When we visited Westminster Presbyterian Church for the very first time in 1970, the congregation was worshiping in the COW gymnasium. The powerful sermons of Ray Swartzback, the music and the friendliness of the likes of Pauline Ihrig, Sarah Painter, Florence Griffith, Clare Adel and Willy Schreiber, Fran and Hank Loess, Helen and John Monroe and others clamoring over the bleachers to welcome us helped us recognize we had found a church home. We transitioned from a Gym to McGaw Chapel to the Church House for worship during the past 50 years and the hospitality, welcoming and fostering of community never ceased for us.
As a way of becoming acquainted with the Westminster family, since we had no ties to the COW, we began a journey in Christian Education that lasted decades. We were smitten by the children in our third and fourth grade classes in the ’70’s, initially meeting families of the Taggarts, Bairds, Graves, Raitts, Morrises, Cropps, Bradfutes, Plusquellecs, Dixes, Lewises, and Colemans. By the the early ’90’s we were teaching the 7th and 8th grade morning class in the Bridal Chapel of McGaw because the Church House rooms were fully occupied. The children and youth stretched our journey of faith over the years with our preparations from a variety of curricula, their probing questions and unquenchable knowledge-seeking.
Youth Christian Education from 1974 during the next 20 years included many opportunities for children to participate in educating the congregation. Yearly, there was the Youth Recognition Sunday and the Children’s Christmas Program of music, plays and the traditional Pageant, with Peter Havholm often personally shepherding the angels during his narration. Talent shows, open houses and Easter programs showcased children’s contributions. The youth group led worship after their retreats or mission projects – especially during the 90’s when the group was so large.
Christian Education in the Adult morning program was another facet for growing our faith, sometimes with the ministers up in their office or COW faculty who attended Westminster or lay folk, like Alan Van Dyke and Oscar Bradfute when we met in the Church House lounge. Don and Nahida Gordon educated us in immeasurable ways, before we left for our new home in Rochester, NY. Family retreats during the 80’s and 90’s were another learning opportunity, at the then primitive Wooster Outdoor Center (oh, those squeaky, sagging wire bed frames and mattresses) or Camp Bethany, next door to Rich and Josie Drushal.
A strong impact on Sandy’s vision of faith were the Wonderful and Wise Women of Westminster. She never attended the group that met during the week-days in the 70’s and 80’s, a remnant from the 50 years prior to the 70’s. However, the week-end retreats, one-day sessions and serving on committees with wonderful women were inspiring to her. One memorable retreat at Inspiration Hills on January 25 and 26, 1992, included Pat Galster, Kathryn Culp, Mary Kilpatrick, Fran Loess, Jane Hider, Mary Drabenstott, Dorothy Iams, Shelley Peterson, Barbara Bell, Linda Barbu, Candy Relle, Josie Drushal, and Silvia Schweighofer, now that is a group of remarkable Church Ladies! While Sandy was impacted by the women of Westminster, Gordon Stewart inspired Dick; Gordon started Dick on his journey of questioning and Andries Coetzee continued to influence Dick on his journey.
Westminster always had both a local and global focus and our international understanding broadened when in 1992 Sandy was part of the first adult Borderlinks study group in Tucson and Nogales. We followed the example of our children; the youth group went to the border in 1991. Global awareness continued as Dick went with the Westminster Borderlinks group in 2012. Our South Africa trip with Westminster in 2013 broadened our understanding of apartheid, reconciliation and hope.
A special note of community was fostered during our early years at Westminster. Gordon Stewart and Cindy Jarvis organized family groups in 1978 for a one year commitment to meet in each of four couple’s home at least one time during that year. The Beerys, Jacobs, Pyers and Snyders met and then continued that commitment for another 11 years with some side bars of a camping trip and preparing the Sunrise Easter breakfasts for several years, especially after the children outnumbered the adults and we had many helping hands.
Our memories of the ministers (senior, associate, assistant, interim, pastoral care) and their spouses, COW students, Westminster Interns, church secretaries/office administrators, Directors of Music/organists and congregation members over the past 50 years have left indelible marks on our journey as seekers and questioners. Not only did they support us in our faith journey but many became special friends. We rejoice in celebrating the 150th Anniversary!
Dick and Sandy Beery
