Williston-West Church

PASTOR’S NOTES
Eric Kelley

The Nominating Committee worked very hard this year and their work has paid off. I can say with certainty that all our committees are functioning very well and that all of them are preparing for a most constructive year. It is gratifying to be part of this energy and to see us all pulling together. For sure there will always be room for improvement but we look the best we have since I have been your pastor and I am thankful for God’s blessing and all your hard work.

With all this said let me tell you now what the frosting on the cake is for me. In all of my thirty plus years of ministry I have worked hard to build teams of people who work well together and I have been very successful at it but I have never had the pleasure of working with a sexton like we have right now. Dale Knight is doing a tremendous job for us all and that is because he cares about us and he cares about our church buildings.

For the first time since I have been here I can go home knowing that our building will be cleaned, prepared for the events of the next day and then locked safely for the night. When I have need for a space for a class I am teaching or a meeting we are having Dale knows just what to do and it is done. There are many, many things that Dale does behind the scenes that go unnoticed because he does them so well. Our rest rooms are always sanitary and well stocked, the kitchen is always clean, the walks are shoveled, the entries are inviting, the sanctuary is always ready for our use and he is always willing to do more.

Don’t forget that there are hundreds of people in these buildings every week from early morning until late at night so all the jobs Dale does have to done over and over. It can be pretty discouraging because there are those who use our space who don’t take care of it as they could. Dale goes about his daily round, doing his job with a smile on his face (almost always!) and never complaining.

I marvel at what he gets done in the hours he has and I’m very thankful that he is on our staff and I hope to keep him for a long time – like for as long as I am here! Sometime when you’re asking Dale to do just one more thing don’t forget to thank him for all that he does and let him know you really appreciate it. I know I do!

Grace and Peace,

Eric

Would you be interested in celebrating the Lenten Season as the early Christians did?

In the first century A.D. early Christians and disciples gathered in small groups at individual homes for common meals. Time was devoted to teaching, preaching and the singing of hymns and psalms. After wine was served, they gave thanks to God and blessed the bread, which was then broken and distributed. During the meal, conversation was devoted to religious topics. With the fall of night, lamps were lit and at the conclusion of the meal a final benediction was offered by the head of the group. These meals were called Agape meals. (Agape is a Greek word meaning, "love.")

The Williston-West Board of Deacons invites you to participate in one or more of a series of Agape meals during this first Lenten Season of the new millennium. By having such informal supper gatherings in small groups in our homes, we hope to give this Lenten period more spiritual value for us all. New friendships will blossom and old ones will be strengthened by this experience and a deeper understanding of our Christian origins will be gained.

Food will be brought by those who are not hosts. A deacon and our pastor will participate in each supper. Music may be a simple singing of hymns or other special music as determined by the group. Suppers will be held weekly from March 4th through April 8th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. We hope that these will be relaxed, meaningful evenings for us all.

On Maundy Thursday, April 12th, a special Lenten supper will be held in the Social Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend this supper whether or not you have participated in a home Agape meal. This "last supper" will be followed by a Maundy Thursday service in the Sanctuary.

$25,000 Challenge Grant – Over 92% of Goal and Counting!
Stewardship Committee

As of January 31, 2001, forty-two members and friends of Williston-West have stepped forward with pledges or contributions to the $25,000 Challenge Grant to our endowment. The total to date is $23,070. The goal of the anonymous donor is to raise awareness of the endowment and its importance to the church. Contributions and pledges so far range from outright gifts of $20 to $1000 and pledges over the three-year period of up to $1,000. In order to receive the full $25,000 of the challenge we need to raise another $1,930!

The Stewardship Committee is encouraged by the fantastic response to this Challenge. The anonymous donor has made a payment to the Endowment for the year 2000 for $9000 to match the gifts and pledges of members and friends for this first of the three year Challenge.

Inside the cover of this month’s newsletter is a Challenge Grant pledge form, for your convenience. The pledge form can be returned to the office or placed in the Sunday offering.

Thanks to the following people who have recognized this opportunity to increase our endowment…

Altar Flowers
The Flower Committee, Susan Arnold, Chair

The Flower Committee wishes to recognize Memorial Flowers for January and February 2001.  If you would like to donate flowers in someone's honor or memory, please call the Church office or see a member of the Flower Committee to coordinate this.  You can either deliver the flowers to the church yourself or provide a donation for the Flower Committee to work with for that day.

Jan. 4 - Julie Porter gave flowers in thanksgiving for her new baby nephew.

Jan.21 - Flowers were in memory of Charlie Brown whose funeral was on Jan. 20.

Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 - Flowers in memory of Carlton Lane whose memorial service was Jan. 27.

Feb.11 - Flowers given by Millie Perkins to honor Margaret Bates a long-time member of Williston-West.

Feb. 25 - Flowers in memory of Dr. Richard C. Britton by his daughter, Susan Pettingill.

Moderator:  Marion Hopkins

Clerk:    Melissa Jensen

Treasurer:  John Kennedy

Board of Trustees:  Peter Clifford, Maggie Robinson, Denise Johnson, Cindy Stewart, Gore Flynn, Christopher Merrill, Les Hodgdon, Bob Morgan, Sumner Moulton

Board of Deacons: ; Christina Lyons, Marlene Fritz, Diane Tyler, Dan Kane, Meg Kennedy, Denise Bishop, Roxanna Brophy, Jeff Armstrong, Bill Whelan, Ted Malette, Greg Fougere, Phyllis Lockhart

Board of Christian Education: Peggy Cyr, Tony Rieger, jann Yankauskas, Linda Riddell, Amy Partridge-Barber, Lise Wilcox

Missions Committee:   Madeleine Bates, Julie Porter, Jim Shiminski, Audrey Tanner, Betty Furman, Elaine Richer, Becky Gratwick, Linda Shiminski

Stewardship Committee:  John Tewhey, Don Zillman, Linda Zillman, George Crockett, Joel Gratwick, Chris Berry

Fellowship Committee:  Sally Campbell, Cathy Shaw, Peg O’Brion, Bev Doughty, Donna Kane, Stephanie Crockett, Susan Pettingill

Membership Committee: Gloria Tewhey, Deb Murray, Bill Tyler, Sidney Hodgdon, Phil Crane, Vicki Morgan

Flower and Garden Committee:  Betty Furman, Ann Bonney, Lise Wilcox, Priscilla Armstrong, Diane Tyler, Stephanie Crockett, Susan Arnold, Connie Wristen

Music Committee: Deb Heald, Maggie Robinson, Tom Fairbourn, Judy Malette, Ted Malette, Beth Stevens

Pastoral Relations Committee:  Marion Hopkins (Moderator), Cindy Stewart (Chair of Trustees), Bill Whelan (Chair of Deacons), Ted Malette, Peter Murray

Delegates:  Judy Malette, Ted Malette, Chris Berry, Marion Hopkins, Bev Doughty, Aftin Doughty, Linda Zillman, Don Zillman