Messenger is here!

June 17, 2026

This week's release at a glance:

• Pastor’s Message
• Congregational Meeting This Sunday, June 21
• WoodsWork Commissioning, June 21
• Save the Date for the Woods Church Annual Holiday Bazaar, November 21
• WCDC Placements
• Children’s Ministry Updates
• Special Adult Education Class
• Tech Volunteers Needed
• Lost & Found
  

Pastor's Message

Friends, as you are hopefully well aware, this Sunday is an important time in the life of our congregation in several ways. During worship, we will be recognizing our graduating high school seniors as they prepare for a new chapter of life after high school, and celebrating their accomplishments so far. We also will be commissioning our WoodsWork youth and adults as they prepare to head off to Richmond to build houses with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity there. And, we will have a special guest preacher: the Rev. Ashley Brown, whom the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (“APNC”) is nominating to serve as Associate Pastor here at Woods! You should have already received information from the APNC about Ashley by email yesterday, but you also can click here to read it. The Congregational Meeting to act upon that nomination will take place immediately following the worship service this Sunday.

In advance of the meeting, I want to remind you about the associate pastor position itself, which is a new configuration of pastoral ministry on our staff, NOT simply a new person coming on board to serve in the same position that was filled so admirably for 23 years by the Rev. Nancy Lincoln Reynolds. In fact, if this new associate pastor position had a detailed title, it would probably be something like, “Associate Pastor for Adult Faith Formation.” The idea behind the position as it has been designed is that we need to be intentional about an integrated approach to adult faith formation. Specifically, adults (like children and youth) are formed as disciples of Jesus Christ through their minds, hearts, spirits, and hands, and thus we need to be attending to all those dimensions in our ministries of adult discipleship.

Education has traditionally been the way in which we have nurtured the “mind” here at Woods, and one of the greatest strengths and commitments of the Presbyterian tradition is in rigorous educational ministries to understand our faith better and how we are called to live it out in the church and the world.

Accordingly, the new associate pastor will collaborate with our adult educational leaders about how we can continue to do that faithfully and well here at Woods, expanding our offerings in terms of both range and content. Furthermore, they will help us find ways to bring the dimensions of “heart” and “spirit” into our adult ministries in terms of exploring Christian spiritual practices.

Pastoral care is also a crucial way that we both form and care for people’s hearts and spirits, as well. Woods is notable among Presbyterian congregations for the strength of its pastoral care infrastructure, meaning a wide range of groups and teams who are engaged in providing pastoral care. Our Deacons, Stephen Ministers, Prayer Ministry, etc. mean that pastoral care is not limited to the installed pastors of the church. Rather, the new associate position will oversee our pastoral care work, but primarily in terms of supporting those groups and teams in their pastoral care ministry, as well as sharing in direct pastoral caregiving along with myself as the other ordained pastor.

Here at Woods, our ministries of welcome and hospitality are overseen for the Session by the WELCOME Committee, which you may or may not know is an acronym! WELCOME actually stands for Welcoming, Evangelism, Linking, Communications, Outreach, and Membership Engagement. These are all different dimensions of how we welcome and nurture people into living out their discipleship as an active member here at Woods Church, connecting their own gifts and sense of call with our common work. The associate pastor will be the primary staff leadership for this work, which plays a crucial role in activating people’s “hands” through ministry.

Finally, discipleship always includes hands-on service. In the new fiscal year that starts on July 1, we expect the recently renamed Missions Committee, now known as Service and Outreach (I’ll talk more about that next week!), to once again have a part-time Coordinator to work with the Committee and support its ministry programs. However, the associate pastor will also work with leaders in this area from a “30,000 feet” perspective to collaborate on strategy that not only maintains and strengthens our current commitments, but expands them in terms of both serving those in need AND offering opportunities for members and friends of Woods to strengthen their discipleship by engaging in active ministry.

I am grateful to the Session, the Session’s Staffing Strategy Task Force which our comprehensive staffing needs and strategies and recommended this newly defined associate pastor position as a result, and especially to the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee, which took all that work and synthesized it into the position description that it used in its search process, then found Ashley as the person they believe is called by God to fulfill this position. I hope you will make every effort to be present in worship and at the meeting this Sunday to hear and act on their report, and to share my excitement about what God is up to in this search process and in our congregation!

Peace and blessings,

—Pastor JC

Church News

Congregational Meeting This Sunday, June 21

The Session has called a special congregational meeting to be this held Sunday immediately following the 9:30AM service for the purpose of receiving and acting upon the report of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee. The committee will present a candidate as the nominee for our new associate pastor. Background information on the candidate is available through a link in Pastor JC’s message above.

