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A Brief Look at the History of Westminster Presbyterian Church

1963 – 2013

by Dorene H. Palermo (with help from everyone!)

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Deepest thanks to everyone for their time and the loan

of their memorabilia and pictures for the writing of this history. This is a compilation of data, memory, and verbal histories.

As such, there may be errors. If you notice any, please let us know, so that we might correct the information for the future.

On the cover: The Planning Committee surveys the future site of Westminster Presbyterian Church. From left to right: Charles Nye, Fleming Wily, Gordon Tuggle, Helen Croom, John Knight, Norma Barringer, Henry Knight, and Charles Williams

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Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4

The Beginning ............................................................................................................................................... 5

The First Ten Years ........................................................................................................................................ 5

Scouting......................................................................................................................................................... 6

Our Preschool................................................................................................................................................ 6

Haywood is Called ......................................................................................................................................... 7

The ‘70s & Beyond ........................................................................................................................................ 7

Mission ........................................................................................................................................................ 10

Christian Education ..................................................................................................................................... 11

Congregational Care.................................................................................................................................... 13

Youth ........................................................................................................................................................... 14

Music ........................................................................................................................................................... 16

Ministers by the Numbers .......................................................................................................................... 18

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Introduction Trying to describe the history of Westminster in 20 minutes is like trying to tell the history of the world in an hour. It takes longer than reading the Book of Genesis. I will try to share some key events and memories, but I invite you to look at the many other reminders around the campus and talk among yourselves to soak up the vast wealth that is our heritage.

Before I begin, though, I want to mention a few persistent themes that came up whenever I spoke to anyone about their recollections and experiences at Westminster.

The first is the living reality that we are a community. The shared visions, the personal relationships, and the joy involved in being part of a community are what breathe life into Westminster. We are the church.

In his book, Presbyterian Creeds: A Guide to the Book of Confession, Jack Rogers says, “Presbyterians are a covenant people who act out their faith connectionally [or – as a community]. We believe in mission. We believe in sharing the good news and doing good deeds, not just locally but on a world scale…. We …send fraternal workers to other countries to work with churches there. We… share with other Christians in bringing disaster relief in emergencies very quickly. And we… share with other Christians in protesting injustice and working to bring about greater love and justice in society.” At Westminster, we just call that mission.

The second persistent theme is our attitude of “Let’s do it!” As I learned the history of each part of Westminster, I found that the energy to move ahead, the excitement of trying something new, the willingness to let go of the past and venture into the unknown and “try it” has been the hallmark. Whether it was:

Launching a new type of Bible study like Kerygma,

Undertaking major capital projects – the Fellowship Hall, Education Building, and Sanctuary.

Helping to launch new services for the poor of Durham such as Urban Ministries Homeless Shelter, Housing for New Hope, and Habitat for Humanity,

Offering Vacation Church School for lots of churches,

Including music from Bach to Alice Parker,

Working on hurricane relief, or

Creating youth adventures of all sorts

…every time someone talked about the efforts, the “Let’s Do It!” spirit was present, and the word “fun” appeared somewhere.

The third theme is our spirit of giving: giving generously of our hearts, minds, energy, and resources to welcome, to create, to build, to support, to educate, to feed, to clothe, to comfort, to live as Christ teaches us. We give remembering always that whatever we do for one of the least of these we have done for God. (Matthew 25)

Finally, we love Micah 6:8 – “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” It is such a simple guide and it serves us so well.

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After spending many months collecting information about our history, looking at pictures, and talking to lots of people, I find that these are the things I tell my friends about Westminster and why I love to worship here.

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It was 1963. John F. Kennedy’s Commission on the Status of Women publicly released its report “American Women” highlighting the discrimination against women in all areas of life in this country.

President Kennedy sent 3,000 troops to positions near Birmingham, Alabama, to keep peace following the first nationally televised civil rights demonstrations, led by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., In May, North

Carolina College and Duke students were arrested for a sit-in at the Kress store lunch counter as part of three days of the largest mass civil rights protests in Durham’s history. Pope John XXIII convened the

Vatican II Ecumenical Council, beginning a major transformation of both Catholic and Protestant Churches. In November, President Kennedy was assassinated.

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The Beginning On September 9, 1962, a hundred people or more gathered at Hope Valley School to lay plans for the organization of a Presbyterian church in the rapidly growing southwest Durham area.

A Steering Committee comprised of both men and women from First Presbyterian, Northgate, and Trinity churches was established to begin the work. A Pulpit Committee with Dr. Ralph Coonrad as chairperson was appointed to begin the search for a minister. Mr. Russell N. Barringer, Jr., set out to secure a proper site for the new church.

By March of 1963, Rev. Charles Williams, from Mt. Olive Presbyterian in Mt. Olive, NC, was asked to be the pastor of the new church. The first worship service was held at the Hope Valley School on May 26, 1963. Westminster Presbyterian Church was formally constituted, Rev. Williams installed as pastor, and 22 families covenanted to “walk together as Westminster congregation” on June 30, 1963.

