WestminsterNEWS Westminster Presbyterian Church

1200 Marquette Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55403westminstermpls.org612.332.3421

OCTOBER 2017Vol. 51 • No. 10

A Joyful Community by Nancy Etzwiler and Jock Donaldson, Stewardship Co-Chairs

This year’s stewardship theme is joy – celebrat-

ing the joy we feel in a beautiful worship

service, the joy in pursuing Christ’s

mission of loving God and neighbor, the joy of fellowship in our church and our community of faith … even the joy of dropping your child at Sunday school and enjoy-ing time for coffee or a book in the li-brary! This year’s theme, from Westminster’s “Hope for The World” vision statement, re-minds us to find joy in worship-ping God and in celebrating the deep connections in our human family.

Because the preliminary budget calls for a 6 percent increase in giving, the Stewardship Ministry Team is asking members to prayerful-ly consider an increase in their 2018 annual support for Westminster’s expanding ministry. As the new wing opens a new future with exciting programming in all the new spaces, we believe our congregation will re-

spond with JOY! We especially appeal to new members of Westminster and church friends who have not pledged or given previously. Your financial commitment is an important part in informing Westminster’s plans for the upcoming year for worship, mission, adult education, congregational life and care, and programming for fami-lies, youth and children. We ask that

all contribute to our life together.

We remember our Covenant of Membership when we rec-ognize that “all that we have is a gift from God,” and “promise to give regularly of our time and treasure.” A generous financial commitment is an important way to show gratitude for the joy we have received

in the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If ever there were a year to give joyfully, this is it! Please give careful consideration to what Westminster means to you and your life in community, when you open your heart and make your annual pledge or gift for 2018.

The Westminster Choir’s first project of the season is a new concept at the

church to get members and visi-tors singing in our choir without a long-term commitment: “Westminster Canon: Revisited and Remixed.” We will sing some of the Westminster Choir’s greatest hits and a few newer gems that will be sure to stick around for decades to come. We will conclude our open-ing project with the Duruflé Requiem, one of the greatest choral masterworks of the 20th century, on Sunday, November 5, during the 10:30 am worship service.

For me, one of the most exciting parts of the opening project is our collaboration with Barbara Prince and the Global Choir. We are so fortunate to have Barbara share her expertise with

The Westminster Canon by Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, Director of Choral Ministries

Canon continued on page 11.

Peace & Global Witness Offering

October 1 See page 9.

Stewardship continued on page 2.

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Upcoming Town Hall Forum: Politics, Governing and the LawTuesday, October 24, noonAri Melber is Chief Legal Correspondent for MSNBC, covering the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Department, and FBI, and host of the political news program The Beat. He has written on law and politics for The Nation, The Atlantic, Reuters, Salon, and Politico. Raised in Seattle, he earned a BA in political science from the Uni-versity of Michigan and a JD from Cornell Law School where he was an editor of the Cornell Journal of Law and Pub-lic Policy. He worked as a legislative aide to Senator Maria Cantwell from the State of Washington, and in 2008, he traveled with the Obama campaign on special assignment for The Washington Inde-pendent. From 2009 to 2013, he practiced law at a major New York law firm, specializing in First Amendment, reporter’s privilege, and copyright litigation.

Music with Jennifer Grimm and Joe Cruz precedes the forum at 11:30 am, and a public reception follows. Free and open to all. For further information, contact Susan at 612.332.3421, or smckenna@wpc-mpls.org.

Commitment Sunday is November 19 but you can give any time. Pledge cards will be mailed in November and are available at the literature tables and friendship folders, or pledge online at westminstermpls.org/pledge. An exciting 2018 program year is just around the corner, and we look forward to your commitment.

Contemplative OfferingsQuiet Worship October 21 | 9 am Bushnell Room Psalm 63 and its companion assurance in Luke 12, “Do not worry about your life,” will shape our quiet worship with the Rev. David Liddle as worship leader.

The autumn issue of Thin Places is available on the information table and online. It offers a meditation about what happened when a married couple lived out the dichotomy that opposites attract, information on Westminster’s newly formed “Justice Choir of the Twin Cit-ies,” details of this year’s John-son Symposium, “Reflections on Music and Spiritual Practice,” and a look at Krista Tippet’s new book, Becoming Wise.

Beyond Sunday Connections invites women of all ages to meet new people and recon-

nect with old friends while sharing a meal and discussion about the way faith influences our daily lives. Sandy Wolfe Wood is the featured speaker November 14.

Beyond Sunday Connections meets at The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis. The evening begins at 6 pm with an informal social

hour, followed by dinner at 7, the speaker’s presentation, and small-table discussion. If cost is a concern, ask about the New Connections Fund created to enlarge our circle of friends. Contact Lynne Thompson, 612.339.3971.

Register in the Heller Commons or contact Deb Wagner, dwagner@wpc-mpls.org. There may still be openings for the October 10 event with Karen Gasche. Contact Deb for info.

