The Spire Online

Welcome to the online version of the Spire.

If you prefer a printable version, view and download a printable PDF copy of any previous issue here.


A Legacy OF Belonging

Westminster Nursery School opened its doors in the fall of 1958 when Westminster Presbyterian Church recognized the need for a community preschool. The program grew in January of 1983 when the Child Development Center opened. Today both programs make up what is known as Westminster Early Childhood Education Program (WECEP). At WECEP we see each student and his/her family as an important part of…

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Acceptance and Belonging for Youth at Westminster

The best words to describe the current energy in the Youth Ministry are vibrant, exciting, serving, and high impact. The youth recently completed a mission trip to urban Charlotte, NC, where they performed a variety of tasks to benefit various parts of the community. In addition, the Social Justice League has been meeting to discuss topics such as diversity, inclusion, and fairness. They…

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Ban These Words in Church

The church is a community formed by the Word, say the opening words of John’s Gospel. God’s Word and Jesus’ words reveal not only who God is, but who and whose we are. The words that we use to speak and write to one another should receive thoughtful selection. Peter Marty, editor of The Christian Century, suggests in September’s issue several words and phrases that belie the sense of belonging that is…

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Belonging by Making Music

As you probably know, music permeates most aspects of my life. Some of my fondest memories are when I am making music with others. There’s power in the act of coming together to create music. There’s even more power when the music is divinely inspired to honor and glorify God. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs lists belonging as one of the major needs that motivate human behavior. The needs for love and b…

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Belonging (in Small Groups)

Brené Brown, author and researcher, says the path to true belonging is through vulnerability. Westminster has been blessed to see the path of vulnerability and belonging forged through small groups. From Faith Transitions (discussion group for former Catholics and other denominations): ”The June meetings were so helpful that I can’t help but think that others would also benefit.” – Cathy From The Arti…

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Beloved. Be kind. Be You.

Recently at Kids’ Connection, we learned about how we are made in the image of God, how we can see God in others, and how we all belong to God’s family. One of the kids stopped me and asked, “Where do we see God?” As adults, we often forget that the abstract language we use doesn’t always translate well for young children who are still concrete thinkers. I explained to the group that grownups forget th…

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From the Office of JO FORREST: Fall 2023

My third-grade teacher taught everyone in my class how to make a string of paper dolls. We cut and cut until everyone unfurled the paper, so the dolls appeared to hold hands. The teacher thumbtacked them at the perimeter of the bulletin board and placed individual dolls within the interior. She told us we needed to keep the circle open. Then she put letters one word at a time in the center,…

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Storytelling as Community

I’ve been reading an outstanding book called Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek Murthy, MD, Surgeon General of the United States. If there is one thing that COVID taught us, it is about human connection, or lack of. We need connection from the day we are born until the day we die. Babies need to have eye contact and human touch for healthy d…

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