The Session and Diaconate were elected and installed, and the first order of business of the Session was to affirm tithing to the church. The second was to support racial integration – a bold step during the racial turmoil of the nation and of Durham. The Session records emphatically state: “Anyone coming to this church to worship shall be welcome, and seated without reference to race….” It was not until the next year that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed outlawing racial segregation.

The First Ten Years In the summer of 1963, J.C. Petrea was named superintendent of the Church School, and by October of that year, Rev. Williams was holding study classes for all Sunday School teachers at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Shingleton – even before the first elders were elected. Sunday School started off at 9:45 a.m. with the kick-off for the first Rally Day event on September 8, 1963. By 1966, the Church School had 144 adults and children with 22 teachers in regular attendance.

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On February 14, 1965, Dan Uzzle launched a capital campaign to raise $100,000 to build our own church. Mrs. C.T. Council, Sr., gave us the land, and the Education Building and Fellowship Hall were completed in June 1967. The four-year anniversary of the founding of Westminster Presbyterian Church was celebrated with our first service in the new Fellowship Hall on November 26, 1967. The first hymn sung at the dedication of our new Fellowship Hall was Come Ye People, Rise and Sing. Mrs. C. T. Council, Sr., who was interested in our music program, forgave the church’s property debt toward the purchase of our first organ.

During those four years, we had our first baptisms: Mary Martha Uzzle and Stephen Barringer (1964); created the “Women of the Church” group (1964) that published a newsletter, “Westminster Chimes,” three times a year; and began partial support of our first missionaries, Rev. and Mrs. Jules C. Spach, in Brazil (1965).

As early as 1966, we held our first Youth Fellowships with 18 youth in the seventh and eighth grades, and 15 youth in the senior high grades. They met every other Sunday evening for supper, worship, and a special program.

Going into 1967, the church budget was $13,000, with $2,600 going to benevolences, and $7,000 for the pastor’s salary. The church was fully self-supporting from the beginning.

Scouting In 1967, Martha Uzzle formed our first Cub Scout Pack 451 with eight cubs, ages 7-12. Boy Scout Troop 451 started a few months later. Both Cub Scout Pack 451 and Boy Scout Troop 451 are in full continuous operation today.

In the spring of 2010, after years of leading the Boy Scout efforts at Westminster, Chip Reinhardt organized Girl Scout Troop 1806, which is jointly hosted by Westminster and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Two years later, Westminster chartered Venture Crew 451 for high school and college-age boys and girls. Scouts have been continuously active at Westminster since 1967, making scouting Westminster's oldest outreach ministry.

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Elsewhere, in 1969, the Apollo 11 astronauts took the first walk on the moon, thousands attended the Woodstock Festival, and Sesame Street debuted.

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Our Preschool At home, our Women of the Church group began by sponsoring the Hoover Road Day Care Center for 24 children. At that time, public schools had no kindergartens, so Mrs. Ethel Fishbaugh, the first preschool director, opened Westminster Kindergarten and Preschool using our Education Building during the week.

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In 1972, we purchased the school from Mrs. Fishbaugh, and in 1975, Carol Van Hise took over as director, where she served for 35 years and remains on the Westminster School staff today as registrar and financial director. During that time, the 5-year-old kindergarten class was phased out due to lack of demand (public schools now had kindergarten). The name was changed to Westminster School for Young Children in 2003. Westminster School for Young Children today is directed by Kathy Stickley, who joined the staff as a teacher in 1986 and became co-director in 2000. Starting with 73 students enrolled the first year and a staff of six, the school has grown to 130 students and a staff of 20. Over 3,000 children have attended the program throughout the years. By 1972, the church had 356 members, the Sunday School had 233, and the Westminster Kindergarten and Preschool had 134. We had an active women’s organization; our first organ, with David Coffey and Phyllis Kort serving as organists, and Sybil Hogan and Do Cooper directing the choir; and our own Fellowship Hall and Education Building. At this point, we had been actively supporting outreach for seven years with our finances and through scouting. The foundation was in place. We were ready to move into the next stage of our history.

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8

Haywood is Called In the summer of 1972, our first pastor, Charles Williams, was called to a new church in Tennessee. Tim Kimrey, a member of Westminster, and the first minister to be ordained in our church, served as Interim Pastor and Session Moderator until December 1973. He then became the new pastor of the Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill, serving there until 1990. In January 1974, Haywood Holderness, native of down-east North Carolina, was called from Grace Presbyterian Church in Mobile, Alabama, and was installed as pastor. Haywood, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, attended the Wharton School in Philadelphia and graduated from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.

The ‘70s & Beyond During the summer of 1974, just after Haywood Holderness had come to Westminster as pastor, the congregation built the Youth Hut on the grounds of the church. The total cost of this structure, using a modified home log cabin kit, was only $15,200, all of which was raised before the building was completed. The cabin was later renamed Calhoon Cabin to honor Forrest Calhoon, who led the congregation in the construction.

This cabin has been used continuously since its construction, and was completely renovated over a two-year period during the mid 2000s, almost doubling its usable floor space. Within the last two years, families in Boy Scout Troop 451 contributed funds to add a complete heating and air conditioning system to the cabin, as well as water fountains.

