Page 3 - 2016 Annual Report with Financials - Booklet

Introduction

We began the year with an exhibit of
quilts displayed in the church building.
These quilts were the handiwork of
Ann Harwell and were exhibited by our
Arts Committee. Pictures of those
quilts were also on our bulletin covers
as 2016 unfolded. Pictured here is the
quilt that was on our January 10, 2016,
bulletin.

Quilts are magical in that they take
scraps—small bits and pieces,
sometimes even the detritus of
fabric—and from those individual
pieces, a quilter stitches together a
work of art. So it is with church folk.
Individually we are scraps—small bits
and pieces of creation. We come in
many shapes and colors and sizes.

At Westmoreland, we are young and
old; we are gay and straight and
bisexual and transgender; we are
Democrats and Republicans; we are
seekers and we are certain. We come
with large dreams and sometimes
petty grievances. We gather with the
tears of grief and laughter of young
life. We ache, and we celebrate. Some
of us come to church for the music, others focus on social justice, some seek community, others value a
faith that is intellectually engaging. We are a patchwork quilt of humanity.

The reports in this book are dozens of stories—small tales, big numbers, little insights, large dreams.
Together these reports tell the story of how we were stitched together for one year—366 days, one
sentence of time. These reports are a quilt of sorts. Find your part and celebrate it. At the same time, give
thanks for the whole.

Quilts embrace the sick, warm the chilled, comfort the sad. May it be so with us. Amen.

Timothy Tutt

Senior Minster

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