Saturday May 12  Serve Lunch at the Sharing Community   11:30 am - 2 pm

Sun May 13     I Have Called You Friends   John 15:9-17

                        Mother’s Day    Communion   

Sunday May 20           That They May All Be One    John 17:6-19

Sunday May 27   Day of Pentecost   Come Holy Spirit   Acts 2:1-21

                         Memorial Day Weekend

  12:30 pm       Deacons Meeting in the Library  (or June 3 due to MDW)

~ Visit our Worship Celebrations and Upcoming Schedules page ~

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You are invited to another Book Dicussion:

    Joshua by Joseph F. Girzone   

Wednesday  May 16, 2012

11:05 am in the Cleverdon Library

   Spiritual Book Club 

If you are interested in joining us, please let me know. Or, just show up! Newcomers are welcome.

-Joy DeBellis       joydeb2068@hotmail.com

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Overview

When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are mystified by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua appears to seek nothing for himself. He supports himself by working as a carpenter. He charges very little for his services, yet his craftsmanship is exquisite. The statue of Moses that he carves for the local synagogue prompts amazement as well as consternation.

What are the townsfolk to make of this enigmatic stranger? Some people report having seen him carry a huge cherry log on his shoulders effortlessly. Still others talk about the child in a poor part of town who was dreadfully ill but, after Joshua's visit, recovered completely.

Despite his benevolence and selfless work in the community, some remain suspicious. Finally, in an effort to address the community's doubts, the local religious leaders confront Joshua.

The Author

Father Joseph F. Girzone retired from the active priesthood in 1986 for health reasons. He then began a writing career that includes the following titles: Joshua and the Children, Joshua in the Holy Land, The Shepherd, and Kara, the Lonely Falcon.

West Center's Lunch Bunch

Do you like good company and good food? Are you available on a Thursday for a few hours? We'd love for you to join us.

The Lunch Bunch started a few summers ago when our Pastor Emeritus' wife (Vanetta Ross) wanted to see her friends from West Center. After an afternoon of conversation and catching up, we all decided to meet again.  Slowly we started getting together more often and are now meeting monthly. Each month the next restaurant is chosen by the group. We repeat many of our favorites and try new places as well.

Our group varies from month to month depending who is travelling or having to work. We try to keep the costs affordable. The bill, including tip, is divided and shared amongst those in attendance.  

Our next lunch is in June.  

West Center Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ

firmly believes that gender, age, physical ability, sexual orientation, and race

do not limit access to leadership positions, membership, participation in the life and

work of the Church, and eligibility to receive Church sacraments and services.

Stop by Often

Find out about the happenings at West Center.

If you live nearby, join us at 11 am on Sunday mornings for an hour of worship.

For those of you farther away, if you're ever in the area, we hope that you will come by and visit us. We would love to meet you in person.

Finding a church home is not always easy. We believe you may find West Center a Church that welcomes persons who are both formed in their faith or are still finding and forming their faith in God. It is a good place to explore and experience the depth of God’s Spirit and the wideness of God’s love in Christ Jesus.

Find out about our activities and programs at West Center which may interest you.

Remember that you that you are a very important part of our church family. Your greatest gift is your presence at worship or participation in a study group, program or concert.

We challenge you to respond to God’s love in Jesus Christ by developing your unique gifts and by sharing them.

We encourage you to deepen your faith and witness by joining West Center Church as a full or associate member.

If you would like any more information, or would like us to include you in our prayers, send us an E-mail at Westcenterucc@verizon.net.

May God richly bless you.
West Center Staff:

John M. Barrett, Senior Minister

Arnold Ostlund Jr., Director of Music

Allan Ross, Pastor Emeritus

Contact us:  

westcenterucc@verizon.net

Phone: (914) 337-3829

    No matter who you are,    

    Or where you are on Life's Journey,    

    You are welcome here!    

Center for Spiritual Growth and Renewal

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!