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This facility is home not only to the scouts, but also serves as a place where our preschool holds some classes, and as a meeting place for the amazing variety of organizations to which Westminster lends its support. In 2009, we welcomed La Nueva Jerusalem Presbyterian Church, which held its first service in the cabin on Christmas Eve. They began regular Friday and Saturday night services on March 5, 2010, and continue to meet there every week.

In 1974, the Session made a decision to use wine and grape juice for communion. It was also at this time that we as a congregation began to assert each week that “We are a community, a covenant people,” and Micah 6:8 was chosen to reflect our belief that what the Lord requires of us is to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.

In 1975, Haywood and the Session decided that Sunday School classes would be based on the text which was the center of that day’s worship. Since no such curricula were commercially available, the congregation, guided by Leroy Cooper, wrote and taught two sets of curricula: one based on Old Testament stories and the other based on New Testament stories.

In 1979, Steve and Carolyn Phelps and Sandra Lutz led us in our first Moravian-style Lovefeast with equipment borrowed from Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church. In 1982, the Lovefeast moved to the first Sunday in Advent; Westminster’s young people began fulfilling the role of “dieners” (servers); and the North Carolina Boys Choir provided musical leadership. In 1986 we got our own Lovefeast equipment: Carolyn and Steve Phelps donated baskets, Karen Johnson made all the linens, and Bill Leaming made all the candle and mug trays. Every year since then, the congregation looks forward to this inspiring service of love and harmony led by our youth. In the past, many external music groups have provided seasonal music and have led the congregation in singing hymns; our own Westminster Lovefeast Choir has led the music for the last several years. In 1980, Angie George became our first part-time Director of Christian Education, and Melanie Crane became our organist/choir director in 1981.

Also in 1981, Sam Bryan convinced Haywood Holderness that Westminster needed a computer. Together they introduced the Apple II, a leading-edge move that had people scratching their heads as to why a church would ever need a computer. Haywood soon had everyone in the office learn to use it (just to keep up with him!), and Sam has been the inspiration and technical support for every technology advancement at Westminster, right up to the present.

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In the rest of the world, 1983 had a few interesting events: The oldest human skeleton, aged 80,000 years, was discovered in Egypt. Fox released the film Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,

and Sally Ride became the first American woman astronaut in space. _____________________________________________________________________________________

1983 was an interesting time in the life of Presbyterian churches. The United Presbyterian Church in the USA (Northern Presbyterian) and the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (Southern Presbyterian) had agreed to merge. The vote to support that merge came to Westminster in 1983. At that point, we became a part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and in 1984, the Session approved incorporation of the church. By now, the membership was over 300, and the annual budget was $136,000.

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That year the Session restated the mission of the church as follows:

In response to God’s Love, we the members of Westminster Presbyterian Church do proclaim and demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ within our congregation, throughout the community, and to the world, as disciples in the reformed tradition, and led by the Holy Spirit we manifest our faith through: corporate worship; sustaining nurture; mission outreach; responsible stewardship, Christian Education.

After extended study, a decision was made in 1985 to build a Sanctuary rather than enlarge the existing Fellowship Hall. The cost of the Sanctuary was accepted at $1,075,000. Under the leadership of Ralph McCaughan, $750,000 was secured in pledges. We broke ground in the summer of 1986.

After much research, Marvin and Becky Walker, Sally Cline, Nancy Knight, and Velma Silver led us in building a Memorial Garden in 1986. The garden was to be located immediately south of the Education Building and used as a resting place for cremains, as well as a lovely outdoor site for meditation and weddings. Our first guest in the garden was Edna Cooper.

On August 30, 1987, the new Sanctuary was dedicated, as was the new Reuter organ. The Festival Service included the choir, Bill Graham at the organ, and Jim Ketch on the trumpet. On November 1, 1987, an inaugural organ recital was performed on the new Reuter organ by organist William Evans. He performed works by Bach, Dupré, Vierne, Davies, and Widor. On November 18, 1987, a Concert of Music for Organ and Trumpet was held (Jim Ketch, trumpet; Jay Peterson, organ).

In 1987, at one of the first services in our new Sanctuary, the elders could not get into the sacristy to set up communion. Haywood sent Ralph McCaughan to the grocery store for pita bread and grape juice, and Sue McCaughan to his house to fetch Mary Holderness’ wine glasses and wine. Haywood proceeded to give a class on communion by intinction to the congregation. Following the service that same day, the Session voted to include intinction at half of our services. In 1991, the church began to offer an 8:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. service. In 2004, the Session voted to have communion by intinction at all services. Ordained elders and deacons alike were invited to participate in the distribution of elements at holy communion in May 2008. In November 2010, the Session created a new communion station with gluten-free wafers and a separate cup for wine by intinction.

On June 26, 1988, Westminster celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special service with Charles Williams, our first pastor, as guest preacher, and Phyllis Kort, who was our first candidate in the Gospel Ministry, as leaders along with Haywood Holderness.