Beyond Sunday Connections by Ruth Drolsum, Westminster Member

Stay ConnectedAll-church e-news | This brief, weekly newsletter arrives on Fridays with helpful information about the week ahead. Sign up via website “Email Sign-Up” link.

westminstermpls.org | We update Westminster’s site daily so you’ll always have the latest information about worship, families, youth and children events, adult education offerings, fellowship gatherings, Social Justice Forum speakers, and more.

Stewardship continued from page 1.

Dear friends,More than 150 Westminster members went behind the scenes on the Open Doors Open Futures construction site after worship on September 17, and even more on September 24. The excitement about what God is doing in the life of this congregation is building!

The capital campaign is moving closer to the required funding threshold. New and increased pledges from church members are filling the gap; we are now 97 percent of the way toward the goal. Thank you! We will dedicate pledges in worship on Sunday, October 1.

The next day, October 2, I will undergo surgery to replace my second knee. Thank you for your support through these two surgeries. I will not be at Westminster much of October. During that month I will work diligently and daily on my physical therapy—and I intend to pray at least as often for the congregation and what lies ahead.

Every time I walk through the site and view the new wing and parking garage, I am reminded of the great opportunity we have for the future of our church. These spaces are tools for ministry. Our staff team members understand this; all of this year they have been working with lay leaders in their ministry areas to prepare for 2018.

During October the associate pastors will preach. In their sermons you will hear the specifics of what Open Doors Open Futures means for each particular ministry area. My colleagues envision expanding ministry and mission, growing engagement of church members and neighbors, and increased visibility in the community.

In 2018 Westminster will become an even livelier, more active place. There will be new worship in Westminster Hall, performances in that same space from the arts community, mission volunteer opportunities, conferences, classes, receptions, new activities for children and youth, and much more. Our congregation’s telling presence will be transformed!

The Session and Trustees expect the 2018 budget will expand by 12%. About two-thirds of that increase comes in the form of growth in ministry and mission and one-third from additional building-related expense. On the revenue side, the budget anticipates considerable resources generated by use of the building (parking, primarily), as well as a 6% increase in giving. We all will want to consider a significant increase in our annual support to make the growth happen.

I am grateful for the generosity of this congregation; it is propelling us into an exciting future!

Clergy & StaffFromOurPastor

3October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

Staff LeadershipRev. Dr. Timothy Hart-Andersen, Senior Pastor Rev. Meghan K. Gage-Finn, Executive Associate PastorJanice Teliczan, Executive AssistantRev. Daniel Vigilante, Associate Pastor, Outreach, UptownCongregational CareRev. David Shinn, Associate PastorDeb Wagner, Administrative Assistant Vanessa Uzong, Memorial Reception CoordinatorCongregational LifeRev. Sarah Brouwer, Associate PastorDeb Wagner, Administrative Assistant Kristin Kieft, Communications Coordinator Vanessa Uzong, Wedding Coordinator & ReceptionistEducational MinistriesDr. Carmel Tinnes, Director of Educational MinistriesBarbara Mauk, LibrarianDrew Smith, Administrative AssistantFaith in Action Rev. Matthew Johnson, Interim Associate Pastor Drew Smith, Administrative AssistantFamilies, Youth, and ChildrenRev. Brennan Blue, Associate PastorMarie Kruskop, Coordinator of Early Childhood & Family MinistriesKasey Collver, Nursery CoordinatorBarbara Prince, Administrative AssistantMusic and the ArtsDr. Melanie Ohnstad, Minister Music/Arts, OrganistTesfa Wondemagegnehu, Director of Choral MinistriesDr. Rodney Allen Schwartz, Director Gallery & ArchiveBarbara Prince, Program Assistant; Director Global/ Chamber ChoirsBrad Ollmann, Dir. Early/Middle Childhood MusicRyan LaBoy, Director, Youth Music Mark Kieffer, Director, Handbell ChoirFinance & StewardshipJulie Champ, Director of FinanceKienan Mick, Accounting ManagerMary Dolan, Accounting AssistantMary Hess, Director of StewardshipAnna Gram, Stewardship AssociateOperationsDennis Alfton, Director of OperationsChris Brown, Todd Bushy, John Seagard, Richard Wilder, Facilities StaffEmeritiRev. Elizabeth D. Heller Rev. Byron ThompsonRev. Katherine S. MichaelRev. Douglas Mitchell Samuel G. CookeParish Associates (Volunteer Clergy)Rev. Dr. James Brasel, Rev. Denise Dunbar-Perkins, Rev. Judy Allen Kim, Rev. Judy Landt, Rev. David Liddle, Rev. Dr. Margaret McCrayWestminster Camp Ajawah Sofia-Bella Vitale-Gill, RegistrarWestminster Counseling Center Rev. Dr. Margaret McCray, LMFT, Director Peter Bruhn, MA, LADC Sherri Dunham, MA, LPC Ben Thompson, MA, LPCC Rev. Susan Thornton, M.A., M.Div., LP Jennifer Aden, Office ManagerWestminster Town Hall ForumSusan McKenna, Director

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Welcome Back Parents & Guardians! | October 1 Join other Westminster parents and guardians for fellowship, coffee, and light refreshments, and get acquainted, or re-acquainted, with the ministries for our families, youth, and children in the Bushnell Room during Education Hour. See you there!