West Center’s Palm Sunday worship celebration on April 1st was even more spectacular than usual.  This year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the dedication of our Sanctuary. Members who were present on that morning fifty years ago remember that the congregation began worship in Leath Hall (downstairs) and marched to the new Sanctuary (upstairs) singing, “All Glory, Laud and Honor, to Thee, Redeemer King.” Somehow Paul Deege, Minister of Music, managed to play “All Glory, Laud and Honor,” on the organ both downstairs and upstairs on that glorious dedicatory Palm Sunday of 1962!

Members who were part of the Palm Sunday procession fifty years ago will shared some remembrances of that day. 

Rita Root, the Interim NY Conference Minister, representing our denomination, the United Church of Christ preached. 

Near the close of the service we  re-dedicated our Sanctuary and ourselves by sharing in the Liturgy of Dedication that was prayed in 1962, led by The Rev. J. Everett Bodge, the Senior Minister at the time.  (We also sang the recessional hymn that West Center used on Palm Sunday, 1962. “O Master Builder of the Church.”  The words were written especially for the occasion by Rev. Bodge to the tune of “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies.”) After worship we will moved into Bodge Lounge for a delicious potluck meal, with the main course prepared by Chef Thomas Riggs, a lifetime member of West Center Church.

The 50th Anniversary of the dedication of our Sanctuary is significant for another reason too.  Palm Sunday 2012 is the start of our 50th Anniversary Sanctuary Fund Capital Campaign to raise $15,000 to pay for recently completed roof repairs to the Sanctuary and the replacement of the red Sanctuary carpeting and black tile that were ruined by a summer deluge.

Long-time member Dudley Taw of Cleveland, Ohio, got us going on our Capital Campaign with a most generous gift of $5000 before we even asked him! So now all we must do is raise the remaining $10,000.  If all of the members and friends of West Center Church, present and past, do what they can and what they feel called to do, we will reach our goal.  The campaign goes through September 2012, so multiple payments are possible.   Please  think and pray about what you can commit to West Center Church for this important project.

Our last capital campaign was in 2004 for repairs to our glorious Sanctuary windows.  In 2004 we rose to the challenge.  Now the time has come again.

Let us answer the call.  And we’ll see you in Church. 

 Blessings, Pastor John

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Contact the pastor:    Jmbarrett65@verizon.net

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Our beloved church has a series of important milestones coming up this year.  Now is the time to begin thinking about them and planning our celebrations.  If you have ideas for any or all of these events, please speak with John Barrett or Susie Reisinger.

Watch for Upcoming Events

Palm Sunday 1962 – Palm Sunday 2012

          On Palm Sunday this year, April 1, 2012, we will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the dedication of our Sanctuary.

June 13, 1927 – June 13, 2012

          In June 2012, we will celebrate the 85th Anniversary of the official organization of West Center Church by 37 founding families in June 1927. These families chose to affiliate with the Congregational denomination (a forerunner of the United Church of Christ) because of its emphasis on self-governance. 

September 1912 – September 2012

          September 2012 will be the 100th Anniversary of the organization of Sunday School classes for children living in Cedar Knolls and Armour Villa.  Their parents were members of the Reformed Church of Bronxville and were concerned that their children get a proper religious education

October 1927 – October 2012  

          In October 2012 we will celebrate the 85th Anniversary of West Center Church being admitted into the Association of Congregational Churches.

November 1952-2012

         On November 28, 2012 we will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone for Leath Hall the Sanctuary, Lounge and offices, which was on Thanksgiving in 1952, one year after ground was broken. 

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  The Sharing Community 

West Center's next dates for volunteering to serve the noon lunch at

The Sharing Community in Yonkers as our outreach to the community are:

Saturday April 14, 2012 and

Saturday May 12, 2012  

(the second Saturday of the month)

If interested in helping, email Arlene at aholtum@yahoo.com

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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.