On the Sunday after Labor Day in 1990, the Presbytery of New Hope installed Graham Patterson as our first Associate Pastor, and we had our first annual Pig Pickin’. It was also on that Sunday that we used Graham as our excuse to have everyone wear nametags, a tradition that has continued to the present day.

Betty Berghaus replaced Graham, first as Student Associate Pastor in 1996, and then as Associate

Pastor for Congregational Care in 1998. Paul Ransford became Associate Pastor for Youth and Family

Ministry in 1997.

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The dedication of the expansion of the Mission Center took place in 1997. The Mission Center was renamed the Holderness Mission Center in 2006 to honor Haywood’s retirement.

In 2009, Chris Tuttle was installed as Westminster Presbyterian Church’s pastor, replacing Interim Pastor Jack Walchenbach. Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman replaced Paul Ransford as Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry in 2011. Together our pastors continue to lead us forward in our worship and celebration of community.

Mission In 1972, congregations of Durham formed an alliance we now know as Durham Congregations in Action, (DCIA) whose mission is to create a community to promote understanding across boundaries of faith, race, and ethnicity – to build an inclusive community of justice and peace.

When Haywood Holderness arrived in 1974, he, along with Rev. Joe Harvard of First Presbyterian Church and Rabbi John Friedman of Judea Reform Congregation of Durham, formed a partnership within DCIA that would change Durham and their congregations forever. One of their first accomplishments was the creation of Meals on Wheels of Durham to deliver hot, nutritious meals to Durham County residents unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves. Since its inception, Meals on Wheels of Durham, Inc. has served more than 1.75 million meals, and Kenzie Brannon may have served half of them!

By 1976, Westminster, as part of DCIA, received an award from the Durham Human Relations Commission for efforts at providing services in Durham for disadvantaged people where none existed. Haywood accepted the award on behalf of DCIA.

By now, we had become proactive in mission. We lent our hands to the effort, not just our finances.

One of our first hands-on examples of doing good deeds came in 1977. We worked in community with members of Pilgrim United Church of Christ and the Durham Mennonite Fellowship to build a new home for a Mrs. Satterfield in east Durham.

In 1984, Westminster led the effort to raise $525,000 with other Durham churches to build a new Urban Ministries Center – one that would centralize and better minister to the destitute, homeless, and hungry people in our city. For the first time, Durham would have a facility housing the soup kitchen, Meals on Wheels, food pantry, clothing and linen closet, night shelter for men in winter, and crisis counseling. By the 1990s in Durham, many men would exit the homeless shelter for other housing, but would often soon return because they lacked the necessary support, services, and affordable housing options to make their transition lasting. In 1992, the Phoenix House, a transitional housing facility for single homeless men, opened to respond to the need for next-step type programming. Housing for New Hope was established to govern the Phoenix House and work on other transitional and permanent housing for the homeless. Thus began our long partnership with Housing for New Hope.

During this time, members Jack and Carol Walker led us in renovating the Dodie Mathews home. Ms. Mathews was a single mom with no insurance, who lost her home to a fire. Every week over the next year, volunteers rebuilt this home – sheetrock, flooring, paint, everything.

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Right after this, in 1992, we built our first Habitat for Humanity house, with over 130 members involved. Pete Jones and Lucy Stokes led the early builds. This was the first of many Habitat builds. In 2004, Lucy Stokes enabled Habitat to launch its first semi-annual “Women’s Build.”

For Haywood’s 25th anniversary at WPC, the special collection for Habitat garnered over $25,000 in one day! Our commitment to Habitat is high even now. A group of members known as “Geezers,” who are experienced Habitat volunteers, provide leadership and expertise every week to every Habitat home built in Durham. Kenzie Brannon, Debbie Chesnut, Don Hallen, Pete Jones, Bill McAvoy, Paul Ransford, Chick Palermo, and others serve without fail. Many members of Westminster have been board members of Habitat, and continue to encourage all of us to get involved.

In 1995, under the leadership of Andy Collins, we had the most Westminster folks ever taking part in the annual CROP Walk, and Westminster won the Silver Sneaker Award for raising the second largest amount of money among more than 100 groups who took part. We have participated in the CROP Walk for 39 years, with a great track record of participation and winning sneakers.

The Diaconate voted to join the Interfaith Hospitality Network in 1997. We housed our first four families that August. Bill Starnes served as coordinator.

The list continues…

Genesis Home – helping homeless families become self sufficient,

YO:Durham – serving the at-risk youth of Durham,

Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC – providing emergency food to the homeless and hungry,

Durham Crisis Response Center – working with the community to end domestic and sexual violence,

Threshold – providing support for adults with severe mental illness,

… and more.

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

Christian Education In 1983, Sue McCaughan became our first full-time Director of Christian Education, and she, Haywood, and church secretary Gloria Mizell, made a powerful team for the next many years. Sue and Haywood began teaching the first regular mid-week Bible study in 1986. Haywood taught the first Kerygma class, and Sue taught later ones. The weekly classes of 18-20 were held morning and evening – same lesson, same day. In 1997, Sue McCaughan began teaching “Disciple,” the first year of a two-year intensive Bible survey course.

