Women's Ministry

Women’s Discipleship just wrapped up our year-long study in the book of Mark. It was a meaningful study on the life and ministry of Jesus and the implications for us in our own lives.

Studying the content of God’s Word in the context of community is a beautiful blessing. In our recent survey women described their experience in the following ways.

• The wisdom and insight from each generation is a blessing to our daily experience. It opens our assessment and perspective.
• Jesus is my King and Savior, and his death and resurrection made it possible for me to be in a relationship with God now and forever.
• I was reminded of the depth of the sacrificial love of the Lord for me and the length of suffering he endured to redeem me!

Just in the past two weeks, we were blessed to hear the sweet testimony of Lou Ardrey and to consider in our own lives how we need not worry about anything but in everything to pray. Hearing the story of God’s faithfulness in another’s life gives us hope and encouragement for our own lives. In addition, we enjoyed the opportunity to connect with many of you on May 5th at our Connect in the Courtyard gathering where we provided a preview of our summer bible studies and book chat curriculum. It’s heating up with summer happenings and we look forward to having you join us. Details of our summer studies and book chat curriculum is available at wpcgo.com/women.

Children's Ministry

We had another wonderful year in the Family and Children’s ministry. On Sunday mornings, we once again had a small army of excellent volunteers who served once a month and made ministry possible. One goal we set out to accomplish this year was to be more strategic in unifying our Sunday morning curriculum across all ages. Most weeks, our children, no matter which grade they were in, were able to learn the same Biblical story or concept in an age-appropriate lesson. Our hope is that this will make familial conversation after church more collaborative.

On Wednesday mornings and evenings, we had our “Kingdom Kids” program which averaged 70 children a week. If you ask a child what we did on Wednesday nights, they should answer “Sing, Play, and Grow”. Kristen Wunderlich and her team were so helpful and selfless in helping our Kingdom Kids Choir learn new songs along with the basics of music theory. (I, JT, am still trying to figure out the difference between an eighth note and quarter note, sorry Kristen!) Following music, we would have play time, either through an organized game or free play. Then we would finish the evening with a lesson from the New City Catechism. It was so fun to hear and see them grow in their knowledge and love of the Lord.

We also had a few special events throughout the year, including our Christmas Party, Bingo Night, and Movie Night. These events served as a time for parents to connect, not only with their child but with other families. New people were brought in, felt welcomed, and spent some quality time with our church family.

As we head into the summer, we are looking forward to a great Vacation Bible School. We have 150 kids registered to attend. We are so excited to continue to see what the Lord is doing in these kiddos and their families!

Global Missions

Conflict in the Middle East - - US College Campuses in Turmoil - - War in Ukraine - - Global Immigration Crisis

We see headlines like these filled with bad news every day. But the good news is that God is in control and at work around the world. Your Faith Promise giving and prayer is having a Kingdom impact in every situation mentioned above. Here’s how--

In several countries of the Middle East, our supported missionaries are launching programs to train church leaders and establish new churches, often under very challenging circumstances.

Through Faith Promise giving, we support several campus ministries throughout the US—Clemson, University of Georgia, Penn State, Georgetown, and others. Within these ministries, students are coming to Christ and being discipled. We praise God that young lives are being changed by the Gospel.

We have all been encouraged by hearing reports from Bob and Andrea Burnham’s ministry in Ukraine. Amid conflict and suffering, they have continued to share Christ’s love by distributing food and needed resources, supporting pastors, and encouraging churches.

From Athens, Greece to New York City to Rock Hill, Westminster is bringing the Gospel to immigrants from Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. In the past year, we have been able to launch a new English as a Second Language (ESL) program in Rock Hill. Your generosity helps change lives and gives people hope in their new surroundings.

Since campus turmoil has dominated our news headlines so much lately, I’ll close with a story from one of our supported missionaries, Daniel Johnson, who works on several campuses in the Washington, DC area. Daniel writes, “Last night at the University of Maryland, four students shared their testimonies in front of a packed room of fellow students. Their stories were varied and personal, but two things in particular stood out to me. The first was that each emphasized the complete, life-changing, transformative power of the gospel. The second was how central the Bible was to each of their conversions and subsequent growth in the faith. I don't think I've ever heard four students, so new in their faith, quoting so much Scripture! Praise God for new life!”

Friends, the Gospel transforms lives, and we are grateful for the generosity and vision here at Westminster which God is using to further the Kingdom around the world.

Young Professionals & College Ministry

Our young professional group, the "YoPros" has hit our stride this fall and spring. With our capable Young Adult Leadership Team, we have had a continuous stream of engaging events to draw young professionals in, alongside care and engagement from our team members. Last fall, we hosted our annual fall retreat and annual Friendsgiving, both of which were wildly successful and well-attended. Both were such sweet times for our ministry: refreshing and full of joy.

Through our weekly men's and women's bible studies, more YoPros than in recent years have been engaged in small groups and discussion around the book of Mark. We continue to host "Supper Clubs" during the school year to meet and connect. We also have a monthly commitment as a group to serve dinner at the Cottage, the women's emergency shelter connected to Pathways. Serving these women in our community has been an incredible way to draw our young professionals into new and tangible ways of caring for our community. It's been a rich experience for those who participate.

In the College Ministry world, we have begun a new tradition of hosting college Sunday lunches a few times a semester. Thanks to our amazing and all-in volunteers, we have provided our students with a welcoming space in different members' homes for a lovely meal, often sending them home with leftovers. This has allowed us to make great progress toward our goal of making college students feel at home in our church and connecting them with adults and families in our community. We also continue to partner with RUF in their great work of equipping and supporting students in the area.