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Church Ministries
Ministries
Preschool |
Children & Youth |
Music |
Teaching |
Prayer
Membership |
Weddings |
Missions
Westminster Words Newsletters |
Sermons |
Calendar of Events
Sacraments
Lord's Supper |
Baptism
We at Westminster encourage you to call the church office (662-2775) for more information about
any of our ministries, sacraments and programs.
Preschool
Westminster Preschool has been providing early childhood Christian education since 1970. Its staff of
14 serves 100 children, toddlers through young fives, in half-day sessions. It also offers early arrival
and lunch hour care, plus extended day.
The Preschool enjoys an excellent reputation in the greater-Marion community, and the
Westminster model has been gladly shared with other community centers. The Preschool is a teaching
and experience site for local universities and high schools.
Another feature housed at Westminster is the Young Library for Children. Families can check out and
enjoy books, recordings, and computer games from the 3400 items in the collection - the best of current,
classic and sacred material.
A tuition assistance program exists to ensure that no child misses an opportunity to benefit from
Westminster Preschool.
Elizabeth Strong is the Preschool Director.
More Preschool Information »
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Children's & Youth Ministries
Westminster Children's and Youth Ministries offers Christian nurture to children in grades 1-5, and to
youth in grades 6-8 and 9-12. A variety of learning, spiritual growth, and fellowship activities are
provided. Age graded Sunday School classes, Youth Sunday, the Christmas Eve Children's Program, and
Vacation Bible School highlight children's and youth activities.
The Westminster Church Junior High Permission Slip form is in PDF format.
PDF files require Acrobat Reader to read or print.
Adobe offers this program for free.
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Music Program
Westminster Church enjoys praising God with instrumental and choral music. The Westminster Choir
rehearses weekly, September through May. Nancy Wright, at the organ, and Linda Rosen, at the piano,
bring dynamic music for our worship. Ellen Schramm directs the Westminster Choir and serves as
Westminster's Music Director. Children and adults are encouraged to share their talents during worship.
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Teaching Ministries
Westminster is a teaching congregation for those entering Christian education or pastoral ministries.
Drawing on schools like Christian Theological Seminary, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Taylor
University, Westminster combines theological learning with practical preparation as students participate
in internships and receive guidance from the pastor.
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Prayer in the Life of the Congregation
The ministry of prayer plays a vital role in the life of the congregation. Small groups meet regularly
to pray together. The congregation has two telephone prayer ministries: the Prayer Line (765-671-7817)
and a Prayer Pager ministry (765-651-2716). Regular messages about prayer needs within the congregation
are available on the Prayer Line. Persons with special needs can request a pager which lets them know
each time someone has prayed for them and calls the pager number. The person with the pager receives a
"prayer vibration."
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Becoming a Member
We strongly encourage people to be active members of a church because of the difference this makes in
people's faith commitment. We welcome people wishing to become members of Westminster Church. You may
express your desire to join by seeing the minister.
We accept members by Transfer and by Confession of Faith. Transfer means you are a member of another
church and want to place your membership at Westminster. It is not necessary for you to arrange a
transfer letter. The church office will contact your former church. Confession of Faith is for people
who have never belonged to a church. The minister will ask you: "Is Jesus Christ your Lord and
Savior?" and "Will you be a faithful member of Westminster Church?"
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Weddings
Westminster Church (Presbyterian Church USA) is committed to making your wedding as beautiful and
memorable as possible. The purpose of this policy is to assist you in your preparations and to
ensure an experience that will bring fond memories to you for years to come.
Please read the Wedding Booklet carefully. If you are interested in talking with a church site
coordinator for more information or in reserving Westminster Presbyterian Church for your wedding,
please call the church office at 662-2775.
We would be privileged to be your church for this important event.
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Missions
Westminster carries out its mission beyond the church walls in several ways. Community organizations
are sponsored financially and through participation of church members and pastors on the boards of
these organizations. The church has sponsored five mission trips to Honduras from 2000 to 2005. Most
recently, our youth traveled to a town outside of Tegucigalpa and spent a week with abandoned and
orphaned children. Yearly, Escuela el Sembrador Donald Hawk, near Catacamus, Honduras, receives money
with which to pay for weekly visits by a doctor and a dentist. Westminster also supports foreign
missionaries serving in France and Honduras and ones with the Wycliffe organization and the mission
arm of Presbyterian Church USA.
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Westminster Words Newsletters
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Sermons
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Westminster Calendar of Events • Volunteers • Officers
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The Sacraments at Westminster
Lord's Supper
All those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are invited to take communion. Both the bread
and the cup will normally be passed to you in the pew. Occasionally worshipers come to the front of
the sanctuary for communion. As we serve one another, we celebrate that all believers are priests
called to serve one another! As you wait to be served, use this time to pray about God's love in
Christ Jesus and His presence in your life. Unless otherwise instructed, once all are served, we
will take the elements together. Baptized children who have been instructed by their parents on
the meaning of communion are also encouraged to participate in the communion service.
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Baptism
Presbyterians practice infant and adult baptism by sprinkling. We baptize our infants as a sign and
seal of God's promise that all people are part of Christ's church at birth! To have your child
baptized, see the pastor, who will then make all the necessary arrangements. A baptismal certificate
will be provided all who are baptized. A Dutch Cradle Cross is given to each child. Adults who are
ready to confess Christ as their Lord and Savior and wish to be baptized are invited to see the pastor
to make arrangements. Adults wishing baptism by immersion can make special arrangements with the pastor.
For those interested in transferring their membership, we accept all other forms of Christian baptism.
If you have been baptized in another tradition, it is not necessary to be baptized again. A person is
normally baptized only once.
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