2015 Annual Report 2 Table of Contents Our Vision and Mission ................................................. 3 The Report of Our Pastor .............................................. 4 Session .............................................................................. 5 Board of Deacons ............................................................ 6 Board of Trustees ............................................................ 7 Security Committee ........................................................ 8 Property Committee ....................................................... 9 Outside Groups Using Our Facilities ............................ 10 Worship and Music Committee ..................................... 11 Christian Education Committee .................................... 12 Membership and Evangelism Committee .................... 13 Stewardship Committee ................................................. 14 Personnel Committee ..................................................... 15 Associate Pastor Nominating Committee ..................... 16 Joint Mission Committee ............................................... 17 Urban Mission Committee ............................................. 18, 19 Church in the World Committee................................... 20, 21 Gifts and Bequests .......................................................... 22 Nominating Committee .................................................. 22 Our Staff and Leadership .............................................. 23 Agenda for Annual Meeting .......................................... Back Page Please see the separate Financial Supplement to the 2015 Annual Report for detailed financial information. 3 Our Vision and Mission OUR VISION Westminster seeks to embody God’s boundless love by embracing, liberating and empowering people – whoever they are and wherever they may be on their faith journeys – to realize the transforming power of Christ in our congregation, community and the world beyond. OUR MISSION Guided and renewed by the Holy Spirit, we at Westminster Presbyterian Church strive to build and strengthen a community of believers that: . Welcomes all people, . Celebrates, teaches, demonstrates and shares the love of God made known in Jesus Christ, . Encourages the discovery and enrichment of a personal Christian faith, . Reaches out to serve others as a church without walls, and . Works for God’s justice in the world. 4 The Report of Our Pastor THE REV. DR. GREGORY KNOX JONES, SENIOR PASTOR/HEAD OF STAFF Dear Saints of Westminster, We are answering the call of God to be an open and welcoming church family so that all may know God's love. We are becoming a strong community of faith that focuses our energy on living the Christian faith rather than merely adhering to certain doctrines. That is, we are striving to follow the path and practice the teachings of Jesus rather than simply believing specific statements about Jesus. As you thumb through the pages of the 2015 Annual Report, you cannot help but be inspired by the breadth of activities and the number of ministries and missions we support. I routinely hear people say, “There is always so much going on here!” Our members take seriously Christ's command to feed the hungry, visit the lonely, shelter the homeless and work passionately for peace and justice. One of the stellar events of the year was the successful completion of the work of our Associate Pastor Nominating Committee. They presented their candidate, the Reverend Sudie Niesen Thompson, to become our next Associate Pastor. The members of our church family agreed that Sudie was the person God was calling to Westminster and voted to extend her a call. Shortly before receiving Sudie, we said goodbye to the Reverend Doctor Randy Clayton. Randy was a marvelous interim pastor and served Westminster with intelligence and compassion. We wished him Godspeed when he accepted a call to Brown Memorial Woodbrook Presbyterian Church Wood in Baltimore. In other pastoral news, the Session voted to name beloved retired Presbyterian pastor, Tom Stout, to serve as our Parish Associate. On most Sundays, you can spot Tom singing in the Westminster Choir, but he also helps on occasion with hospital visits, funerals, weddings, and teaching an adult class. Our Board of Deacons, under the beautiful leadership of the Reverend Jill Getty, was as active as ever, hosting social events, visiting homebound members, serving communion to people unable to come to worship, and providing many other vital parish functions. The Westminster Distinguished Speaker was the Reverend Doctor Mitri Raheb, the Christian Palestinian pastor of the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, who is a leader in the movement for a just peace in Israel/Palestine. After speaking at Westminster, he and Jewish journalist Gideon Levy