Westminster Presbyterian Church 2155 University Ave. Dubuque, IA 52001 563-583-1729 www.wpcdbq.org loren@wpcdbq.org

I write this final letter to you recognizing the unfinished business that is left to you. As I’ve walked through the last few weeks and months, it has become clear that this decision is the right one. The burn out that I’m feeling is probably greater than I’ve admitted, even to myself. As I was preparing to teach an online class a couple of weeks ago, I watched the lecture that I gave back in January. I was shocked at how much different I sounded. I need the time to find that person again.

It isn’t easy to say good-bye, especially with unfinished business. Westminster did very little to contribute to my current state of burn out, but Westminster will feel the burden of unfinished business. I’ve likened this to a tire blow out. It isn’t the last mile of wear that caused the tire to blow out, but rather accumulated wear and tear over time that eventually, and surprisingly, results in the blow out. The surprise makes it all the harder to process and to deal with.

I’ve had a few questions over the last few weeks that may be helpful to address as I’m sure that others of you wonder the same things. First, will Becky and I be moving? No, we will continue to live here in Dubuque. We love the Midwest and feel at home in Iowa. With our boys in West Des Moines, this seems to be a good place for us to be at this point in our lives.

What happens if we see each other around town? We all know that the PC(USA) has a separation ethics policy. The goal of this policy is to allow the new pastor the opportunity to establish their ministry. I believe in and agree with this policy. The policy states that the outgoing minister will not engage in any form of pastoral services for the congregation unless invited by the new pastor. This means that acting in any official duty (weddings, funerals, worship, etc.) is clearly out of bounds. Further, the Presbytery states that continuing informal relationships which harm the ministry of the new pastor are not acceptable. Thus, if we see each other around town, it is perfectly acceptable (if you’d like) to say hello and to chat. I ask that you don’t bring up any concerns or statements about the church as that would put us both in an awkward position. We are free to continue to recognize each other and to talk with each other, however. If we ever find ourselves on the same boards or in other organizations, that is also acceptable. My goal as we stay here in Dubuque is to do no harm to the continuing ministry of the church.

Do I have another job lined up? No, I don’t. I plan to spend the next few months recovering and working on our house. After that, I may dabble in writing and will likely spend time in our woodshop. I also fully expect that God is not done with me and that something, if not writing or woodworking, will be presented. I do plan to be very careful with my future choices as it has been my choices that have put me in this burn out position.

Will I continue to be active in the Presbytery? Yes. I’m currently on the Presbytery Council and plan to serve out my term. If you see me at Presbytery

Stewardship 5

Youth Faith Formation

3

Session News &

Church News

2

4

Fair Trade Market 4

Mission Opportunities 3

Mandarin Ministry

Fundraiser

5

Worship 6

Inside this issue:

“Unfinished Business” By Pastor Loren Shellabarger

October 2020 Volume XX, Issue 10

FROM YOUR

WESTMINSTER

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOUNDATION:

Planning ahead is part of effective stewardship. Plan your WILL now —and include a bequest to Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Volume XX, Issue 10 Page 2

Session News

Online Worship

Page 1 continued...

As you know, the Westminster Session has voted to continue with ONLINE ONLY worship for the time being. This was a very difficult decision and was not unanimous. There are good arguments for opening, and good arguments for continuing online only. In the end, Session decided it was in the best interest of the congregation and community to continue online only.

Elder Karen Heidenreich prepared a recording describing why Session made this decision. It has been loaded to YouTube and can be accessed by clicking this link: https://youtu.be/SoQamdtZzsE

If you have any questions, please reach out to any of the Session members: Kris Cary, Adam Etheredge, Scott Heicken, Karen Heidenreich, Allie Hinga, Jeff Oberhoffer, Steve Peake and Lois Pearce

meetings, we can talk, but join me in being careful that we don’t talk about the church or otherwise impact your future ministry.

