My family joined Westminster family in 1986. At that time my children’s piano teacher Ada Jaquet, who had nurtured my children’s music skills for years, was a member of the Church. She invited us to go with her for the Sunday service, and we did.  When we arrived at McGaw Chapel for the first visit, I quickly recognized many friends and acquaintances among the worshipers. For the second time around, I found a genuine connection with Westminster. A few months later we were baptized by Rev. Barbara Dua.

My fond memories from 86’s to the 90’s was the annual children’s Christmas Pageant led by Professor Peter Havholm and fundraising talent shows featured Professor Willy Schreiber’s harmonica solo. Kent once played the role of King Herod; Joanna was one of the little angels. Monica went on a Mexico mission trip led by the WPC Youth Group leader Greg Barbu for the first time, before she turned 16. She went on her second mission trip during her college year. I taught first grader’s Sunday school with Mrs. Pam Pyers. Pam and I shared the responsibilities for the class activities. I was a middle school teacher before I came to U.S. for my graduate school study; teaching little children was an exciting new chapter for me. Thankfully, Pam was very helpful and guided me through the lessons. Summer camp to PC (USA) Montreat Conference Center in N.C. was another highlight of the faith nurturing journey. The five-day retreat took us to the beautiful Black Mountain Forest and breathtaking views of the man-made Lake Susan. We pitched our tents and camped out for three days on the trails’ campgrounds. We leant how to encounter God through relationships, renewal and recreation and rest. After high school, Kent and Monica went on to Case Western U. and Denison U. Joanna decided to stay in Wooster and graduated from COW in 2004. She was the baby-sitter during the time we had small children attending worship with their parents. She has many fond memories with them and decided to enter graduate school study majoring in early childhood education.

I took part in the Fellowship Committee during the early 2000’s. We spearheaded a cookbook project, in memory of Helen Monroe. Committee members Jean Brazee, Tuck Gustafson, Dorothy Iams, Marlene Zimmerman, Candy Relle, and I spent many evening hours collecting, sorting and editing recipes shared by our church members. Finally, the first copy of the cookbook “Recipes from the Heart” was published in the summer of 2003. Legacies of Helen and Tuck encourage me the practice of “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” ~ Micah 6:8

My international mission trip took me to Palestine in Oct. 2010. Our mission members were Don and Nahida Gordon, her brother Sammi, Cheryl Weiss and I, and our mission trip leader Rev. Dries. I personally witnessed the injustice treatments of Palestinians living under the Occupied West Bank, where thick tall concrete walls with barbed wires and military controlled checkpoints are signs of total controls by the Israel government. Our mission was to help the Palestinian farmers to harvest olives growing in the areas occupied by Israel. I got acquainted with several international peace makers from different countries. In the morning, we gathered in groups and participated in different fields of olive picking. Farmers provided delicious luncheon for us after a half day of field work. We traveled together to different parts of the West Bank, passed through several checkpoints with proofs of passports. We observed the injustice and harsh living environments under the Occupation. The local organizer arranged a day trip to the Old City of Jerusalem and through different divided quarters; visited displaced refugees camps in Aida Camp, met with local activists and attended conferences to learn about the resistant movements. I took side trips on my own to visit Jesus’ birthplace, the site of today’s Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, and to Jerusalem’s Christian quarter. I followed Jesus’ footsteps along Via Dolorosa, to Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our designated driver took us to the historical sites of Nazarene, Lake Galilee, and Hebron. We met with Palestinian prominent leaders in Ramallah. We also visited Nahida’s family home in Jaffa. It was a very emotional day for all of us, watching Nahida and Sammi walking in the house where they still hold the original owner’s key but are no longer allowed to live in it. Our mission trip to the West Bank included a visit to Zababdeh, there we met the priest of St. George Melkite, our partner church. We learnt about the olive soap being made by his church community, attended the Sunday service with the village residents. We visited Biblical site of Burqin where Jesus healed ten lepers. We then went to visit an olive press facility in Jenin. My mission trip to the West Bank was one of the most memorable experiences in my lifetime. It enriches my world views of humanity, I learn the purposes and the calling for “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” ~ Micah 6:8

I grew up learning and memorizing Confucius Teachings. Later in my life I adopted Christian faith and Scripture readings help guiding my spiritual journey. Confucianism and Christianity are different, but together they teach me perspective ways of thinking, passion and practice for love, peace, and justice. Being a part of the Westminster Church member, I could practice these core values and strive to learn the best from them. I am grateful for the support, nurture, and enrichment of my life journey through the participation in worship, services, activities, and community outreach. I learn to embrace and to forgive. I am very proud to be a member of the WPC. Happy 150th Celebration!