were awarded the 2015 Olof Palme Prize. Sweden has previously bestowed this prize on other peacemakers including Daw Aung San Suu Kwi, Kofi Annan, and Hans Blix. Our Session took a critical step toward strengthening our financial future by approving the report of the Long Range Financial Planning Task Force. Details of the steps we will be taking will unfold in 2016. Thanks to Elva Carty, who remembered Westminster in her will, the major portion of the $350,000+ expense of replacing all of the outside windows was covered. A challenge gift by one of our families prompted a number of our members to raise an additional $82,393 to complete the project. We are blessed with outstanding church facilities and generous members. We are challenged to keep our magnificent stone church in excellent shape so that our many missions and ministries can meet the vast needs of today and tomorrow. I hope you, too, have remembered Westminster in your will! As we have benefitted from the generosity of past generations, our gifts will benefit future generations. Westminster is a significant institution in a community that is experiencing hefty challenges. The transitions occurring in Wilmington and Delaware are already impacting our church. If we are to remain a beacon of hope, we will have to become more assertive in introducing people to our congregation so that we can fulfill the mandate of Jesus to bring people to God, to help them deepen their spiritual lives, and to partner with God in spreading God's realm on earth. In peace and in love, 5 Session Statement of Purpose SPECIAL EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE SESSION IN 2015 Westminster is governed by . Celebrated 25 years of Saturday Morning Breakfast program on May 17 Elders elected from and by the . Celebrated Interim Associate Pastor Dr. Randy Clayton’s ministry with us at congregation who together with a reception on October 15 the Pastors form the Session, . Celebrated The Rev. Sudie Niesen Thompson as our Associate Pastor on which is the primary governing November 15 with a unanimous vote body of the local church. The Session exercises leadership, and discipline, and is responsible for HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SESSION’S WORK IN 2015 the mission, governance of the church at large as outlined in the . Approved Alex Sprague as a Young Adult Volunteer in Mission Book of Order of the Presbyterian . Approved revised Director of Sunshine Choir job description Church (USA). Approved Letter of Agreement with The Rev. Thomas Stout as our Parish Associate Session Members . Approved revised Coordinator of Preschool Ministries job description . Received letter of resignation from Elder John Krill with his moving out of Jeanne Checkel, Clerk state Greg Jones, Moderator . Approved revised Associate Pastor job description . Approved expanding the UrbanPromise After School program held Monday Class of 2015 Jen Barrington through Thursday from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Westminster for 20 –40 children Jeanne Checkel and youth with the use of Classrooms 1 and 2 and Grace Hall Joe Daley . Approved extension of Dr. Clayton’s contract through October 31 John Krill . Approved dismissal of Associate Pastor Nominating Committee following Jen Máthé vote to receive The Rev. Niesen Thompson as new Associate Pastor Polly Pyle-Carter . Approved Student Director of Children’s Music job description Patti Ridout . Endorsed Elder David McBride to serve on Board of Directors of Board of Craig Wemmers Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) . Received resignation of Mary Beth Davis as Director of Music for Children, Class of 2016 Youth and Handbells Mary Field Cathy Higgins . Approved report of Long Range Financial Task Force asking them to continue Barbara Jobe the process and affirmed the report as provided Dick Jolly Kali Kniel-Tolbert SUMMARY STATEMENT Mark Mosher Roland Pamm Session was pleased to Helen Zumsteg receive 31 new members and five confirmands in Class of 2017 Chad Chandler 2015. There was sadness Art Colbourn with the departing of Dr. Rich Diver Clayton in October but Mike Gnade great joy with the addition Carol Hogue of Associate Pastor Rev. Jon McPheeters Sudie Niesen Thompson Roger Reinicker to our staff as of January Craig Stabler 2016. We congratulate Church Administrator Debbie Brown on being designated as a Certified Church Administrator following a three year process. In our 129th year of bringing the story of God’s love and affirming our mission and vision, Session looks forward to an exciting year in 2016. Elder Polly Pyle-Carter and husband Jim Carter prepare for Rev. Clayton’s farewell reception 6 Board of Deacons Statement of Purpose SPECIAL EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE BOARD OF DEACONS IN 2015 The Board of Deacons is led and . January –