The final thing that I leave you with is this: God loves you. God loves me. God loves the entirety of creation, regardless of what we’ve done to it or to ourselves. God will continue to love each of us, and God will continue to guide each of us. Remember that you have a calling and gifts that back up that calling. God wants you to find your calling and then dive into that calling, giving all glory to God in the process! There will always be a future for God’s church. Focus on what is important, which is best summed up by the Westminster Catechism: The chief end of humanity is to glorify God and enjoy God forever! Be the reflection of God’s love in all that you do. Peace, Loren

Called Session Meeting – September 17 6:00pm Zoom

1. Session determined not to re-open for in person worship at this time due to the increase in cases in Dubuque County (see below article)

2. Session called a Congregational Meeting for October 4 at 11 A.M. to be held by ZOOM * To approve use of electronic video conferencing for Congregational meetings

* To elect Elders, Deacons, and 2021 Nominating Committee * To hear a report of the Stewardship Campaign Committee * To take action on terminating Loren’s call

Stated Session Meeting – September 24 6:00pm Zoom

1. Session Confirmed and accepted into membership Henry Raber, Confirmand 2. Session again determined not to re-open for in person worship at this time due to the increase in cases in

Dubuque County 3. Approved holding a Westminster Hunger Outreach food drive on December 19 4. Approved request by Boy Scouts to begin camping subject to restrictions 5. Approved holding a blood drive at Westminster on Friday, November 13 6. Approved purchase of a second Zoom line to allow two concurrent meetings 7. Received resignation of Becky Shellabarger as Music Coordinator, Co-Choir Director and Adult Handbell

Director 8. Approved Jeff Oberhoffer as Personnel Committee moderator.

New Date & Time for “PrayerS with an “S” Sundays at 11 a.m. No need to sign up…just come!

Youth Faith Formation

MISSION OPPORTUNITIES:

Page 3

Story Time with Miss Kris

Shine kids can join Miss Kris

on Sunday evenings at 7:00 pm.

Stories usually

last about ten

minutes. The

Zoom link is on

Facebook!

Page 4 Church News

The FAIR TRADE MARKET OCT. 3rd & 4th The Fair Trade Market is online this year. Your purchases will help families around the globe.

Westminster will receive 20% of sales only when you order using this web address: serrv.org?a=WPC1 Our special weekend to purchase gifts is Oct. 3 and 4. For those who like looking through a catalog, there are a few outside the office for you to take.

If you need assistance with your order, make an appointment with Deb Seiffert 564-543-1661, for Oct 3rd or 4th and she will help you on the church computer. Masks are required. Lets help our community as well as those around the world! Please note not all items are returnable.

This Photo by Unknown Fall is here and the leaves are starting to drop. The Garden at Westminster is looking for a few good leaves. If you have leaves that you want to get rid of & you did not spray any chemicals on your yard the Garden wants them.

Give Rich Henderson a call at 580-6289 & he will pick them up. The Garden thanks you!

Financial Stewardship through September 28, 2020

(numbers rounded to the nearest 1,000)

Year-to-Date Operating Budget $280,000 2020 Expenses 261,000 2020 Income 270,000 Income over Expenses 9,000

Thanks for your faithfulness! To God be the glory!

NO INTERNET: If you do not have internet but would like to listen to the sermon over the phone dial 1-844-531-0958. Then enter the code 929030391#. You must use the # for it to work.

IMPORTANT: All weekly bulletins and monthly

Hotline newsletters are also on the website: www.wpcdbq.org On the top toolbar, all the way to the right, click on News & Events. We are having trouble with some members and friends not receiving some of Mary Kay’s emails. If not, please go to the web-site and also let her know…we are trying to get this problem corrected.

A big THANK YOU to all who sent cards to Mom, Ruth March on her 100th Birthday. It was a big part of her week-long celebrations. She reads and rereads them. She even looks each of you up in the church photo directory to put a face to your names. They helped to bring back many memories and conversation of her long-time membership in Westminster Church. Sue Ann March, daughter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for all the cards, prayers, encouraging thoughts and some fun memories shared from our 44 years at WPC. We are SO THANKFUL for our WPC family! We are doing so much better. We have been moved to a really nice Rehab Facility with different levels of care. We are together and healing nicely, however, neither of us can walk on our own yet. We are receiving Physical and Occupational therapy almost daily. Our room is on the first floor with a green space right outside our window and a view of the mountains! We are grate-ful we have family here and are fortunate that we get to see them and our grandkids often. The staff opens the window so we can visit. Again, THANK YOU!

Max & Carlotta Schmidt

Congratulations!