As the church community grew, and new staff members were added, Bible Studies and Care Groups were led by, and often originated by, various members of the church. In 1998, Charles Page, Dean of the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies, taught “Land of the Bible.”In 2004, Haywood Holderness led “Book of Acts.” 2006 was very active with Haywood teaching a class on the four gospels; Frances Anton and

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Betty Berghaus leading a Kerygma Class; Barbara Fletcher and Nancy Rozak, a Disciple III class; and Paul Ransford, a class on Marcus Borg's Book, “Heart of Christianity.”

Sometime before 2006, young women with little ones expressed a need for some kind of Bible study to fit their busy lives. Nancy Rozak helped them choose a curriculum and, for the first time 18 young mothers came to the WAY Bible Study (Women and Young children) – babies in their laps, older children with Westminster-provided childcare. It continues as a completely self-sustaining program to this day.

Other examples of self-defined, self-sustaining groups include the Prayer Shawl Ministry started by Amy Hill and her mother, and now led by Laurie Leadbetter and Beth Maxwell; Seekers, which started with a peer group at a Women’s Retreat wanting a Bible Study for their own age group; and more recently a Bible Book Group with short stories for recently widowed members (which has since grown to a wider audience) started by Susan Ketch and Nancy Rozak.

In 2011, study groups included a “World Religions” class, organized by Nancy Rozak, and the "Love Wins" book discussion led by Chris Tuttle. Other long-running Bible groups that choose their own topics and seek outside leaders as needed include Doorways, a women’s prayer and Bible study group; Men of Westminster; the Children’s Worship Class; and a Senior High Bible Study group. New groups, like the Monday Bible Study Group, form as a community of people and interests arise.

In 1996, the Christian Education Committee and Westminster staff began a 15-year tradition with the first Spiritual Renewal (now called Spiritual Enrichment) weekend. This weekend-long experience of learning, listening, and being fully engaged as a community started on a Friday night, and continued through a prayer breakfast the following Monday morning. Members such as Claudia and Richard Draffin and Bonnie Derr, as well as the staff and the Christian Education Committee, select the themes and speakers two years in advance to ensure a truly spiritually enriching event.

In 1991, Westminster began an 18-year tradition of Summer Musicals on Rally Day led by Christian Education. These intergenerational productions provided entertainment for the entire community – the players, the directors, the musicians, and the audience – and were generally accompanied by a meal: pig pickin’, covered dish, or catered. The first musical was "Paul and Company.” In 2010, the tradition ended, and Rally Day returned to its basic purpose of kicking off the new Sunday School year.

Sometime prior to 2001, Westminster began having a midweek program for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. It had various names – Logos, www.kids, Go West, etc. – and continued for 11 years through Nancy Rozak’s tenure. We now call it MP2. This weekly program of worship, learning, and activities has been a source of great energy for Westminster. The program is highly dependent on parental participation each week. By 2012, family dynamics changed sufficiently that MP2 was temporarily suspended and restructured. In 2013, a once-a-month program – still called MP2 – involving

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20-25 children, each with an accompanying parent, was established to worship together and engage in theme-based activities, while the next stage in the life of our children’s midweek program is formed.

Like Sunday School, Bible School, or Vacation Church School as it later became known, has been part of Westminster from the earliest time. Sue McCaughan moved it to an interdenominational program and to Camp New Hope. When Nancy Rozak arrived, the “community” had expanded to include four churches. It now has six, including Iglesia Emanuel/Durham Church which joined the VCS community in 2009. Today VCS involves 70 youth volunteers, 40 adult volunteers, and more than 160 children who attend camp every year. This has truly become a major intergenerational community experience.

By 2001, even with help from Mary Todd Peters as part-time Interim Children’s Ministry Director, Sue McCaughan needed a rest after 18 years as Westminster’s Director of Christian Education. She retired and Nancy Rozak became our new Director of Christian Education (DCE). After 12 years, Nancy retired to move closer to family in Arizona, and we are now awaiting the arrival of a new DCE to continue to lead and shape our beloved programs of Christian Education that meet the needs of Christ’s people. And the traditions go on.

“Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.” Job 34:4

Congregational Care From the beginning, Congregational Care has been a shared responsibility of the pastors and the church members.

In February of 1988, Haywood Holderness, Sue McCaughan, Don Heagren, and Gene Brannon spent two weeks being trained to become leaders for the Stephen Ministry Program, and in February of 1989, 35 members were commissioned as Stephen Ministers.

In 1990, Graham Patterson was hired as an Associate Pastor for Congregational Care and Stephen Ministry became a part of his ministry. When Betty Berghaus replaced Graham Patterson as Student Associate Pastor, and then as Associate Pastor for Congregational Care, Stephen Ministry continued as part of that ministry. Today many men and women of Westminster have benefited from either being a care giver or a care receiver – or in some cases, both.

Our congregational care pastors are the source of the quiet, behind-the-scenes ministry that provides support to members, their families, and their friends during times of change, stress, grief and sorrow, and great joy. Celebrations of birth, baptism, confirmation, graduation, marriage, and significant birthdays are blessed by the presence and leadership of these pastors.

