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.Message from Jo Forrest -- June 2021
Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9 In early January snow blanketed the ground and most of us isolated in our homes as the virus raged. I learned to preach to “Stand Lee,” a music stand adorned with a smiley face, and an empty building. Ugh. I could write more of the emptiness but imagine you were as frust…
The Wider Lens
“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.” -- Luke 12:27 What a fun command – Jesus directs us to “consider the lilies.” He doesn’t tell us to simply look at the lilies or glance at them but to “consider the flowers of the fields.” In Greek “κατανοέω,” to consider, means to perceive, observe, understand, fix one's eyes o…
Between Here and There -- June 2021
Forgive me if I’ve tread this ground before, as it has become a foundational thought in both my life and faith, one that I return to often. Abram’s call, found in the 12th chapter of Genesis, begins with the line “Go to the land that I will show you.” When we think of Abram’s (later named Abraham) faith, we most commonly think of his willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac. It occurs to me, however, …
Westminster Seminars Online -- June 2021
JUNE SERIES June 6, 13, 20, 27 Misconceptions about the Old Testament The Rev. Dr. Jo Forrest Over four sessions we will address often unspoken mistruths that Christians may hold about the Old Testament – from obsolescence, wrath, spiritual relevance, to the presence of grace. These ancient books possess indispensable ideas to shape our contemporary lives. JULY SERIES July 11, 18, 25 Sponsored b…
Summer Reading at Westminster
Have you read a good book lately? Are you in need of a spiritual uplift or want to explore what role faith plays in racial justice? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, the church library has a special invitation for you! From Memorial Day to Labor Day, books recommended by members of our congregation on these topics will be available in the church library. The Adult Spiritual…
Summer Book Study
Wednesday mornings June 30 – July 21 10:00 a.m. North Courtyard Stop by this summer for a great book discussion on Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli. “Messy Spirituality was written for the silent majority of us who have been convinced that we just don’t do Christianity right. Mike Yaconelli dares to suggest that imperfection and messiness are, in fact, the earmarks of true Christianity, and glori…
Mission on the Move -- June 2021
Hawassa Hope – Ethiopia Becky Weber, Elder and Outreach Liaison for Hawassa Hope Our Westminster Outreach Commission looks to find partners both locally and abroad who are engaged and successful in their mission to help others in God’s name. Hawassa Hope is a small but mighty U.S. based mission partner that works in the Sidama region in southern Ethiopia. Hawassa Hope’s ultimate goal is to come to th…