The Wayne Press - Spring 2024

WAYNE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

WAYNE PRESS

SPRING INTO SPIRITUAL GROWTH, MUSIC, SERVICE AND FUN

It’s been a busy season at WPC, as we observed the Lenten season of solemnity and anticipation leading up to the joyful arrival of Easter, celebrated with breathtaking worship and music. This issue of the Wayne Press covers just a few of the wonderful events we held throughout the season – from major oratorios to important caring ministries and fun fellowship events. We also highlight the incredible, faith-inspired 10-year journey of The Common Place, our major mission partner in the heart of Southwest Philadelphia. Are you curious about growing your faith through Spiritual Direction? Read about the excellent programs offered here at WPC. Also read on to learn about many upcoming events as well as WPC leaders and other notable members.

We hope you enjoy this issue of the Wayne Press, which highlights many recent events and upcoming programs, but it can’t cover everything we do! Please visit waynepres.org regularly for more information and updates. Also visit the online Member Portal at waynepres.org/member-portal/ or contact the Church office to keep your membership records updated to make sure you receive our publications.

ADULT EDUCATION

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?

Spiritual direction is an ancient Christian discipline offering companionship on the journey of faith and a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. Spiritual direction sessions offer a safe, peaceful and confidential space to become aware of a more conscious experience of God’s presence and love.

An individual session is an hour long and meets monthly. Groups of three or four people can also gather for spiritual direction. These groups meet monthly for an hour and a half. We talk about experiences of God… or the lack of them. We talk about our prayer lives and different ways of approaching God in prayer. We talk about things that are going on in our lives and how we understand God to be a part of them.

BOOK CLUB

If you want to get a jump on our next book club read –Pastor Katy will lead a discussion on David Brooks’s best-seller, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. We will meet in person on June 23 at 11:00 a.m. in person and June 26 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom.

Spiritual Direction is not therapy. The Spiritual Director is not there to tell the directee what to do or how to proceed. Spiritual Direction is a spiritual practice where the directee has a regular opportunity to focus on her/his understanding and experience of God in her/his daily life. The directee generally does most of the talking, and the Holy Spirit does the directing.

WPC member Jacey Fancher has been coming to spiritual direction for ten years. She shared the following testimony about her experience.

“Spiritual direction has been an incredible blessing in my life. It has helped me to grow in my faith and in my understanding of who God is. I have learned to know His voice above all else.

Atthattime,IwasseekingadeeperconnectionwithGod,desiringtoknowHisplan/purposeforme.Iwantedtobeable to discern the Holy Spirit’s guidance. During my time in spiritual direction there have been many revelations, moments of profound clarity, when I know I am hearing God’s voice through the Spirit within.

Spiritual direction sessions are my sacred place to speak freely of God and my experiences. I feel God’s presence, and I know I am unconditionally loved, seen and heard.

I highly recommend spiritual direction for anyone desiring to know God in a deeper way and how to be led by the Holy Spirit.”

If you would like to learn more about individual or group spiritual direction, contact Jeanne Kauffman, 610.952.0267, or jkauffman2853@gmail.com, or Buff Barnes, 610.283.9848, or buffbarnes@gmail.com.

WinGS (WOMEN IN GOD’S SERVICE)

WINGS MULTI-GENERATIONAL EVENT

GROWING TOGETHER – A HUGE HIT

Fellowship and fun were the focus on Sunday, February 25th, as seventy-eight women and girls packed the Chapel for the 2nd Annual WinGS Multi-generational Event.

This year’s theme was Growing Together, based on 1 Corinthians 3:6 – “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” The event kicked off with a devotional entitled, Stressed? Pretend You’re a Plant, by Meghan Mellinger. A sit-down lunch, provided by Liberty Caterers, included a selection of hearty soups, Caesar salad, mac n’ cheese, chicken fingers and dessert.

The terrarium-making project was a true delight, with everyone eagerly moving through the stations, selecting their container and adding the soil, stones, gravel, succulents and the tiny bird for that perfect touch of color. In total, eighty-three unique terraria were crafted.

A special hats off to Debby Vogel for supplying the one hundred and sixty-six succulent plants and pre-making all of the soil kits to keep the mess to a minimum!

We hope you will join us again next year when girls of all ages come together just to have fun! Please contact Angela Tait at taitmaryangela333@gmail.com to get involved with WinGS!

NEW MURAL IN MEMORY OF DORIS HAWS

Young girls gathered in front of the new wall mural located on the first floor of the Christian Education building near the Nursery. This mural was donated by WinGS in memory of Doris Haws. Doris was a long-time member of Wayne Presbyterian Church, a dedicated WinGS board member and a former Sunday School teacher.

COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP

Friendship through fellowship was exactly the vibe of the brunch after the Annual Meeting earlier this year. The brunch was attended by about 180 church members who enjoyed the meal after the meeting. We had a meal of hot breakfast sandwiches, various cold sandwiches, salads and many desserts. It was great to see so many of our church members chatting, laughing and enjoying this time together. Teaching, learning and sharing is nourishing to the soul, uplifts others, builds faith and gives us the confidence to meet life’s challenges. We loved and uplifted one another that day!