To help with this, the Prayer Shawl Ministry has for many years made warm shawls full of love and the grace of God to be given to members in need of prayer and support. From 2008 to 2011, we had a Parish Nurse Ministry with Kay Wellemeyer volunteering her services to provide education and information for an aging congregational population.

An important part of Congregational Care that is often overlooked is the multitude and changing social activities that keep our congregation working and playing together as a community.

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The first Women’s Retreat was led by Hazel Thornton in 1991. Spring and fall retreats have been held nearly every year since then at several different venues: Wrightsville Beach, Camp Albemarle, Camp New Hope, Crystal Lake, Trinity Center and Conference Center, Avila Retreat Center, and others. Retreat leaders have included Mary Banner, Mary Holderness, Sue McCaughan, Barbara Gerwe, Carol Hassel, Jane Summary, Linda Parker, Marcia Mount Shoop, Lori Pistor, Christy O. Brown, Jeannine Wiseman, Monica Rossman, and Jill Baughan.

There are a constant variety of Supper Clubs, lunch groups, and social groups, such as Lunch Bunch, Settled Singles, the International Supper Club, the Games Night Supper Club, Love 40, Mothers of Multiples, Carolina Cablers, and Men of Westminster Fellowship.

Truly caring for each other is a hallmark of the Westminster community. Whether it’s a women’s or men’s group, the Diaconate, or the direct support of one of our pastors, being with each other in caring and fellowship is a big part of the meaning of Westminster.

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” John 21:16

Youth From the beginning, parents whose children were entering junior and senior high often formed the basis for the youth fellowship activities. Families like the McCaughans, the Brannons, and the Holdernesses went family camping at Presbyterian Point, so it became a natural progression for the Youth to begin having weekend stays there. Sue and Ralph McCaughan, with Gene and Kenzie Brannon and many other members, frequently took the Youth on these outings in their multi-colored tents. It was at one of these events that Paul Ransford, then the Director of Presbyterian Camps, first became impressed with the parents and youth of Westminster.

Presbyterian Point outings grew into the Memorial Day Family Outings at Presbyterian Point which remained popular until 2007, when the family outings stopped.

Our youth attended their first Montreat Youth Conference in 1984. From then on, Montreat became a natural part of the youth programs at Westminster. After Paul Ransford became Youth Minister in 1997, his house at Montreat, “Ransford’s Roost,” became a home away from home for senior highs, and later middle schoolers as they attended numerous conferences and weekend retreats. Youth Sponsors served as the adult leaders on these trips and Bubba, our 14-passenger bus, was a critical member of the group.

In 1991, Sue McCaughan was approached by Vicky Chapman, an active and adventuresome mom in the congregation, who suggested they take the Youth on a mission trip. Vicky did the research, Don Wehmeyer in Mexico planned where they would work, and our first Youth Mexico Mission Trip was underway (not without some exciting times). Dr. Ed Lilly and Lawrence Frank joined Vicky and Sue as the adult leaders. The 22 teenagers and adults spent two weeks in the Yucatan Peninsula living on a farm, cooking their own meals, working in town, leading Bible school, and being in community with each other.

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In 1992, 20 adults and youth went on our first Appalachian Service Project. The first summer mission trip (non-Mexico) to serve the poor and needy took place in 1994 in Washington D.C. Marcia Edwards and Kenzie Brannon were the adult leaders for that trip.

In 1995, Frank McNutt became our Youth Pastor, taking some of the load off Sue McCaughan, who had been doing some of everything up to that point.

Also in 1995, the Youth and their leaders, including Kenzie Brannon, Pete Jones, Eileen McAvoy, and Jim Ketch braved another youth mission trip to Mexico, and the tradition started. From 1997 to 2011, when Paul Ransford began as Youth Pastor and while Rebecca Mattern was the Interim Youth Director, the Youth of Westminster returned to Mexico every other year to build houses, friendships, and community among themselves and with the people of Mexico. Countless adults, chosen by the Youth to accompany them – Eileen McAvoy, Susan Landis, Chick Palermo, Walt Beckwith, Nancy Chaffee, Helen Tharrington, Bill and Debbie Hatch, David Anderson, Mark Hill, and many others – experienced the joys of giving and of fellowship that these trips provided.

In 1997, Paul Ransford, formerly the Director of Presbyterian Camps, was called as our first full-time Associate Pastor for Youth and Family Ministries, replacing Frank McNutt, and was installed on Rally Day. Mother Nature intervened in the late 1990s to greatly influence the shape of Youth Ministry for the next ten years.

On the day Hurricane Floyd hit eastern North Carolina in September 1999, Haywood dispatched Tully Fletcher and Paul Ransford to take drinking water to Tarboro and Princeville, NC. Two days later, the Session voted to call for a special offering to be used in the Tarboro-Princeville area, and the deacons voted for flood relief to be our mission focus for the next year. Our Youth, along with the adults, began sending 4-6 work teams a month down east and raised $150,000 in gifts and pledges. In 2001, we completed our flood ministry to Edgecombe County. The Session passed a resolution thanking Chick Palermo for extraordinary efforts and work in Tarboro and Princeville both for the youth and adult mission trips.

In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel hit eastern North Carolina, this time in Hyde County. Paul Ransford, Chick Palermo, and others again organized and led both adult and youth mission trips to help the victims.

In the summer of 2004, the Youth and the Geezers (senior members of the congregation with building skills honed at Habitat for Humanity and on other mission trips) teamed up to build a house for a woman named Tina, who lost hers to Hurricane Isabel. The youth demolished the old house, and built a new one on 8-foot stilts. The Youth raised over $30,000 to rebuild and furnish her home by having bake sales, selling nails, accepting contributions, and selling almost 400 quilt squares at $30 each. The resulting quilt was given to Tina on the day her home was ready to occupy.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, and Westminster was asked to set up Volunteer Villages along the coast to give relief workers places to stay. Countless members of the congregation spent weeks between 2005 and 2008 working on the Gulf Coast, repairing homes, and making friends. Seventy Westminster Youth and adults built shower trailers and sleeping huts in our parking lot to be used by several of these Volunteer Villages.

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In June 2006, there was a youth mission trip to the Peace River Presbytery in Charlotte County, Florida to repair the damage from Hurricane Charlie two years before.

Paul Ransford, the official “Disaster Pastor” retired in 2008, and Rebecca Mattern became Interim Director of Youth Ministry. Coincidentally, the hurricane seasons for North Carolina and the Gulf Coast caused much less damage over the next three years. This allowed a shift in the emphasis and types of mission trips the Youth were able to go on.

For example, in July 2009, the Youth participated in the CROSS Mission Trip, an urban outreach ministry that is part of Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. This mission trip combined worship, reflection, and service. Since then, the Youth began serving meals at Urban Ministries, have hosted a church-wide Stop Hunger Now meal packing event, traveled to Atlanta to the DOOR (Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection) program, and have focused on mission in a variety of new ways.

In 2011, Rebecca Mattern moved away. With the arrival of Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman as Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry, the Youth Council decided to shift the mission trip emphasis to a three-year cycle: domestic U.S., rural U.S., and non-U.S. spiritual pilgrimages to focus on prayer, worship, devotional practices, and learning to worship together as a community of believers.

“ If your gift is … serving, then serve; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; … if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” Romans 12

Music In 1985, an Organ Committee was formed with David Edwards, chair, and Jim Ketch, Teri Weddle, and Bill Graham as members. Chancel Choir rehearsals moved from Wednesday to Thursday evenings, where they have remained ever since. In 1986, Bill Graham became the organist/choir director. Kay Bailey created our handbell choir, the Westminster Ringers, which included both children and adults, in 1991. Bell choirs were directed by Kay Bailey until 2000. Since then, Kathryn Bunch has ensured that we regularly enjoy the beautiful music of our handbell choir.

In 1993, Robertson Madill organized the Westminster Brass Ensemble, initially known as Haywood’s Brass Band, beginning a long tradition of instrumentalists’ regular participation in our worship.

In October 1993, Bill Graham resigned as organist/choir director and Kay Bailey became Interim Music Director. The Session appointed a search committee under the leadership of Bill Bartholomay to find a new music director. Kay Bailey also served as the Children’s & Youth Choir director until Monica Umstaedt Rossman became the full-time Minister of Music in 1994.

It is particularly appropriate that Monica is recognized as a Minister of Music, and not only a choir director. Music is fundamentally spiritual. It transcends cultural constraints and communicates across cultural boundaries. It is a universal language. It is deeply communal, bringing people together – AND –music to the glory of God is fun!

Since our first choral concert program in April 1995, John Rutter’s Requiem, the Chancel Choir has presented two special programs annually, often with orchestra or some smaller-scale combination of

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instruments and at times jointly with other churches. Works by John Rutter (Requiem, Gloria, and the Magnificat), Vivaldi, Handel, Mozart, Brahms, Schubert, Mendelssohn, K. Lee Scott, Hal Hopson, and of course Bach have been performed.

Beginning in 2009, the spring choral concert, “American Treasures: Favorite Hymns and Spirituals” began a new tradition of the choir and the audience participating together in the Music Room. In spring 2010, we took “A Musical Journey through the Book of Psalms” in the Music Room.

Over the years, we have had music and hymn texts written specifically for Westminster. A new hymn text was commissioned by Westminster in 1997 to reflect the church’s newly revised mission statement. The commissioning produced Jane Parker Huber’s hymn Holy God, You Call Us Daily that we know as The Westminster Hymn.

The next commissioned hymn came in 1999 for the celebration of Haywood’s twenty-fifth year as WPC’s pastor. Another Jane Parker Huber hymn, this one titled God, Alone our Source and Ending, was the result. An anthem involving choir, congregation, organ, and trumpet was commissioned from composer

K. Lee Scott titled, Humbly Walk with God, also to commemorate Haywood’s 25th anniversary. It was based on Micah 6:8 and bears the tune name Holderness. In addition, Psalm settings (128 and 118) and an anniversary benediction were written for the occasion by Monica Rossman. Monica also wrote a musical drama for the children’s choir in 1997 based on the biblical story of Miriam and Moses called “Miriam Saves the Day!” which was performed to a packed Fellowship Hall.

