With a winter storm expected, please remember that your safety comes first. We typically follow Franklin County’s Level 1–3 weather emergencies.

If services or events change, we will communicate as early as possible by updating WBNS-10TV and NBC, our website, and our social media pages below.

(Tip: follow us to receive notifications as soon as we post).

Our custodial team will keep sidewalks cleared and salted, but the parking lot is plowed only when snowfall exceeds two inches. Preschool closures follow Worthington Schools.

Please be cautious. Here's to a safe and serene winter. Thank you!

The Anxious Generation: Adult Education
NYT bestselling author Jonathan Haidt explores how the shift from play-based to phone-based childhood has impacted kids and what parents, teachers, and churches can do. All are welcome. Books available in the church office or on Amazon. Please RSVP if you need childcare. Sundays, Jan. 11 – Feb. 15 | 9AM | Room 222 and Zoom

RSVP for TNT
Tuesday, Jan. 27 • Dinner at 6PM in Fellowship Hall • All ages welcome.

Sock Drive Continues
In 2025, over to 2,000 pairs of socks were collected and distributed to shelters and free stores across Columbus. We know there are thousands of freezing toes in Central Ohio, and we are begging for warm socks for men, women and children again this year. Can we continue to build on the mission fostered for many years by Pam Hume and Marylou Posey?

Please bring socks to Fellowship Hall now through Sunday, January 25, which is Sock Collection Day! Up to 20 volunteers are also needed to help sort and bundle socks on Jan. 25 after the 10AM service. Contact Suzanne Surface.  

NNEMAP Supply Breakdown
Thank you for your generous 2025 donations! Join us Jan. 25 at 11AM in Fellowship Hall to help sort supplies. Current needs include sugar, coffee, salt, diapers, and dog/cat food. Donations may be placed in the wooden NNEMAP bin in Fellowship Hall. 

Family Mission Opportunities
Looking to serve together as a family? Stop by Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour to learn more. Sheri Holcomb will be available to answer questions.

Youth Ski Trip – Registration Open
Saturday, Jan. 31 • 9AM – 6PM at Snow Trails
Ski Trip registration is now open! This year we’re heading to Snow Trails and shortening the trip a bit based on last year’s feedback. We’ll meet at the church at 9AM and return by 6PM. Transportation, snacks, and lunch are provided; families cover lift tickets and rentals (scholarships available).

Ping-Pong Table Donation Request
Our youth room table has seen better days. If you have a ping-pong or game table you’d like to donate, we’ll even pick it up! Contact Nick Robison. 

Sixties Party
All members age 60+ are invited to a fun, sixties-themed gathering on Sunday, Jan. 25, 11:30AM–2PM in the Youth Room. Lunch provided ($5 donation requested), followed by music and trivia. Feel free to bring 1960s memorabilia to share. Please RSVP by Jan. 18 to Chris Togni.

Membership Seminar
Interested in joining WPC? Attend a seminar on Sunday, Jan. 25, 4–6:30PM. RSVP to Pastor Betsy Rice. 

Our Mission Statement tells us that, as followers of Jesus, we live “in Christ’s love.” Recently, we have had to consider what it means to live as people of Christ’s love, considering changes in insurance coverage and our commitment to the safety of people that share in our ministry.

As Doug Fell conveyed in his Q1 Financial update, in late November 2024, we received notice from our existing insurance carrier, Church Mutual, that they would no longer insure WPC when our policies expired on Jan 29, 2025.

The insurance markets are very tight right now, and the age of our building, coupled with the many activities we have involving minors (i.e. the preschool, infant/toddler care, Sunday school, children’s activities and youth activities), makes insuring us a challenge. We also operate a church van, which adds to our risk profile. In the end, we succeeded in securing insurance coverage with Selective Insurance, with coverages, limits and deductibles essentially equal to what we had with Church Mutual.

However, Selective conveyed that our Vehicle Safety Policy (VSP) and Mistreatment and Abuse Prevention Policy (MAPP) were deficient and needed to be brought up to their standards by April 30th. That has been accomplished, but the implementation of these policies will be quite rigorous, especially for certain volunteers. We will share more information on this topic in the weeks ahead, but for now, let me say, all changes that are asked of us have a common purpose: to protect the safety of everyone who participates in any WPC-sponsored event.  

God loves us all, and we all love our children. In our love for them, we must be willing to do what is needed or required to keep them safe. In this instance, certain volunteers and staff will be required to do more compliance work, both initially and along the way, for each church-sponsored activity. At times, this love-grounded purpose could get lost in any emotions that kick in over certain compliance requirements, especially for those personally affected. Therefore, I ask us to keep in mind the words “in Christ’s love” and “safety” as we journey with these changes together.

We intend to publish a summary of the VSP and MAPP requirements on our website as well as the full VSP and MAPP documents. If you have questions about either of these policies in the upcoming months, please feel free to contact me or Doug Fell.

With peace and grace,
Pastor Matt