Westminster United Church

Connecting In Westminster

What better way to know and be known than to get connected to the activities that make up the life, work and worship of Westminster. There are many ways to get involved with the church. We have many active committees including:

The Membership and Pastoral Care Committee

This is a group of 8 people and a number of volunteers whose focus is all the people of the Westminster family. They send out sympathy cards and get-well cards. They contact new visitors to the church and make sure they feel welcome. They organize the work of our district visitors. They deliver cookie trays to shut-ins at Christmas, supply the greeters in the Narthex on Sunday morning, keep records of membership, deaths, births, marriages and baptisms.

To connect with this committee please phone the church office (784-1330).
Debbie Bessette, Office Administrator

The range of work Debbie does touches on every aspect of our church life. Public Relations, Communications, Record Keeping, Staff and Volunteers, are all part of Debbie's work week.

Join the volunteers who already lend a hand in the Office - addressing envelopes, folding letters and Sunday bulletins, up-dating the bulletin board in the back hall, answering the phone. In some instances all you’ll be asked to give is one afternoon a month!

To connect with this important work please contact Angenora Murphy (889-6812).
The Communication Committee

We write these short items for the weekly bulletin, edit and produce the monthly newsletter, collect and organize the Observer subscriptions for those in the congregation that want them, edit the church’s Annual Report maintain the church’s website every month. And our resource person, Margaret Carter is Church archivist.

So what are the tasks we perform that you might like to tie into? Collecting information, writing and editing short or relatively short pieces, up-dating the website (requires computer skills).

If you’re interested call Roy Halstead (233-1361).
The Worship Committee

This is the committee that works most closely with Robert and Joan but their responsibilities go further than simply supporting our clergy. When you walk in the front door, Sunday morning, they make sure there are people there to greet you and seat you. A committee volunteer organizes the service of our acolytes, the boys and girls who light candles during a service; another volunteer organizes the services of our lay readers every Sunday.

Their volunteers organize the wonderful flower displays at Christmas, Easter and Anniversary. Communion, for the Worship Committee starts when they go out to buy the grape juice, fill the glasses, book the servers, set out the elements for the service, and ends after the glasses are all washed and put away after the service.

A Committee member organizes the parents and babies “backstage’ before the Baptism Service and during the service acts as the presenter. If Robert and Joan are both going to be away on a Sunday, Worship Committee looks after pulpit supply. They even book the person who’s to preach at Anniversary Service. Small wonder they have a continuing need for volunteers and committee members.

To connect with this committee please phone the church office (784-1330).
The Outreach Committee

The Outreach Committee represents Westminster in the World. With the conviction that the work of the Church is not over when the doors close after Sunday service, we work on several fronts, coordinating our congregation’s efforts both in the local community, and at the national and international levels. In a modest but effective way, the Outreach Committee strives to address, issues of poverty and injustice

Locally, Westminster is associated with Partners for Mission, a group of Winnipeg churches with active outreach programs in the inner city. As part of the West Broadway Community Ministry, we assist with the programs that make life easier for many in our neighbourhood by providing necessities such as food, counseling, and a pre-school reading program. We support several agencies such as the Inner City Ministry, Agape Table, which provides a hot meal and a meeting place for those in need; and Ma Mawi Wi Itata, an aboriginal agency focusing particularly on teens and single mothers.

Among other local endeavours, we support the work of Art City, a centre on Broadway that fosters the artistic talent and creativity of children and teens. And of course all the local kids know about our Children’s Christmas Sale, held annually in early December, where they can purchase most gifts for their family and friends for a mere 25c! We also provide a scholarship for a refugee student enrolled in the ESL program at Gordon Bell High School, a five-year commitment.

Refugee sponsorship is a significant facet of our work at Westminster. Through the United Church’s national committee our congregation has sponsored several families to come to Winnipeg and helped them through the initial stages of their new life in Canada. Helping people in their own countries is the objective of International Hope; this program that sends medical supplies to areas of need in Africa and elsewhere has been enthusiastically supported by members of Westminster since its incipience. It is also a matter of pride that our congregation contributes some 12% of our annual budget to the Mission & Service Fund, for the work of the wider Church.

Outreach helps organizations that help people and we can always use YOUR help! Food preparation and serving, hamper packing for the Christmas Cheer Board, driving, raising money, sorting and packing medical supplies for shipping, serving on boards and committees.

Can YOU volunteer your help?
For more information on any of Westminster’s Outreach work, please call Irene McKenzie at 261-1363.
The Christian Education Committee

The Christian Education Committee, chaired by Lisa Caldwell, supports the activities of our Sunday School teachers (Superintendent Sharon Taevs), a group of dedicated people who teach and work with approximately 60 children from ages 3-4 (Little Lambs) through older children up to grade 7 level. Katherine Abra leads the Youth Group of approximately 10 youth, ages 13-18.

The Committee also supports the adult Bible study sessions, and the Kids’ Choir, directed by Helen Larue.

The basic goal of this committee is to enhance the experience of children, youth and adults in church; making sure that they feel welcome, and safe, and receive education in the Christian faith.

Get involved and make the most of your experience
with Westminster!