Today we enjoyed another beautiful piece of music commissioned to honor our 50th anniversary. The hymn We Hunger, God is sung to the beloved American folk hymn tune Prospect, and was written by Mary Louise Bringle, a well-known North Carolina hymn writer from Brevard College.

In 2001, Sue Beischer gave Westminster a Steinway grand piano for use in the Music Room.

Hal Hopson, lecturer and musician, was the featured spiritual enrichment weekend leader in 2008. He directed his own “Festival of Hymns: The Writers Tell Their Stories,” featuring the Chancel Choir (including extra singers), handbell choir, congregation, and readers drawn from WPC.

In 2010, the Chancel Choir’s annual Christmas program became a service of Advent Lessons & Carols for choir, instruments, and congregation, illuminating beloved passages from scripture. This tradition was well-received and continues.

Through the years, the choir has sung for many members’ memorial services: Rebecca Carnes; Armando, Martha, and Mickey Henriquez; Rodgers Way; Jean Lee; David Edwards; Bert Loro; Bill Bartholomay; and Les Malpass. It has also sung for celebrations:

Haywood and Mary Holderness’s 25th anniversary at WPC in 1999,

Westminster’s 40th anniversary in 2003,

The retirement celebrations of Haywood in 2006 and Paul Ransford in 2008, and

The marriage of Betty Berghaus in 2012.

Whenever the church is gathered in His Name there is music.

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Westminster’s distinguished music traditions are a powerful testament to the joys of community. We think of those singers and musicians we have often seen: Jim Ketch and Jack Walker on trumpet; Marcia Edwards on violin; soloists Nancy Proia, Michael Heath, Carol Walker, and Nancy Chaffee; Kathy Hancock, flute; David McQuay and Mark Hill, percussion; Kay Bailey on recorder; the handbell choirs. Since 1994, there have been more than 100 instrumentalists, and 200 singers from our congregation engaged in bringing music to us. The Chancel Choir presents more than 70 different anthems each year in addition to special programs and summer choir. Chuck Byrd, a long-time Westminster choir member, perhaps said it best: “The choir plays hard together… our real play is our work and our work is our play. It can hardly get any better than that.”

Whether we are involved in the great sacred music of Bach or participating in excellent sacred music of the present day, the best attitude for bringing the spirituality of communal music-making to the masses might be a strong belief that music is perhaps God's greatest gift, and that without it we would be lost and our common humanity would suffer.

“Sing to the Lord a new song for he has done marvelous things; Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.” Psalm 98

Ministers by the Numbers As a final reflection, our community has been blessed with many being called to the ministry. As we try to live out our baptismal vows, let us continue to worship as community and celebrate the grace and love of our Lord.

1963 o Rev. Charles Williams was installed as pastor, and 22 families covenanted to “Walk

together as Westminster congregation.”

1973 o Tim Kimrey, a member of Westminster, was the first minister to be ordained in our

church. He served as Interim Pastor and Session Moderator until December.

1974 o Haywood Dail Holderness, Jr., was installed as pastor. o Phyllis Kort, who served as organist in 1972, was our first candidate in the Gospel

Ministry.

1998 o Betty Berghaus was ordained and installed as Associate Pastor for Congregational Care.

2004 o Rebecca Hylander was endorsed by the Session to pursue the Gospel Ministry. After

graduating from Princeton University, she spent 2003 as a volunteer in mission in Egypt. She was accepted by the Presbytery as an Inquirer, and began seminary in the fall of 2004.

o Dr. Esther Acolatse, who joined Westminster in 2004, was hired at Duke Divinity School, where she is now Assistant Professor of the Practice of Pastoral Theology and World Christianity.

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2006 o Charles Jones was ordained and called as Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church,

Rocky Mount, NC. o Haywood Holderness retired after 32 years at Westminster and Jack Walchenbach was

called as Interim Pastor and Head of Staff.

2008 o Paul Ransford retired as Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry, and Rebecca Mattern

became Interim Youth Director. o Sophie Marian Draffin’s ordination service was held at Westminster in August. Now

Sophie Marian Draffin Anagnostis, she is the Associate Pastor of Youth and Missions at First Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Texas.

2009 o Tully Fletcher was installed as Associate Pastor at Orangewood Presbyterian Church in

Phoenix, Arizona, in February. o Chris Tuttle was installed as Westminster’s Pastor and Head of Staff on March 29. o Westminster launched a new Young Adult ministry with Rev. Christie O. Brown, part-

time Parish Associate for Young Adult Ministry.

2010 o Rev. Haywood Dail Holderness, Jr., was elected Pastor Emeritus of Westminster

Presbyterian Church of Durham, NC.

2011 o Katherine Hester, Seminary Intern for Young Adult Ministry, took Rev. Christie O.

Brown’s place. o Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman was installed as Westminster’s Associate Pastor for Youth

Ministry.

2012 o Sarah Wolf was admitted to Columbia Seminary and endorsed as an Inquirer to the

ministry. o Anastasia Sharpe began her first year at Princeton Theological Seminary.

“...and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

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