by Kathryn Dyksterhouse

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if then ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose…  If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-18, 26

In this day and age where people’s gifts are on display on Social Media, I can often find myself playing the comparison game. And usually I come up short. My photographs aren’t as professional, my clothes aren’t as stylish, and my quality time with my family seems more rushed. (Please don’t misunderstand me – I love to see your posts! The problem is not with the poster, but with the sin-nature of the reader!)

Have you ever caught yourself thinking this way about the church?

• They are better with children than I am – I would be of no use helping in the children’s ministry!
• Her meals look like they came straight off the pages of Joanna Gaines’ cookbook – I would never want to host Dinners for Eight at my house!
• I feel uncomfortable speaking in a crowd and my Biblical knowledge is so limited – a group Bible Study just isn’t for me!
• I am an older member of Westminster and been a port of the church for my whole life – these young leaders couldn’t possibly have very much to teach me!
• My story isn’t very interesting – I could never write a blog post!

When I think of the “least important part of the body,” the pinky toe is the first thing that comes to my mind. A quick google search provided this information:

"The purpose of the pinky toe is to provide balance and propulsion," says podiatrist Dr. Bruce Pinker with Progressive Foot Care in Nanuet, New York. "As one takes a step, the foot rolls from lateral to medial in normal foot biomechanics." This motion helps us "push off" to the next step. When the pinky is damaged in some way, the propulsion is limited, leading to an affected gait. Occasionally, side effects can be more severe. "If [the fifth toe is] injured or has to be amputated, it can lead to falls from imbalance," according to Dr. Aditi Gupta Jha.

Just like the small toe, you are a member of the body. And when you are missing in action, Westminster may be functional, but our “propulsion is limited” and our gait is affected. And of course, in accordance with 1 Corinthians, not everyone possesses the same gifts. But everyone is a valued member. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone is needed and cherished!

This is an exciting season in the life of Westminster. There are a lot of opportunities to get involved:

• Morning Worship– This is the highlight of our week at Westminster! Not only is it personally important for all believers to be gathering with the body of Christ to worship, but it is a great encouragement to the body when you are present!
  
  
• First Sunday Feast– We take communion together on the first Sunday of each month, and then we gather immediately afterwards to “feast” together. Members and regular attenders are asked to bring a side dish, dessert, salad or bread to share. Visitors are encouraged to just bring yourself! This is a great opportunity to spend time with those you know well and to get to know new faces. 

• Sunday School– Westminster offers Sunday School classes for ages 2 to 102. If you aren’t currently staying after Worship for Sunday School, you are missing a beautiful opportunity to learn alongside your brothers and sisters in WPC and sit under some phenomenal teaching. And if you feel led to teach a Sunday School class, contact a member of our session (adult classes), Josh Reagan(youth classes), or Meredith Buford(children’s classes).
  
  
• Wednesday Evenings– We gather together for a meal (a night off from cooking!) at 5:30 and then break into different age groups for study time. Our children are currently going through the Ten Commandments, our youth are going through the book of Mark, and our adults are studying the book The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door.
  
  
• Women’s Fall Study– Our women will be studying Even Better Than Eden: Nine Ways the Bible’s Story Changes Everything About Your Story. We offer 3 different study times to meet the needs of different schedules: Tuesday evenings, Wednesday mornings, and Thursdays during lunch. These studies will begin the week of October 1^st. (Times and more information will be emailed in September.) While we already have all of our teachers for this study, if you are interested in leading a future study, please contact WIC Discipleship chair, Anne Marie Owens.
  
  
• Dinners for Eight– Once a quarter, we gather in groups of eight (or sometimes more) for a meal. This is just a great chance to fellowship with and get to know other members of Westminster. While it is often hosted in a home, some groups choose to go out to a restaurant. Even if you aren’t interested in hosting, we would love for you to sign up to attend this Fall! Click here to register online, or contact Mischa McCray.
  
  
• 300 Oaks Team– This is a really fun event for our church each year! We have a 5K Walk Team and a 10K Run team. To join one of our teams, sign up here. And if you would like to run the 5K race, while we don’t have a Westminster team, you can still sport a Westminster t-shirt! (Click here to order a shirt online. All orders must be submitted by August 31^st.)
  
  
• WIC Committees– Our WIC (Women in the Church) provides opportunities for discipleship, fellowship and service for the women in our church and community. All of the women in Westminster are encouraged to serve on one (or two) of our WIC Committees: Dicipleship(coordinating Bible Studies, Conferences/Retreats, and Prayer Groups), Mercy Ministry(serving those in our church and our community through programs and special events through Cooks Who Care, WIC and Community Events), Organization(overseeing and setting up procedures and policies for the uses of WIC items and events in the church including the Wedding Handbook, Funeral/Memorial Service Guidelines, Reception Guidelines, and Inventory Control), Service(helping or serving others through Outreach, Visiting Shut-Ins, and Providing Lunch for Visiting Pastors/Missionaries), and Flowers(coordinating and conducting the flower ministry of the church). In order to get plugged into one of our WIC Committees, you may contact Georgeanne Smith.
  
  
• Missions Team– The Westminster Missions Team meets once a month to coordinate missions efforts of the church and to disburse the missions budget. If you are interested in joining Westminster’s Missions Team, please contact team chair Derek Hinckley.
  
  
• Music Team– Westminster’s Music Team leads our songs on Sunday mornings. They usually rehearse on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. If you would like to join our music team, please contact Amy Coleman.
  
  
• Audio/Visual Team– Our A/V Team runs our sound booth on Sunday mornings and assists in other needs during special events. You do not need experience in this area to be a member of this team – we will train you! If you are interested in joining this team, please contact Johnny Smith.
  
  
• Photo Team– This is a new team at Westminster that will assist with taking pictures and videos at our events. If you have a cell phone, you are qualified! If you would like to join this team, please contact Kathryn Dyksterhouse.
  
  
• Blog Posts– Everyone has a story to tell! Blog posts written by our members serve as a great encouragement to the body! If you would be willing to write a blog post, please contact Kathryn Dyksterhouse.

As you can see, there are numerous ways to get involved in the life of our church. Whether you’re an eye, an elbow, or a pinky toe, we need you!