Calvary Women’s Services “In This Together” Virtual 5K
Thanks to Western’s Calvary dinner volunteers, Western Presbyterian Church is an official sponsor of the Calvary Women’s Services “In This Together” Virtual 5K fundraiser. You all have an opportunity to also contribute!
Western has a team of walkers/runners/bikers who will be participating in the 5K event, and you can support the Western Team by making a contribution directly on the Calvary website: https://www.calvaryservices.org/. On the Virtual 5K banner, click “register today” and then click “donate.” Choose to donate to a team, and scroll down to Western Presbyterian Church. We have a $500 goal – will you help us reach that goal?
A Word from Laura: Less Than Full Capacity
“It’s the election. I can’t stop worrying about it. I keep going back to look at the polling numbers. If Trump is re-elected, we’re doomed. And if he is isn’t, it’s going to be ugly.”
“It seems like we’re literally at the end of the world. I can’t believe we’re seeing evidence of west coast fires here in DC.”
“My heart is breaking after the whistle blower’s news of what’s happening to women in detention centers in Georgia.”
“I just hate getting out of bed…”
Western Minute for Mission: Building Bridges Across the River (BBAR) and BBAR Farms
The Mission Team at Western invites you to become familiar with one of the projects we support: Building Bridges Across the River (BBAR) and BBAR Farms. BBAR works to create opportunities for people who live in DC’s Wards 7 and 8, including access to fresh fruits and vegetables, quality health care, job training and education, and cultural events.
Session Notes - September 2020
Your Session sat for its regular monthly meeting earlier this week.
Sometimes our meetings are mostly administrative; other times they involve thoughtful contemplation. This was one of the second kind. We discussed community.
Whatever your definition of church, it probably includes the word community. Worship has always been a “corporate” experience – a time when we come together as a body and interact with other believers. As Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
A Word from Laura: Listening for Grace Notes
The spiritual toll of the pandemic weighs heavily on my own spirit these days. This Atlantic article on the “intuition nightmare” describes America’s response to COVID-19 in the shape of a death spiral. Our leaders (one in particular whose name rhymes with “dump” and “slump”) have led us down a trail using magical thinking, false dichotomies, theatricality and moralism, to the point of inevitable burn-out. Death rates continue significantly higher among health care workers, Black Americans, Indigenous people, and the Latinx community.
How are we to continue without being overcome? This week I’ve heard from some of you who are mourning loved ones and unable to travel to be with friends and family. Others of us are struggling to keep our children at home and in virtual school, while others are trying to figure out long-term work futures. Finding meaning in all of this seems a cruel venture, absurd at the very least.
Sanctuary DMV Food and Justice Fund for Immigrant Families
Please donate to make sure immigrant families know they are welcomed and can feed their children. Western CCB online giving can be used to help support the volunteer led effort of Sanctuary DMV.
Read letter below from Denise Woods to learn more about their work.
Hello💞,
For many immigrants loss hangs in the air for jobs lost, shoes they can’t afford for their children or the covid inundating their communities, but Paulina embodies the fighting spirit that captures their truth more vividly: