Monthly Minute with Pastor Andrew

Hello to all the Monthly Minute readers of West Hempfield Presbyterian Church!

Throughout this year we have been talking about and celebrating

“60 Years as a Part of This Community.”

It has been a lot of fun and a real honor to go over the years of history and learn more about WHPC.

We will be bringing that focus and celebration to a close with our 60th Anniversary worship service on Sunday, October 15, but that doesn’t mean we will be closing the book on all that history.

We move ever forward into the future, but we can’t forget our history, the roots that keep us grounded.

Lots of things change, but who we are and why we are here remains the same. Sometimes methods change, but our goal remains the same.

One thing we found while going through pictures, newsletters, and bulletins was a simple phrase that looked like it had been used for a season: 

Worship with Your Neighbors

I love it! I think it captures something timeless and beautiful. One of those things that doesn’t change.

You know, there are a lot of stories, articles, and books being written about the church in the 21st century — mega churches, multi-site churches, online church, etc. A lot of negativity can be thrown at the little, old, denominational churches like WHPC. 

But we’ve got something those giant monoliths and virtual gatherings struggle to create — real community!

West Hempfield Presbyterian Church was planted in our community to serve our community. Neighbors coming together to worship God! Different generations, different upbringings, different jobs, different political parties, different church backgrounds, but united because they were, and we still are, neighbors. Supporting one another, doing life together, and worshiping God.

Reminds me of a beloved hymn:

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.

Ok, so it’s not really a hymn.

It’s the theme song to Cheers.

But maybe it should be!

Worship with your neighbors at West Hempfield Presbyterian Church, where everybody knows your name!

Blessings,   Rev. Andrew Wirt