Prayers of joy for Howard & Nancy Lee Wallace’s new granddaughter born on Sept. 13th

to Matt & Vicki Yuan Wallace. She was named after both grandmother’s middle names: Lee Ming Wallace. Matt was one of their twins who was baptized here and ran the halls of Westminster.

MISSION GARDEN HARVEST UPDATE:

1190 lbs. as of 9/27

All is donated to local food banks. Thanks to the many who have contributed to the success of this mission

project.

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it

grow." -- The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 3:6.

Volume XX, Issue 10 Page 5

“We are all Stewards of God's creation”

Our annual fall Stewardship Campaign comes to a close. We ask that you help wrap up our efforts by mailing your pledge cards in now. In spite of the distance we continue to feel, I also hope we have felt the fellowship we share with each other as we communion with God when we worship together online. We truly are blessed to be members of Westminster. Your Stewardship pledge is the operational fund to allow our church to function in new and exciting ways!

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4TH IS PASTOR LOREN’S LAST DAY TO PREACH His last day in the office will be Wed., Oct. 7th and his wife Becky’s last day as our Music Coordinator, Co-Choir Director and Adult Handbell Director. We thank both of them for their service and the leadership they provided here at Westminster. Loren & Becky we wish you joy and blessings in your retirement!

The Ministry Journey between You and Me “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season.” (2 Timothy 4:2 )

I give thanks to God for He had given my family the opportunity to serve in the Mandarin-

Speaking Ministry. I am also glad that we have the company of brothers and sisters in WPC

throughout this “uneasy journey,” which kept the ministry going. Ministries are not sprints, ministries are marathons,

and a running buddy is a great support for running a marathon. You are our “running buddies,” and we are grateful to

God that you have always been by our side.

A couple months ago, we began to fundraise for the Mandarin-Speaking Ministry. First, we tried out GoFundMe,

then we tried selling homemade Taiwanese foods. In the beginning, GoFundMe was received well, it accomplished the

job of fundraising for some funding, but it was still not enough. Therefore, we brought out the idea of selling homemade

Taiwanese foods. There were egg rolls, stir fried rice, lunch box meals, pot stickers, and ground beef curry. Many people

supported this fundraiser and ordered the foods, and there are over 80 percent of the supporters who donated extra

cash to show support for the ministry. For this, we are very grateful for God’s promise, and we are also grateful for the

brothers and sisters who practiced “the Greatest Commandment” by showing support and ordering these foods.

Now, how is it possible that you can enjoy a delicious meal and support the ministry at the same time? There are

many of us who eat out, you can also set a schedule for yourself to commit to ordering the ministry foods at least once

every month. Of course, you can always up the frequency to something like once every week if you really like the foods.

Our goal is to have 20 families every week who would buy two meals each time, that way there would be 40 meals that

are sold every week. The result is that there would be around $1,000 that can go into the ministry funding every month,

and these funds will greatly help with the continuation of the ministry.

When we were selling the ministry foods, we had three slogans: “Keep the Mandarin-Speaking Ministry rolling by

ordering some egg rolls,” “order some stir fry rice and help the mandarin-speaking ministry rise,” and “ordering pot

stickers is stick with the Mandarin-Speaking Ministry.” Through these three slogans, we hope that while you are

enjoying these delicious Taiwanese foods, you will also be reminded that you are supporting the Mandarin-Speaking

Ministry and helping the number of believers grow at the same time. May God bless you. Moses & Tina Wu

GoFundMe link https://gf.me/u/ypukhy

October 4 - Online

WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

Rev. Dr. Loren Shellabarger’s last day

CONGREGATION MEETING at 11 a.m. by ZOOM

October 11 - Online

Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Marsha Wilfong

October 18 - Online

Guest Preacher: Rev. Connie Peake

October 25 - Online

Guest Preacher: Rev. Dan Emmert

Join Us for Worship at Westminster

9:30 a.m. Sundays

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DUBUQUE, IA

PERMIT NO. 577

Westminster Presbyterian Church

2155 University Ave

Dubuque, IA 52001

“We are all Stewards

of God's creation”

“Each of you should use whatever

gift you have received to serve

others, as faithful stewards of

God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:10

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Contact Information:

2155 University Ave. Dubuque, IA 52001

563-583-1729

Join Us for Worship at Westminster

9:30 a.m. Sundays