Westminster Facts

• Westminster Presbyterian Church began in 1841 with 15 members. After the Civil War, a large brick structure was built. It was in use until a new building was erected at the northern edge of Xenia in 1966.
  
  
• Westminster has been been blessed with a long succession of pastors. As Paul reminds us, some planted, some watered, and God has given the increase.
  
  During the 14 years from 1988 through 2002, Dr. Timothy Shapiro led Westminster through years of stabilization and growth. He led the congregation in a mission study in in 1995-96 that brought a new commitment to Christ's mission. The Spirit carried his people into new zeal and deeper fellowship.
  
  When, in 2003, Dr. Shapiro left to accept the call to be President of the Indianapolis Center for Congregations, the congregation maintained its center, mixing their sadness at his leaving with the faith that God was merely calling them to continued service under new leadership.

• Our Church belongs to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with some 1.8 million members in the United States.

• Our staff includes:
  • Rev. Brian Maguire (Pastor)
  • William Henry Caldwell (Choir Director)
  • Joyce Hemenger (Organist, Concert Producer)
  • Nancy Jean Williams (Nursery Director).
    
• The Church Treasurer is John Grayson. The Church Clerk of Session is Florence Conrad.

• Our giving supports people and projects near and far. To name a few, Westminster supports locally the Red Cross Emergency Homeless Shelter, Women's Recovery Center, Xenia Area Parenting Group, and Habitat for Humanity. Nationally, we provide disaster relief through the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. Internationally, we support a Christian School in Hebron and a Seminary in the Sudan.

• Westminster has 300 members from all over the greater Miami Valley.

• The building is used daily from morning until night. Besides church activities, our building is the home of the Greene Elf Headstart pre-school, several AA groups, and Boy Scout Troop 165.

• The governing board of the Church is the Session, a group of 12 members and the pastor. The Session has 4 primary committees that oversee the ministry of the Church.

• Westminster was the first Presbyterian Church in Ohio with its own web site.

• The two sacraments of the Presbyterian Church are baptism and the Lord's supper.

• Members of Westminster make a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. If they had not been previously baptized, they receive baptism at the time they make their profession of faith.

• Worship is every Sunday at 10:15 a.m. Special services during the year include Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Early Easter, and Christmas Eve.

• Church School for all ages begins every Sunday at 9:00 a.m.