By Lauren MacWhinnie
As a little girl, I can remember feeling a sense of comfort as my parents, four sisters, three brothers, and paternal grandparents squeezed into the front, right-side pews of the Westminster sanctuary. My grandparents, Russ and Dorothy McClintock, were first generation members of the church, and my parents, Bruce and Sue McClintock, became second generation members. My seven siblings and I became third generation members, and now many of the fourth generation McClintock family are actively participating in Westminster Presbyterian Church and Nursery School.
Our church has been significant to our family since 1951 when Russ and Dorothy joined the newly founded Westminster Church. They raised my dad, Bruce, his brother, Reed, and his sister, Nancy, who all attended Sunday school and youth groups. During this time, my grandparents together taught Sunday school to children and adults. Russ was an elder, and Dorothy volunteered in the library for many years.
My dad followed in his parents’ footsteps and along with my mom fulfilled many roles and positions in the church, while raising me and my seven siblings. Bruce served as an elder and as church treasurer, chaired the stewardship campaign, and served on a Pastoral Nominating Committee and the WECEP Board. Sue was a deacon, served on a Pastoral Nominating Committee, and taught Sunday school and Barefoot School.
As the third generation, my brothers, sisters, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and I have continued the legacy of serving Westminster as elders, deacons, members of the Pastoral Nominating Committee, WECEP Board, Youth Commission, Parent/Teen Mental Health Series, and volunteers for the Bair Project. Currently, the fourth generation of the McClintock family is volunteering at Barefoot School, Veritas, and on mission trips.
While my family has served Westminster Church in many different ways, I believe that our church has given us much more in return. Westminster has educated, prayed, celebrated, and mourned alongside my family for over seven decades. Through WECEP, Sunday school, Barefoot School, and Veritas we have been educated and guided as we developed our faith. The Westminster community supported our family with phone calls, home and hospital visits, and prayers while members of my family battled cancer and illness. In the sanctuary, we have celebrated seven weddings, presented 21 children for baptism, mourned the losses of my grandparents, my brother Todd, and most recently, my dad. Westminster has had a profound impact on its members, visiting families, and surrounding community. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the infinite amount of stability, support, and love shared with me and my family.