WoodsWork Commissioning

During worship this Sunday, June 21, our 2026 WoodsWork team will be blessed for their mission trip that departs on Monday, June 22. Then at 11:30AM, we'll be packing the WoodsWork truck out by the sheds. We will do our best to be mindful of everyone leaving the church, but please be cautious of all the extra activity in the parking lot. Thank you!

Save the Date for the Woods Church Annual Holiday Bazaar

Save the date for the Woods Church Annual Holiday Bazaar, which will take place on Saturday, November 21, 9AM–1PM.

Start gathering donations now! We are looking for new or gently used children’s clothing from toddler to youth size 10, jewelry, books, records, CDs, DVDs, games, puzzles, artwork, toys, musical instruments, dishes, glassware, kitchen utensils, small working appliances, lamps, collectibles, and holiday items. Items that we are unable to accept include baby strollers, children’s high-chairs, car seats, cribs, electronics, and furniture. Proceeds from the Bazaar will benefit the Outreach and Service Committee (formally the Missions Ministry) of Woods Church.

Questions? Email Pam Blumenthal at mblumenthal1941@gmail.com or Delia Edelmann dedelmann30@gmail.com.

Family Summer Choir

Are you around over the summer and interested in singing, then come on by and sing with us! The Family Summer Choir will be singing on Sundays, July 5, July 26, August 16, and September 6. We will meet at 8:45AM in the Sanctuary Choir Loft and learn the piece that morning. Not to worry all, the tunes are recognizable, and a quick learn!

If you have any questions, please email David Merrill at dmerrill@woodschurch.org. Looking forward to hearing you sing!

WCDC Placements

Woods Child Development Center has Tuesday & Thursday placements in the Part Day 2, Part Day 4, and Full Day 4 year old programs. Contact us to schedule a tour or to get more information. Join us as we explore our world with wonder and whimsy.

For more information, please email Roxann Bartone at rbartone@woodscdc.org.

Support Our Bagel Ministry

Looking for a way to honor, celebrate and/or remember a family member, friend, or special event? Consider sponsoring bagels following our worship services on Sunday mornings! The cost is $100.

For more information, contact Kathie Hamlett at khamlett@woodschurch.org.

Children's News

Summer Sunday School is Doing a New Thing!

Join us for immersive Bible story experiences this each Sunday this summer!



• June 21 - Computers & Games
• June 28 - Outdoor Play
• July 5 - Story & Stretch (wear comfy clothes)
• July 12 - Traditional Sunday School with Ms. Marcia and Ms. Gale
• July 19 - Computers & Games
• July 26 - Surprise! Let's see your Super Hero costume!
• August 2 - Story & Stretch (wear comfy clothes)
• August 9 - Music & Arts (three volunteers needed)
• August 16 - Traditional Sunday School with Ms. Marcia and Ms. Gale
• August 23 - Outdoor Play:
• August 30 - Computers & Games:
• September 6 - Labor Day Weekend Story & Stretch (wear comfy clothes)

All Aboard!

Online registration for Day Camps and VBS Express are now closed. If you need assistance, contact Lindsey Miller or email children@woodschurch.org. More stories! More fun!

Education & Small Groups

Special Adult Education Class

Pastor JC Austin is leading a four-week Adult Education class, titled 250 Years of Christianity and Democracy in the United States. Sessions will be held on Sundays through June 28, 11AM, in Room 208 and via Zoom. The class will be recorded for future viewing on demand. JC will explore some of the main ways that Christianity has engaged in the democratic society in the U.S. from different historical/social contexts, from our founding to the present day.

We will meet in Room 208 and on Zoom.

Weekly Bible Study

Lead Pastor JC Austin and our Interim Pastoral Associate Sarah Wilson offer a weekly Bible Study on Wednesdays, 11AM, to examine the upcoming Sunday’s scripture readings before they are presented in worship.

Join us on Zoom and gain a new understanding of scripture and enhance your worship experience.

Church Family News

Tech Volunteers Needed

Easy to learn! We’re currently looking for volunteers to help with running slides and cameras during our worship services. This would be a great opportunity to support our church behind the scenes and/or pick up a new skill or two!

If you’re interested in helping or have any questions, email Eric Willner at ewillner@woodschurch.org.

Lost & Found

Please check the Church Office’s Lost & Found for items that you are missing. Items will sit on the counter for one week and then will be housed in the sliding cabinet under the staff mailboxes. The collection will be donated at the turn of the next season, so please check the cabinet if you are missing something!

Water bottles, jewelry, and eyeglasses often turn up—have faith!