When my husband, Greg, was a student at the college, Westminster’s Reverend Ray Swartzback was actively involved with the anti-war movement. This was contrary to the behavior of any pastor he had known previously. Years later, I heard Reverend Barbara Dua preaching at First Presbyterian during a combined summer service and felt Westminster would be a good fit. A few months later when we visited Westminster, I was amazed at the number of people we already knew – Lee and Kay Culp, John and Helen Monroe, Ruth Shields to name a few. Westminster worshippers seemed kind, gracious and non judgemental, and the less traditional setting was appealing. Greg and I eventually joined and have been involved ever since.

A sermon by Tim Anderson based on Henry Nouwen’s book “The Wounded Healer” had a huge impact on me. Being very aware of my wounds and imperfections, I was stunned by Nouwen’s viewpoint. This began a continuing growth process of healing, accepting and loving myself. The Women’s Study and Support Group, dream groups, retreats and the acceptance of my Westminster siblings and pastors all aided my internal transformation and helped me be the person I am today. I found a place at the table, I found a supportive and loving community.

I am in awe of and grateful for all those in the past and present who have made Westminster the community it is. The enormity of the energy, dedication, thought and love that staff, members and friends have given is hard to comprehend. I hope Meister Eckhart is correct – “If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”

My name is Vicki Bosler-Kilmer and I grew up at Westminster Presbyterian Church in the late 70s, 80s and early 90s. I went to Sunday school and Youth Group there. My times at Youth Group are especially important to me. I remember the relationships that I formed and the service that we did. I went on a couple mission trips. We went to the Dominican Republic and New York City. In the DR we went to a small village with no running water and worked at a school. Going to the Dominican Republic really opened my eyes to poverty and suffering that occurs in third world countries. While the trip to New York City showed me that there is poverty and suffering in our own country. In NYC, we did construction on rundown buildings to help create low-income housing. We also did some work with Habitat for Humanity in our own area. Through these experiences I learned how important it is to do service for others. I feel genuinely lucky that I grew up as a part of Westminster and had all these amazing experiences as part of the youth group. It has definitely shaped who I am as a person. Both of my sons were baptized at Westminster as well.

I have fond memories of being in Sunday school, but most particularly, the youth group activities helmed by Greg Barbu – the shut-in’s, Sunday night group, out of town volunteering, etc. Those activities and trips were so meaningful to me as I figured out my personality as an introverted high school student. I remember going up to Cleveland as a young teen, volunteering with an underserved community and staying overnight. I think we might have stayed in a church, but it was the youth group who went and we had a big slumber party. This was one of my first overnights in a “big city,” away from my parents and siblings. I remember hearing the scary sounds of a big city that I wasn’t used to, like ambulances and helicopters, but being part of this activity expanded my viewpoint outside of a small college town. Then, like Eric Weiss, I also have fond memories of going to Mexico on mission trips. This was another step in building my personality – flying to a non-English speaking country, with other teens, to stay in a church, meet other teens from another youth group, and sleeping in hammocks. We worked in the heat to help build part of their building. This trip also exposed me to how others lived – no air conditioning, no TV, cold showers outside, no clean running drinking water. We also got to experience village life with no central plumbing. I made the most of my experience, embraced the culture, and felt thankful for the privileges I had at home. It gave me perspective that I wouldn’t have otherwise had if I didn’t embark on this opportunity. The first trip had such an influence on me that I went again with the church youth group before graduating high school. Additionally, these opportunities really solidified that I enjoyed helping people and volunteerism, which I have carried throughout my life and career. Going into college, I was leaning towards a healthcare career. Thus, I independently signed up to go on 2 medical mission trips (with the same church in Indiana who organized the ones I went to during high school), which I wanted to do to gain career experience. Not only did it entail volunteerism, but I was volunteering in the aspect of healthcare, my passion. This really opened my eyes to healthcare in a country that doesn’t have the resources we have here in the US. I truly believe that all of these experiences as an adolescent and young adult really shaped who I am today. And for that, I am thankful and grateful. I have been working as a nurse practitioner in an underserved community for over 6 years and I just love my diverse population. Many of my patients are are non-English speaking, financially challenged, unhoused, or have a history of drug use. While I have never experienced their struggles, I certainly understand their struggles, and try and do what I can, with what they have, to provide them the best holistic care without judgement. Even after being out of the church for 18 years, there were 2 particular families that had such an influence on my life, they were invited to my wedding – the Barbu’s and the Meyer’s – where I asked Carroll to give the dinner blessing. I really can’t say it enough, I am so thankful for growing up in the Westminster Presbyterian Church, for helping shape who I am today. My parents continue to be active in the church community and I always enjoy going back home to see everyone. I’m sad and sorry to be missing out on this celebration but will always have WPC in my heart.