Bernice Bellinger and Elsie Marshall are in the circle this month. They represent the fellowship of Westminster's family of faith!

I am one of the fortunate! I grew up in a family of faith in a Methodist Church in Wilmington, Delaware. In my youth, I attended Epworth Methodist in Rehoboth with my grandfather for many years. And, when my parents retired and moved permanently to our family home (112 Laurel Street), we joined Westminster around 1966. It will always be my church home.

Many changes have occurred over the years. I knew Pauline, and Mary Louise, Louise, Betsy and Bayard, Midge, Ina, Betty Barnes, Fran Cowgill, Elsie Swezie, and many others. I had many of their children and loved ones in school and I taught Sunday school with some of them. Marion Jones was one of my students... Bayard and Cis Horn were friends of my parents. And Ev Lichtenstein was a great friend of my mother's. So many others, I cannot name them all.

But Bernice and Elsie are in the circle. They represent my continuing family. They represent the fact that the family of our Lord goes on, and grows larger. It becomes deeper. Through it we learn that our faith drives us to become brothers and sisters much more than we ever thought possible, and to have more siblings than our parents would have ever chosen to bear!

How fortunate we are! While many are alone in this lifetime, we have each other. We have those who are our life's companions through our faith. We have family. Thanks be to God!

Sally

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