A special thanks to all the Community Fellowship committee members and friends who helped to set up and serve at this lively event. Elders Marian Hollingsworth and John Lindsay, co-chairs of the Community Fellowship Committee, planned and coordinated the wonderful event, and Elder Angela Tait also pitched in with extra leadership support. If you have a heart for organizing fellowship activities that help build caring relationships among our congregation and community, please consider joining the Community Fellowship Committee! Contact Marian at mhholling@gmail.com or John at johnlindsay22@gmail.com to get involved!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

In March 2024, Wayne Presbyterian member Brian Clapp and thirteen other kidney donor athletes embarked on a journey to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa. This journey was not just a personal conquest but also a platform to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and to challenge misconceptions surrounding living organ donation.

Clapp became a kidney donor athlete on September 21, 2021, when he donated his left kidney to his son Noah, who was suffering from kidney failure and needed a kidney transplant at age 24. As a kidney donor and the father of a transplant recipient, Brian was excited to do this “One Kidney Climb” to demonstrate that donors can live a healthy, normal and active life with one kidney and hopefully inspire others to consider becoming organ donors.

Currently, nearly 100,000 people are on the waiting list in the United States for a lifesaving donation. For more info visit www.kidney.org.

Wayne Presbyterian Church

STEWARDSHIP

LEARN HOW TO SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF OUR CHURCH THROUGH LEGACY GIVING

As members of Wayne Presbyterian Church, we are blessed to share a rich and transcendent spiritual experience made possible by the generations of saints that came before us. Over 150 years ago, our earliest brothers and sisters envisioned a special place where they and their families could worship and grow closer to God.

We are blessed to have inherited so much and must now carry the torch forward by making provisions for those who follow in our footsteps – ensuring that the Wayne Presbyterian mission and impact can endure across future generations.

The Good Shepherd Legacy Society was established in 2005 for this very purpose: to educate, enable and celebrate those who want to share and preserve this special place by including WPC in their plans for philanthropic and legacy giving – either during a member’s lifetime or at time of death. There are many ways to give, some requiring surprisingly little time, effort or expense.

We invite you to learn more by joining an informational workshop at the church on Sunday, April 28 from 12-1 p.m. (lunch provided) or a virtual workshop via Zoom on Thursday, May 2 from 6-7 p.m.

Visit waynepres.org/legacy-giving for more information, or contact Frone Crawford at fcrawford@fcrawfordlaw.com or Bernie Clark at cbernieclark@hotmail.com.

FAITH IN ACTION

NEW CASSEROLE MINISTRY!

On Friday, March 15, WPC initiated a new Casserole Ministry to prepare food for the Great Valley Food Cupboard (GVFC). Working to fill a need after the GVFC expressed immense gratitude for casseroles prepared on MLK Service Day, Lynne Samson and Beth Greenwood went through the training to become certified to manage a commercial kitchen through ServSafe® (a requirement to start this ministry). Rick Smith, also certified with ServSafe®, supervised the MLK Day event.

Sixteen casseroles were prepared providing 128 total servings. They were taken to GVFC the day after they were made and frozen. The goal is to make 20 casseroles on the third Friday of each month, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the WPC kitchen.

The next event is Friday, April, 19. Please join this exciting new ministry! Signing up is easy with Sign Up Genius. Scan the QR code for the link!

Many hands make light work.

Sixteen casseroles on their way out to the Great Valley Food Cupboard. Pictured: Susan Aggarwal, Beth Greenwood, Melanie Sarakatsannis. Not pictured: Lynne Samson and Liz Walton.

FAITH IN ACTION

CELEBRATING A 10-YEAR PARTNERSHIP AT THE COMMON PLACE

A story of two churches coming together in service to God and community.

NEW SPIRIT COMMUNITY CHURCH

New Spirit Community Church had served the Southwest Philadelphia community since 1910. It had a beautiful sanctuary and many spaces for classes, events and meetings. It was a central hub of faith and support on the corner of 58th & Chester with up to 2,500 members. By the 1990s, the community was facing many challenges, church membership and finances declined, and the buildings fell into disrepair. By 2012, the church buildings were unsafe, community programs moved elsewhere and the small congregation could no longer worship there. The loss of New Spirit would end a long history of Presbyterian witness in Southwest Philadelphia.

A New Beginning

At a congregational meeting in October 2013, WPC members voted to approve the big dream to come alongside a community in SW Philadelphia through the purchase and renovation of New Spirit Community Church. WPC would purchase the property for $1 and assume renovation and operating costs estimated at $1.5 million. According to Buzz Mossholder, one of the early team leaders, “When the vote was taken, everyone stood up and cheered. It was the most joyful expression of faith I’ve ever seen.”

