zoo. Cost of
this trip is $30/person. Reservation deadline: July 17
We have limited space for both trips so
sign up fast! Visit our web site and click
Mission Speakers
Missionaries Kevin and Wendy Mason will join us on
Sunday, July 10, to bring us up to date on their work in
Hungary and across the globe. On July 24, Jeff Ritchie
from Outreach Foundation will share updates on how
God’s work is transforming God’s people around the
world. Join us for worship at 10:00 A.M.
www.westfieldchurch.org
1
The CORNERSTONE
JULY/AUGUST 2016
Building Project Update
Outdoor Worship
All-Church Picnic
Sunday, July 17, 10 A.M.
Pulled beef sandwiches,
baked potatoes with toppings
and beverages provided. Please bring
lawn chair, table service, and a dish to
share: (A-L bring salads,
M-Z bring desserts)
by Rev. Paul Votaw
For the last several months my newsletter
articles have focused on various ministries
that take place in and through Westfield.
Given recent activities involving the proposed building project I would like to
devote this article to that concern. Some
of what I write may be redundant but
please read and give it prayerful thought.
Over the next few months more information will become available. Please receive the information with a spirit of:
Gratitude that we are in a position to
even think about a project of this scope
and potential impact.
Trust that your leaders have and will
continue to move forward with integrity
and transparency having the best interests of the church in mind, to the end
that Christ will be glorified and his gospel proclaimed.
Over the past two years leaders of the
church have discussed, prayed, and
worked seeking to determine the type of
facilities that best meet the future needs
and ministries here at Westfield. This
process has been challenging and painstaking. Those who have led the way
should be congratulated and thanked for
the extra hours given to this effort. Their
thinking has been insightful and visionary
with every effort being made to be open to
the leading of God’s Spirit and not be
limited by the boundaries we tend to create.
Juanita Rug In Belgium
“God has been good to me and
has provided for my needs...I’m a
bit nervous about my trip [to Belgium] because all of this is going
to be a new experience! Please
pray that all goes as planned and
for safe travels.”
Westfield Mission Team in
Portland
Our mission team departed very
early on Sunday, June 26. Thank
you for all the ways you have supported us so far - everything from
the encouraging messages you
wrote to the loose change you
turned in. Your prayer support
and financial support will help us
help others.
This endeavor is the most expansive project Westfield has considered and yes,
significant funds have been allocated to
design and exploring various options.
Given the outlay of capital that will be
necessary to complete the project, and to
be good stewards of resources, it was determined that we should obtain the expertise of people who specialize in church
design as well as a stewardship group that
is able to guide us through the process.
Patience with the sharing of information. The process and information is
somewhat fluid right now but rest assured that your questions will be answered to the best of our knowledge and
information will be shared as decisions
are made.
Anticipation that God has something
great planned for Westfield to accomplish. Be prayerfully alert to the moving
of God Spirit in our church and in your
own life.
Cooperation that we are in this together
─ to discover God’s will not to promote
our own will, to find common ground
not to create a battle ground, to listen
respectfully and understand that together
God will do through us more than we
can ask or think.
Thank you for being a church that believes in possibilities and is willing to do
the hard thing if that’s what it takes to
touch lives with the hope and promise of
Jesus Christ.
Aerial photography by Matthew H. Christy
www.westfieldchurch.org
2
The CORNERSTONE
JULY/AUGUST 2016
Work and Play in the Summertime
by David Champ, Director of Youth & Family Ministries
Something new this year in conjunction
with VBS was a mentorship program for
our Jr. and Sr. High school students. Students got to work alongside adult crew
and station leaders to learn what it takes
to make a VBS program successful. We
were able to serve 36 teenagers throughout the week! Thank you for your role in
our annual Vacation Bible School. Your
time, resources and prayers were a vital
part of this youth and family ministry.
Throughout the summer we have a number of events going on for YO! Members
and their families:
 Monday July 11, Kennywood trip
(cost is $35/person). For all YO!
members and their families


Wednesday, July 20, The Wilds
Safari For those entering grades 4 12 (cost is $30/person)
Thursday, July 28, Pine Valley Bible Camp as part of their “Summer
Serve” Program. (Free for students).
