On December 12, 2024, we will discuss Braiding
Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer in our Men’s
Book Club. All are welcome. We will meet in the
Lisa Kaufman Hall following the Men’s Fellowship
Breakfast at about 9:30 a.m. for about an hour.
Phil Barnette will lead our discussion of Braiding
Sweetgrass. (Source – www.Britannica.com) The book
consists of interrelated essays concerning the lives
of plants, Kimmerer’s Potawatomi heritage and her
efforts to learn the Anishinaabe language, Indigenous
land stewardship practices, and the promises and
limitations of the natural sciences to restore ecological
balance in a contemporary world beset by climate
change and catastrophic biodiversity loss. These
issues are explored through the lens of Kimmerer’s
personal experience and family history as well as the
perspectives of plants and other nonhuman species.
The book encourages a relationship of reciprocity with
the natural world, one that is focused on giving back
to the land rather than merely extracting its resources
I love teaching 3rd and 4th grade Sunday school. I find it is an age where children are beginning to have the ability to discuss topics and form their own opinions. I love watching children discover what the world looks like through their eyes.
Hello, my name is Debbie Babelay. This year I have the wonderful opportunity of teaching the 2-3 year olds in our Sunday School program. They are all precious to me. We have fun learning about God’s love and how each of us is a special child of God. I look forward to their smiling faces each Sunday morning. This is my 3rd year teaching in the Sunday School program. I have also worked with vacation bible school.
I have known Westminster my entire life! I grew up in the church since birth. My faith is rooted in so many wonderful experiences at Westminster such as going on trips with Choristers, Montreat, and a Mission experience to Mexico. I went to college in Alabama at Birmingham-Southern. After college, I lived in Birmingham where I worked in sales. I met and married my husband Wiley there. Jim Carter (former Westminster minister) married us at Independent Presbyterian in Birmingham. Wiley’s career has taken us to New Mexico and Arkansas, and now back to Knoxville. We have been here since 2011. We have 3 children, Ella (11), Grant (7), and Walker (5). I work as the Assistant Director of the preschool at Central Baptist which allows me to have a similar schedule to my children. My favorite job is being their Mom!
Bio: Junior at the University of Tennessee 
I am a senior at UTK majoring in Global Studies with a focus in Economics. I am currently in the process of apply to graduate school for CSP. I love to be outdoors and travel. I also work as an Resident Assistant at Volunteer Hall on campus and enjoy babysitting and baking.
My name is Malena D’Alessandro and I’m a junior studying marketing at the University of Tennessee. I’m originally from south east Michigan where I attended high school at Oxford High School. I am currently part of Spring Sports Ambassadors, Volunteer Team and Best Buddies at UT.