It was a bold undertaking by the WPC congregation led by the Holy Spirit. The New Spirit buildings were cold and the roof leaked; there was asbestos to remove and many costly renovations to make. An after-school program was

WAYNE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Wayne Presbyterian Church had been dedicated to supporting its neighbors in Southwest Philadelphia since 1995 through CityLights, a vibrant urbansuburban partnership with churches, schools and other organizations. In 2012, the WPC congregation was prayerfully asking, “How can we better support our sisters and brothers in Southwest Philadelphia?” A task force explored how the church could act in a more profound way in the lives of children – especially in education. In June 2013, WPC senior pastor Casey Thompson delivered the task force recommendations to the Session.

to begin in nine months. The early leadership team quickly began the planning and renovation process. The capital campaign began in earnest to raise $1.5 million.

What became known as “The Common Place” evolved through many meetings, much prayer and generous contributions of time, talent and financial resources from countless members of WPC and the SW community. From the beginning, The Common Place (TCP) was envisioned as “a sacred space to do life together, serving children and families of Southwest Philadelphia through faith, education and support.”

In 2013, WPC Associate Pastor Aisha Brooks-Lytle (now Brooks-Johnson) became the organizing pastor of TCP, WPC member Peter Grim was named Executive Director and Rev. Christopher Holland joined as the called pastor for New Spirit. Between 2013 and 2017, the building renovations were completed and many programs began.

Community Impact

Among the first programs offered at TCP was the afterschool enrichment program known as TCP Scholars. It offers faith-based educational programming for more than 70 children in kindergarten through 8th grade in a safe, comfortable space. The neighboring Cornerstone Christian Academy also found much-needed office and classroom

“It’s become the centerpiece of the neighborhood because of the dreams of the people here at Wayne, and their willingness to put their faith into action.”

Buzz Mossholder, WPC member, 2018

Rev. Chris Holland, Rev. Aisha Brooks-Johnson, Rev. Cean James

“None of this would have been possible without God’s guidance and blessing. We give thanks to God for his awesome provision.”

TCP Executive Director Peter Grim, 2018

space at TCP. The renovated facility became home to new and original programs for expanded education and the arts to a community long lacking in such opportunities. Included are the SW Philly Orchestra, a program for young musicians, supported by WPC’s Music Transforms concerts; a GED program; Bible studies, spiritual direction, tutoring, workshops, college prep and mentoring; summer camps, nutrition education, coding and graphic arts instruction and other community programs. A commercial kitchen and a computer lab provide more spaces for active enrichment, and a year-round vegetable garden provides healthy foods to help neighbors struggling with food insecurity. Worship services originally attended by a quiet handful of congregants in 2014 are now packed with a vibrant and growing congregation.

God continued to inspire positive change in Southwest Philadelphia. Even as New Spirit grew under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Holland, God revealed it had room for more growth. The nearby congregation of Grace Christian Fellowship led by Rev. Cean James was bursting at the seams. The two churches came together, becoming a 600-member congregation called Salt & Light, with Rev. James as senior pastor and Rev. Holland as executive pastor. Currently, Sunday services are overflowing with many new members and baptisms each month. The church now has over 1,000 members.

Today

The dream from 2013 has manifested into reality through the faith of leaders from WPC and SW Philadelphia, and the sustained commitment of those tirelessly contributing time, talent and treasure to make the greater community a better place. TCP is now a neighborhood hub for faith, education and support. What’s more, the organization is

financially and operationally independent, supported by contributions from a diverse list of dedicated donors. The next bold undertaking is to establish a much-needed preschool program at TCP, funded by a campaign that seeks to raise $1,230,000. The new preschool will help care for and educate many neighborhood children who currently lack access to quality preschool.

The last step of the original plan from 2013 is to commemorate the independence of TCP. This milestone will be celebrated when the deed to TCP property at 5736 Chester Avenue, Philadelphia is presented by WPC to the leaders of TCP at its 10th Anniversary Celebration Soiree on April 19, 2024.

To learn more about TCP, please contact liaisons Buff Barnes (buffbarnes@gmail.com) or Doug McBrearty (dcmb@GulphCreek.US) or visit thecommonplacephilly.org for details and ways to volunteer or donate. Contact Doug McBrearty to learn about contributing through the EITC program, which will provide a tax credit for up to 90% of your donation.

DEACONS

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL EASTER EGG TREE PROJECT!

The Board of Deacons Community Service Committee held another successful Easter Egg Tree Project this March. Seventy-four families received bins and boxes of hams, canned goods, pantry staples and gifts. In all, over 200 people from St. John’s AME, Salvation Army and Salt & Light were blessed with an Easter dinner this year.

The project organizers are very grateful to all who participated, especially to our church members who gave so generously to fill up the bins and boxes. One church member provided a meal for 17 people! We know that many people travel during this period, but members made arrangements to drop off their items early, or asked a friend to help ensure the bins were delivered.

The Deacons are especially thankful to our fellow Deacon volunteers who braved torrential downpours and temperatures in the 40s on drop-off day. Their smiles and enthusiasm were not dampened by the elements.

