No matter who you are,
Or where you are on Life's Journey,
You are welcome here!
Center for Spiritual Growth and Renewal
What's it like to Worship at West Center?
Recently congregants were asked to write two or three sentences about their experience at West Center. Here’s the Description of the Month!
- Warm, welcoming, accepting of people from various religious backgrounds and cultures and experiences. Excellent pastoral and lay leadership.
Come and Have Breakfast
An invitation from West Center Church Pastor John Barrett
We might think that after the Resurrection, Jesus would have some pretty profound and even challenging words for his followers, both for the first disciples and for us in 2013. But actually that’s not what happens. After the resurrection Jesus says things like, “Why are you weeping?” “Peace be with you.” And my own personal favorite, from the Gospel of John, “Come and have breakfast.”
“Come and have breakfast.” “Breakfast is ready.” “Come and get it!” Each of these short and familiar sentences really means one thing: “I love you.”
Whoever calls us to breakfast has made the coffee, set the table, taken out the cereal and milk, maybe they even whipped up some bacon and eggs or blueberry pancakes --- for us. We may have helped in some way, but whoever says, “Come and have breakfast,” is clearly in charge. They are telling us it is time to sit down and eat ---before the hot food gets cold or the cold food gets hot.
Whoever says, “Come and have breakfast,” is also saying, “You are invited, you belong, you are welcome, you are loved, you matter to me, you are family.”
When Jesus invites his disciples and us to breakfast, Jesus is showing us that we are loved by God, unconditionally. At God’s breakfast table we are invited to come as we are: like Jesus’ fishermen disciples, we may be tired, dirty and aching, but whatever we are, wherever we are, Jesus says, “Come and have breakfast.”
When Jesus says, “Come and have breakfast,” we know that we are not alone. We’re not seated at a table for one, but at a harvest table, a table for all, all who believe and all who wonder.
As members of the church, we are served by Jesus at the Communion table. We are called, fed and strengthened, and we depart to serve.
Being part of the church is being invited to “Come and have breakfast.” Being part of this extended family means a place for us at the table. There is always enough room for us to sit down and be comfortable.
There is always enough food for us and for everyone: tasty food, social food, emotional food, spiritual food, educational food, which are all re-creational foods. Being part of West Center Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, means knowing you are loved; being part of our church means knowing you are part of and embraced by the Church Family Tree.
So “Come and have breakfast,” under the graceful branches of our Church family tree. The table is set. The leaves are rustling. We are expecting you.
So come and have breakfast. Come any and every Sunday at 11 am.
You’ll be welcome and welcomed.
Pastor John M. Barrett
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Come worship with us this year!
Help celebrate our 100th Year
of the formation of the
West Center Sunday School
and the start of West Center Church as we know it today.
At West Center Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, we believe that “God is still speaking, and we are still listening.” Our worship and community life is Bible-based and open to God’s continuing revelation through our hearts and minds and spirits. Our worship celebrations and sermons are based on the readings of the day from the Common Lectionary. The musical selections are carefully coordinated with these readings, church holidays and the theme of the day.
We are a friendly, welcoming and diverse congregation. We seek God’s guidance in our corporate life and welcome fellow pilgrims of good will, wherever they may be on their personal spiritual journey. We invite you to join us for worship and to join us in your spiritual quest as part of our community. See you in Church!
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Puppies Behind Bars
Some were wondering as to how Puppies Behind Bars came to the attention of West Center. A year or so ago, our former Ministerial Assistant, Celia Milton, sent us an email. Knowing the number of animal lovers in our congregatoin, she knew some might consider giving support to this program. Most recently, Puppies Behind Bars was highlighted in the last episodes of the Oprah Show.