Russ & Judy Bryan
at their residence
We have a great variety of other events
coming throughout the summer. Pay
attention to the YO! bulletin board, the
weekly worship bulletin, and the
church’s website to see what our youth
group is up to.
Alice Fullerton
at her residence
Shirley Gibson
at her residence
Mary Lou Williams
at her residence
Shoes and Socks Are Needed!
by Phyllis McCullough
It’s hard for many of us to believe but
there are a number of students at Mohawk
who do not have sturdy shoes to wear
throughout the summer as well as the
school year. That’s where Westfield can
help! During the months of July and August, we are asking our Westfield family
to donate very gently used or, if possible,
new shoes for boys and girls ages 5-18,
along with packs of socks. These shoes
and socks will be given to our students
this summer along with food that is being
distributed daily in 11 of our local trailer
parks.
Boxes for the shoes and socks will be
located near the coat racks beginning
July 3. I hope you will consider helping
out! If you would like further information on this collection or the daily food
distribution, please email me at
psumudder@yahoo.com.
HOPE Pantry Items Needed
July:
Canned Meat tuna, Spam, deviled ham, chicken,
corned beef
August:
peanut butter & jelly
Pantry Items Always Needed:
coffee, dish soap, juice, laundry
soap, cereal
Bible Quiz
Under what circumstances did strongman Samson become weak?
A. When a curse was spoken against him
B. When he slacked off on his weight-lifting exercises
C. When his hair was cut
D. When he was bound with ropes that had never been used
Answer: C (See Judges 16:17-19.)
www.westfieldchurch.org
3
The CORNERSTONE
JULY/AUGUST 2016
A Rock-Solid Adventure: An Amazing Week at VBS
by Marcy McClymonds & Linda McBride
Cave Quest VBS Fun Facts
 92 children participated
 36 YO! members participated as mentors or assistants
 40 VBS Staff volunteers
 10 Cavern Crews and a Tad’s Preschool Crew
 In Cavern Café our crews and staff consumed 18 pounds of
cheese, 6 pounds of ham, 8 bags of sunflower seeds, 6
boxes of fruit snacks, 10 bags of goldfish crackers, 10 bags
of pretzels, 8 boxes of Ritz crackers, 144 cupcakes,
5 containers of blueberries, 16 containers of strawberries,
10 bags of chips, 6 watermelons, 28 gallons of drink, 320
hotdogs, 320 buns, 120 tortillas, 30 pounds of oranges, and
2 gallons of baked beans!
 Every day in Bible Quests, Amy and Rhonda redecorated
their room to fit the Bible story – for example, one day they
built a boat for the children to weather stormy seas and courageously
walk on water as Peter did.
 In Imagination Station, our crews used hammers to break open geodes.
They also made cave snot.
 There were hundreds of t-shirts hanging in our sanctuary representing
the $424 our children gave to our Kid to Kid mission - Kwetu Faraja in
Mwanza, Tanzania. Translated “Our Comforting Home,” it was built in
2008 to provide a refuge for abandoned and orphaned children.
Through their monetary gift, our children know how good it is to be a light
and help bless other children. THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU!
What a week is was at Westfield’s Cave Quest! Through our station leaders,
crew leaders, and entire staff, our children were able to learn that by following
Jesus, He will give us hope, courage, direction, love, and power - and that He
truly is the Light of the World!
The Cornerstone is a monthly publication of Westfield Presbyterian Church.
We are a congregation of the Covenant
Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
From June 5 - September 4 we worship
together every Sunday at 10:00 A.M. We
welcome all members, friends, and visitors to join us.
Editor & Church Secretary:
Maribeth Jones
Church Staff:
Rev. Paul Votaw
Pastor
David Champ
Director of Youth & Family Ministries
Sarah Phillips
Organist/Choir Director
Stacy Cosgrove
Financial Secretary
Dave Micco
Custodian
VBS Photos by Keith Breuer and Kaylee Vastano
www.westfieldchurch.org
4