The WPC Deacons thank you for your continued support of this vital mission outreach program!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE DEACONS

The Deacons invite you to assist them in their ongoing ministry of emergency support to the congregation. Volunteer as your schedule permits when there is a need in the following ministries:

EMERGENCY SUPPORT — MEALS: Prepare and deliver a home-cooked meal or send a meal to a church member who is in need. Sign up using Take Them a Meal. Requests go out by email to the team when a need arises.

MEMORIAL RECEPTIONS — FOOD: Help the Deacons provide tea sandwiches, fruit trays, cheese platters and sweets for memorial receptions. Volunteer using Sign Up Genius.

DEACONS TRANSPORTATION: The Transportation Ministry chaired by Jack Crosby arranges rides to church services for church members who are temporarily or permanently unable to drive and who have no family members available to help with rides. Volunteer drivers will be sought from a list of church members who live as near as possible to the member requesting the ride.

If you would like to help in any of these areas, please email Mary Bollinger, Congregational Services chair, mme_bollinger@verizon.net.

EASTER FLOWER DELIVERY 2024

Deacons delivered beautiful kalanchoes to 70 seniors and our ministers and staff. Carol Klauss organized this ministry and former Deacon Mary Hodge assisted her. The high school youth group made the Easter Eggs to add extra cheer to each plant.

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES

Six afternoons a year, the Deacons host American Red Cross blood drives in the chapel of our church. Many Deacon volunteers plan, organize and staff the drives so that all donors, whether they be church members or others from the Wayne community, feel welcome and appreciated. Premier volunteers include Lynne Samson, Wendy Norman, Mike Sieger, Connie Layman, Mary Hodge, Liz Precious, Roger Bollinger, Jan Eberlein, Amy Barnes-Elliott, Carol Klauss, Lee Pretz and our youth deacon, Charlotte Bajus. We are blessed to have such a committed group.

During our most recent drive, we collected 56 pints, including from donors making milestone donations of between 2 and 36 gallons. We all are very excited that a donor who was completing his 36th gallon is a member of our church. We also welcomed for the first time the Wayne Presbyterian Church therapy dog, Bella, who was a calming presence for any anxious donors. Bella’s handler is Deacon Amy Barnes-Elliott.

Since being designated a Red Cross Premier Partner two years ago, we are proud to have facilitated the donation of almost 300 pints of blood annually. Each pint can be used to assist multiple people. Blood is so vital, yet we often don’t even think about its availability until we, or someone we love, need it. We simply TRUST the supply will be there. We are very grateful to all of our donors who repeatedly step up to help those who need blood.

The next blood drive is Wednesday, May 15. We hope you will consider signing up at Redcrossblood.org. Sponsor code: Waynepres.

From left to right: Deacons in the rain; Carolyn Lolli and Lee Pretz; Bernie Clark and daughter Grace; Craig Stock and Wendy Norman

MUSIC

WAYNE ORATORIO SOCIETY – A YEAR IN REVIEW

The Wayne Oratorio Society, a ministry of the Wayne Presbyterian Church, wrapped up the 2023-2024 season with a very successful two evenings of concerts featuring two Oratorio Society premieres: Amy Beach’s The Canticle of the Sun and Charles Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass. The sanctuary was full with an enthusiastic audience both nights. These final concerts of the 75th Anniversary Year (2023) of WOS attracted our usual concert goers as well as many new patrons who traveled great distances, attending a WOS concert for the first time, specifically to hear the rarely performed and delightful work, The Canticle of the Sun The St. Cecilia Mass attracted other concert goers due to its familiarity in choral concert repertoire, but all who attended found great delight in this lovely pairing. One person who attended a WOS concert for the first time and brought his brother and his mother with him said, “I’m so glad we found such a great orchestra and chorus so close by. (They are from the Allentown area.) We have been going to NYC for concerts but with my mom aging, it gets harder and harder so my brother and I agreed, this will be our new ‘go to’ for great oratorio music.”

Although John Grecia only began in January 2024 as our Director of Music Ministries, the transition from his work as WOS Director (only) since mid-September 2022 to his new, very full full-time position with the church, has been seamless, especially regarding his masterful leadership of the 140+ voice oratorio choir. Currently, John is considering several large works for the 20242025 WOS season.

Watch the church website for more information or join our WOS Patrons email group by sending an email to WOS@waynepres.org, making that request.

NYC PREMIERE OF “CREATION” AT LINCOLN CENTER

By BettieAnn Brigham

WOS singers traveled to New York City to join Dan Forrest, composer and Warren Cook, conductor, to sing in the New York City premiere of the Wayne Oratorio Society’s commissioned piece, “CREATION” by Dan Forrest.

It was very exciting to get an email from Dan Forrest, shortly after the November 2023 World Premiere of the WOScommissioned oratorio CREATION, (right here at WPC) introducing me, and thus the Wayne Oratorio Society, to the producer of the Manhattan Choral Project (MCP) event featuring Dan Forrest’s CREATION to be produced in Geffen Hall, the newly renovated fabulous concert space at the Lincoln Center. As a result of that introduction, Dan Arnold invited me to bring a group of WOS members who sang in the World Premiere of CREATION at WPC, to sing with a 150-voice choir in the NYC Premiere of the piece.

On April 6, 2024, 38 WOS singers boarded a bus at 6 a.m. from the church parking lot to travel to NYC for three days of rehearsal and an “Eclipse Monday” April 8th concert at 8 p.m. in Geffen Hall of the Lincoln Center. The singers from Wayne Oratorio Society/Wayne Presbyterian Church were warmly welcomed as the “ringer singers” at the first rehearsal and everyone in any position of leadership for the concert let us know how essential our presence was with this group of five different choirs from all over the country. Our 38 singers were added to the 110 singers who had practiced the work diligently with their choir director but

had never performed CREATION. Our singers were strategically placed throughout the choir rehearsal to support the other singers. All the leaders/soloists and the guest conductor Warren Cook himself as I met them were asking me to introduce them to John Grecia, however, John was back at church in Wayne for the weekend, providing music for a memorial service and the Sunday morning church service. I was pleased to be able to let everyone there know that they would certainly get to meet him because he planned to come to the concert on Monday night.

As I write this, our 38 singers are recovering from an exhausting, but at the same time, exhilarating day of our first rehearsal for the concert on Monday.

Special thanks to the anonymous donor who made it possible for the WOS to commission the composition of CREATION for our 75th anniversary, to Tim Evers for the vision of the commission and for selecting Dan Forrest as the composer, to John Grecia for bringing the World Premiere Concert to its wonderful point of fruition last November and to Dan Forrest who put his heart and his soul into this piece that will undoubtedly be performed my many choirs all over the world in the years to come.

I’m sure that today, during the first of our several intense rehearsals, the 38 singers from WOS felt what I felt as we once again sang this beautiful music: How blessed we are to be the ones who brought notes on a page that came out of the heart and hand of Dan Forrest, off of the page and into the air, thus into the hearts of listeners who in turn are blessed as they are deeply touched by their hearing of a truly God-inspired work.

WOS singers in NYC

CREATION performed at Lincoln Center’s Geffen Hall.

EARTH CARE

INTER-CHURCH ELECTRONIC WASTE RECYCLING A BIG SUCCESS

“We are so much stronger when we join together to make a difference.” That was how Pam Kosty, a member of the Environmental Justice Team at Main Line Unitarian Church (MLUC), summarized the interchurch electronics recycling event held on Saturday, March 2. Pam was the primary organizer of the event, which was held at MLUC but supported by several other faith communities, including Bryn Mawr Presbyterian, Central Baptist, St. David’s Episcopal and Wayne United Methodist Churches, as well as WPC.

The E-waste was collected and recycled by PAR (People Advancing Reintegration) Recycle Works, a local nonprofit which provides transitional employment for people recently released from prison. Hence, WPC was able to join with our sister churches not only to help preserve our environment from destructive waste disposal, but also to support formerly incarcerated individuals seeking to rebuild their lives.

Despite the consistent cold downpour, the recycling event was a resounding success. Eight to ten men from PAR were busy the entire morning, unloading 183 carloads of electronic waste. In fact, the community response was so great that the PAR employees had to secure a second large truck to haul away all the waste for recycling. Thanks to all who participated. Keep your eye out for similar events in the future as we seek to do our part to preserve God’s green earth.

WPC MARKS SIX YEARS AS AN EARTH CARE CONGREGATION WITH ART DISPLAY

In March of this year, the Presbyterian Hunger Program certified WPC as an Earth Care Congregation for the sixth consecutive year, recognizing church-wide environmental stewardship achievements in four major areas: worship, education, facilities and outreach.

Highlights of Earth Care in 2023 included the following: (i) We forged a relationship with Mother Compost, a local company which collects organic waste from the church each week for composting. In less than a year Mother Compost has collected over 2,500 pounds of organic waste from WPC. (ii) The Deacons provided cardboard boxes as an option instead of plastic boxes for collection of foodstuffs at Christmas and Easter. This small change in procedure recognizes that we can incorporate sustainability practices while helping to meet the needs of our neighbors. (iii) Thanks to the efforts of our Faith in Action leadership, WPC was certified as a covenanting Hunger Action Congregation, a PC(USA) program which recognizes that hunger alleviation depends on a healthy environment. (iv) The Earth Care Team created an exhibit on the environmental damage caused by plastic bags and gave away reusable mesh produce bags. (v) Our church pollinator garden is going strong in its seventh season, providing beauty, interest and ecological services throughout the year.

While incorporation of sustainable practices is a primary goal of Earth Care Congregation certification, the program also recognizes that the arts are an important way to celebrate and inspire care for God’s earth. In this vein, in November 2023, the Wayne Oratorio Society celebrated its 75th anniversary with the world premier performance of a commissioned work entitled “CREATION” by Dan Forrest. This majestic music celebrates the wonders and beauty of our world.

Looking ahead to 2024, we will continue to incorporate the arts into the Earth Care Congregation program at WPC. This month the Faith in Action/Earth Care Committee has collaborated with the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University to bring an exhibit of posters addressing climate change to WPC. Students from Tyler’s Department of Graphic and Interactive Design created these art works, which will be on display in the Chapel and Fireside Room until mid-May.

The Earth Care Team is always looking for new members and new ideas. With the growing season rapidly approaching, we need some gardeners (or want-to-be gardeners) willing to get their hands dirty weeding and planting in the pollinator garden. For more information, please contact Pamela Jensen (jens0581@umn.edu; 610.688.6717) or Rutger Boerema (rutgerboerema@yahoo.com; 917.545.8154).

Wayne Presbyterian Church

CHILDREN’S & YOUTH MINISTRIES

THE PANCAKE BREAKFAST KICKS OFF LENT WITH FOOD AND FUN

Our fourth through seventh graders continued their annual tradition of preparing a delicious breakfast of pancakes and sausage for the congregation in preparation for the Lenten season. Through this act of service, they learned valuable lessons about the importance of serving others. These events provide a wonderful opportunity for our youth to have fun while serving the congregation. Many thanks to the adults who helped guide and support them on this journey of faith and service.

To learn about how you can help support our Children’s & Youth Ministries, please contact Kelli at kelli@waynepres.org or Evelyn at evelyn@waynepres.org.

OUR YOUTH ARE GAGA OVER GAGA

Our youth received a delightful surprise in the form of a new inflatable Gaga pit that recently appeared in room 303. This hexagonal court provides the perfect platform for the youth, as well as the leaders, to engage in a fun, fast-paced group game within the confines of our facilities. It is truly a muchneeded asset that fosters a sense of community and joy among our youth.

YOUTH SUNDAY RECOGNITION

We would like to express our appreciation for the wonderful faith and talent showcased by the many youth who led our Youth Sunday service on April 7. They are a remarkable group who shared their gifts of faith, music, energy and hospitality. Thank you!

SUNDAE SUNDAY FUN & FLOWERS

Our little ones had an absolute blast planting some gorgeous flowers in the flower bed outside the church entrance. They also spent some time doing fun spring crafts and topped off the day with an ice cream sundae bar!

LEADERSHIP

Eight new elders were elected to Session and they will officially begin their three-year terms in May. Jim Galasso was also elected Clerk of Session in late 2023. We thank all of these leaders for their service and dedication to the church. Please feel free to reach out to them with any questions or suggestions, or to join their committees!

L Lee Billmye ee Billmyer r Co-chair,PersonnelCommittee

Lee grew up in the area, where her brother and parents were members of St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Llanerch, influencing her choice to attend Lynchburg College in Virginia. After earning a B.A., she earned her M.A. at West Chester University while raising young children. Lee and her husband, Robert Cameron, whose father was a minister at Bausman United Church of Christ in Wyomissing, have raised three children: Chad (44), Amanda (42), and James (38). Five of their six grandchildren remain in the area. Cam and Lee enjoy frequent interaction with London (14), Hailey (12), Sierra (9), Evelina (4), Joseph (7) and one grandson, Colin (15), attending Cate Boarding School in California.

Lee taught in the public school system from 1971 to 1978 and joined the Episcopal Academy faculty in 1985, where she worked as Assistant Head of Upper School, a counselor in the college guidance office and an Upper School English teacher. After retiring from Episcopal Academy in 2023, she was called back to cover the fall semester for a colleague, but in retirement looks forward to more time to devote to the church. Membership at Wayne Presbyterian holds special meaning to Lee due to the kindness shown to her mother Doris and her father Howard (both members) during their long illnesses. Cam and Lee were honored to serve as deacons with Cam continuing in that role.

Courtney Bodnar Co-chair, WinGS

Courtney has been a WPC member for almost 30 years, transferring membership with her parents (Tom and Joan Bang) from Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church in 1995 after she made Confirmation.

While attending Delaware County Community College (DCCC), she began to serve the church as a volunteer. Courtney focused on the middle school “Rock” program each Sunday and accompanied the high school “Door” program on a life-changing mission trip to an orphanage in Mexico. With the help of the WPC college ministry director, Courtney created and ran an interfaith prayer group at DCCC for two years. At that time she was also an active volunteer with CityLights and Interfaith Hospitality Network, now known as Family Promise.

After receiving her associate degree in communications from DCCC, Courtney continued her education at College of Charleston and received her undergraduate degree in public speaking. Upon graduation she returned to Wayne and her volunteer role with youth ministries, which she has been engaged with for 20 years. In 2016 Courtney joined the MOMS group and found her village. This semester she became the Bible study coordinator for the group and led the moms through a series on mental wellness. Over the past seven years Courtney has served WPC by volunteering on the Women’s Retreat Committee, the Congregational Care committee and the Children’s Ministry Committee. She has taught children’s Sunday school and currently teaches high school Sunday school.

Courtney’s passion for working with youth extends beyond the church. She is an advisor for collegiate chapters of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, and serves on the fundraising committee for Owen J. Roberts PTA. Courtney’s vocation has taken her on journeys in customer service, sales and childcare. She currently works part time at Ice Line Hockey Arena and as a nanny. Courtney resides in Spring City with her husband, Michael, and their three children, Abram (13), Elna (8) and Isla (4).

Wayne Presbyterian Church

Jen Galasso Co-chair, Worship and Music Committee

Jen has been at Wayne Presbyterian since childhood, attending nursery school at the church and participating in the church’s children and youth choirs for 13 years (daughter of Ted and Vija Hosp). She and her husband, Jim, were married at the church and assisted as middle school youth leaders before moving to Virginia. When they moved back to Pennsylvania, Jen and Jim rejoined the church in 2001. Their three children, Anna (22), Will (21) and Nick (18) were all baptized and confirmed at the church, and they all participated in youth group and youth choir. Nick, now a senior, is still in the choir.

Jen served one previous term as an Elder, chairing the Children’s Committee. She enjoyed teaching Sunday school for six years and joined in many women’s retreats over the years. She has been playing violin in the church orchestra for more than a decade.

Outside of church, Jen is a primary care pediatrician for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Besides dual B.S. degrees from Penn State, where she met her husband, her education includes a master of science in clinical nutrition from Drexel University and a doctor of medicine from Eastern Virginia Medical School. Her medical residency was at Thomas Jefferson University/duPont Hospital for Children.

Jim Galasso Clerk of Session

In his time at Wayne, Jim has served twice as a deacon, a ruling elder for Youth, on the Nominating Committee, APNC, and session task forces.

Professionally, Jim just surpassed 30 years working for Lockheed Martin.

During his career at LM, he has had the opportunity to work with government acquisition offices, brief at the cabinet level, work with congressional staffers and work side-by-side in operations with his customers. He has served in various technical leadership roles and as a program manager.

His time at LM was only interrupted when Jen attended medical school, and he had the opportunity to work at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

While at Langley, he led initial operations supporting NASA’s flagship Terra satellite that was launched in 1999 with the mission to study climate change.

He has a BS in aerospace engineering from Penn State and a master’s in mechanical engineering from Villanova.

Laurie Gerner Co-chair, Stewardship Committee

Laurie Gerner started attending WPC over 10 years ago when she relocated back to Pennsylvania from Boston with her husband Patrick and daughter Charlotte.

She became a member shortly after and has been active in the church community ever since, helping with her daughter’s youth activities and teaching Sunday school. Her daughter Charlotte has been attending Sunday school and youth activities, including choir, since they joined. One of Laurie’s favorite things about WPC is watching Charlotte’s friendships develop and witnessing the experiences she has had while in this church community.

Laurie received her M.B.A. from Northeastern University and B.A. from Boston University. She currently works for a large law firm in Marketing/Business Development. Laurie is originally from Delaware County and attended Swarthmore Presbyterian Church growing up. She enjoys reading, cooking and traveling.

Marian Hollingsworth Co-chair, Community Fellowship Committee

Marian and her husband, David, joined WPC in 2018 after searching to find a spiritual home. The meaningful worship service, abundant ministries and welcoming community were deciding factors in their decision. Wanting to be of service and interested in meeting more members, Marian asked Rev. Katy about volunteer opportunities. In 2021, Marian became Coffee Hour Coordinator, arranging socially distanced fellowship under a tent in the parking lot. Since then, a vibrant Coffee Hour occurs each Sunday in the Connector, supported by a dedicated team of Coffee Hour hosts.

While on Session, Marian will help lead the Community Fellowship Committee in extending hospitality and growing fellowship opportunities for members and visitors. Previously, Marian served three terms on a church board and taught Sunday school for many years. She and David each have a daughter, Maggie and Sarah, and are grandparents to 10-year-old twin boys.

In her past professional life, Marian served on the board of the Society for Scholarly Publishing and NISO – National Information Standards Organization. Born and bred in Philadelphia, she received a B.S. in Education from Temple University, and an M.S. in Information Science from Drexel University.

Sharon Levitch Co-chair, Youth Committee

Sharon and her husband, Todd Cameron, joined WPC 15 years ago with their three young daughters after moving into the area in 2005 and visiting regularly for four years. Their experiences in the church nursery led them to become members and to become WPC nursery school parents. Since 2009, Sharon has taught children’s Sunday school and was thrilled to join the Women’s Retreat Committee, one of her favorite activities at the church. She served on the Communication Committee for several years and was a member of that committee when the church launched a new website and subsequent other technological updates that enhanced communication and outreach. Sharon mentored and led a table in the Confirmation class and was invited to teach 6th and 7th grade Sunday school in 2022.

During the pandemic, Sharon became a member of the Youth Committee and has been eager to support the youth program and Westminster Choir as they grow. Her husband is a past elder of Adult Education, and their three teenage daughters Chloe (17), Sophie (17) and Hannah (15) participate in various programs and activities at the church.

Sharon is CEO and Founder of ACS Learning, a consulting practice that provides technology training and content development to companies rolling out new systems and software. She celebrated her 30th year in business in 2023. Originally from Memphis, Sharon is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and holds an M.Ed. From Penn State.

John Lindsay Co-chair, Community Fellowship

John Lindsay joined Wayne Presbyterian because of the welcoming community he felt from its members. This is his second time as an elder.

When he joined he was asked to share his talents at Wayne Pres. Previously, he was involved in student activities and event planning at university level for many years. So naturally he thought of event planning here. He started as a member of the Community Fellowship Committee and served on that committee for several years. He is happy to take a term as an elder to keep this vibrant and active committee thriving. The church picnic is one of his favorite events every year.

Additionally at Wayne Pres, he is actively involved in youth group for middle and high school students. Going on retreats and being with the youth every Sunday night has been an overwhelmingly rewarding experience.

John has had a variety of careers. He was a Director of Student Activities at two universities. He was also a visual designer and merchandiser for Pottery Barn and J Crew.

John has his Bachelor of Arts in English Communications from Cabrini University. He did some post graduate work at Shippensburg University. He lives in Broomall, PA.

Wayne Presbyterian Church

Mike Packer Elder-at-large

Mike and his wife Lisa joined Wayne Presbyterian in 1994. In 1995, they were married here. They have two children who attended Sunday School, participated in youth choir and youth group.

While at Wayne Presbyterian, Mike has served as a Sunday School teacher, a Steward and a Deacon. Wayne Presbyterian has provided a solid foundation for spiritual growth and fellowship for the past 30 years.

Mike has spent his career providing automation for the banking industry, primarily in the Payments space. He has a bachelor’s degree from LeMoyne College and an M.B.A. from Villanova.

SESSION UPDATE

The Session gathered for its annual retreat on Saturday, March 16 to review progress made on the goals set for 2023, discuss important issues facing the church and define strategies, objectives and accountability for 2024.

2024 Priorities:

• Budget, staffing and program alignment to address workload and capacity issues

Strategy: We currently have an excellent staff in place. Given the resurgence of activity in our many ministries, we recognize the need to assess the capacity of our current staff to manage the expanding workload. Serving our congregation, carefully managing our budget and preventing staff turnover are priorities. Session has formed a Working Group to develop solutions to address this priority.

• Member recruitment, care and retention

Our membership growth initiatives were successful in 2023, and we will focus on ways to build on and expand that success in 2024. We will also focus efforts to engage and care for our current members.

Strategy: In 2023, we formed a Membership Committee. We will add more people to this committee and to the Andrew Ministry team that welcomes and integrates new members into our church. We will also identify ways to engage and care for existing members and the community.

• Stewardship Development

Our 2023 Stewardship Campaign achieved its financial goal, but we need to continue to focus resources on communicating the vital importance of year-round support of the church and its ministries, particularly among a broader population of donors. As we grow, so do our expenses. We will also focus on Legacy Giving to strengthen the foundation for the future of the church.

Strategy: The Stewardship Committee requires expanded support from staff and volunteers to increase donor engagement and giving in 2024-2025.

• Readiness and onboarding for new senior pastor

We must take steps to prepare for the arrival of a new senior pastor to ensure a smooth and positive transition into leadership.

Strategy: Form a diverse team to structure and facilitate the onboarding, representing the many ministries and demographics of our congregation. The PNC will take the lead on this initiative.

Members of Session are thankful for the spirit, guidance and energy that God has provided over the past year to bring us to a very positive place in the life of the church. We look forward to continued progress in 2024 and appreciate the prayers, support and engagement of the congregation in our mission to share the ministry of Jesus Christ. Please contact Clerk of Session Jim Galasso at clerk@waynepres.org with any questions.

125 East Lancaster Avenue

Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087

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@WaynePresbyterianChurch /waynepresbyterian @waynepres www.waynepres.org

STAY CONNECTED!

• Rev. Katy Shevel, Associate Pastor for Congregational Life Katy@waynepres.org, x219

• Rev. Liz Wagner, Bridge Associate Pastor LWagner@waynepres.org, x226

• John Grecia, Director of Music Ministries JGrecia@waynepres.org, x214

• John Pitocchelli, Director of Operations and Finance Operations@waynepres.org, x216

• Kate Liguori, Executive Assistant to the Pastors Kate@waynepres.org, x212

• Christina Sacco, Events and Publications Coordinator Christina@waynepres.org, x225

• Nicole Veith, Digital Marketing & Technology Coordinator Nicole@waynepres.org, x220

• Kelli Masters, Director of Children’s & Youth Ministries Kelli@waynepres.org, x222

• Sara Goldberg, Finance Assistant Sara@waynepres.org, x241

• Mike Burnham, Broadcast Specialist, Broadcast@waynepres.org

• Cathy Chandler, Head Housekeeper & Sunday Morning Facility Coordinator, Cathy@waynepres.org, x245

• Dana Arranz, Director of Nursery School

• Evelyn Widham, Youth Director Evelyn@waynepres.org, x237

• Julia Thompson, Children’s Ministry Assistant, x237