Men’s Fall Retreat | October 6-7 | Clearwater Forest Join other men of Westminster on this annual retreat for fellowship, discussion, and reflection on a thousand acres of woods along Clearwa-ter Lake. Matt Johnson, Interim Associate Pastor for Faith in Action, will recount his faith journey so far, A Work in Progress. Sign up in the Heller Commons or contact Deb Wagner, dwagner@wpc-mpls.org. Contact Bill Kruskop at bpkruskop@gmail.com for more information and register in the Heller Commons.

Spring 2018 Traveling Seminar | Meeting October 8 Join Rev. Kathy Michael and Rev. Dr. Sarah Henrich on the Travel-ing Seminar to Greece, April 9-21, 2018. This seminar will explore the ancient Greeks and the development of democratic principles as well as influences of Greek philosophies on Paul’s mission in Athens, Corinth, Philippi, and Thessaloniki. Brochures are available in the reception area and on the literature table. Come to an information meeting on October 8, 11:30 am, to learn more or contact Kathy Michael, dkmich4@aol.com.

Cantus Open Rehearsal | October 18 | 5 pm Cantus is unique among most vocal or choral ensembles as the members rehearse and perform without a music director. Come and sit in on one of their rehearsals at Westminster to watch their process up close. At the end of rehearsal, the singers take a break for questions.

Race & Grace Dialogues Facilitator Training | October 27-29 Later this fall, the congregation will be invited to participate in a se-ries of facilitated group conversations called the Race and Grace Dia-logues. A full weekend training session is scheduled for October 27-29 and ideally, the facilitators will represent the depth and breadth of the congregation. If you would like to train as a facilitator or have ques-tions, contact Vivian Jenkins Nelsen, vjn@inter-raceinstitute.org or 612.867.2244.

All-Church Dinner Party Hosts Needed | November 18 We are planning an All-Church Dinner Party on November 18 from 6-8 pm. Think of it as a “friendsgiving”! If you would like to host a din-ner party in your home, please email Deb Wagner with your name and how many you can comfortably host (if you have children and would like to invite others with children, indicate that as well, otherwise we will assume adults only). Hosts provide the main dish and beverages, and guests will provide sides and desserts. Guests will have an opportunity to sign up in the coming weeks, and we will work to organize a location for all. This is a great way to make new friends at Westminster.

WPCHappenings Daily PhoneDEVOTIONS612.332.7087

October1 Matthew 21:23-322 Psalm 423 Exodus 18:13-274 Matthew 9:2-85 Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-206 Psalm 197 Philippians 3:4b-148 Matthew 21:33-469 Psalm 119:49-5610 Deuteronomy 5:22-6:311 John 11:45-5712 Exodus 32:1-1413 Psalm 106:1-6, 19-2314 Philippians 4:1-915 Matthew 22:1-1416 Psalm 9717 Exodus 33:1-618 John 6:25-3519 Exodus 33:12-2320 Psalm 9921 1 Thessalonians 1:1-1022 Matthew 22:15-2223 Psalm 63:1-824 Numbers 12:1-925 Matthew 17:22-2726 Deuteronomy 34:1-1227 Psalm 90:1-6, 13-1728 1 Thessalonians 2:1-829 Matthew 22:34-4630 Psalm 119:41-4831 Exodus 34:29-35

DEATHSRev. Donald L. Simmons

August 17, 2017

Eda Thoreson Kelley August 29, 2017

October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

FEAST

Help serve a meal to the hun-gry in the church neighbor-

hood, Sunday, October 22, from 4-7 pm. Sign up at the reception

desk

5October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

Each fall our young adults in their 20s and 30s gather for a retreat at Camp St. Croix in Hudson, WI. It’s a short drive across the state line, in a lovely location. We spend time eating, relaxing, learning, and get-ting to know one another better. On Friday night we unwind with dinner, social time, and a bonfire, and then Saturday we enjoy the views of the water and woods, walking, talking, and worshipping outside.

This fall our theme is “Vocation and Discernment.” We are spending Wednesday nights with different community leaders who will help us think through what it means to live a life dedicated to justice and service no matter a chosen career path.

If you are a young adult, please join us this November. I look forward to this weekend each year, because it allows me to spend quality time with the wonderful, emerging generation

of Christians among us who have so much to say, and such good ques-tions to ask.

WestConnect is a young adult community for questioners, doubt-ers, believers, and seekers. If you would like to know more, or join us for our fall retreat November 10-11, please contact me at sbrouwer@wpc-mpls.org, or visit our Facebook page by searching “Westminster WestConnect.”

The Beloved Community by Rodney Allen Schwartz, Director, Westminster Gallery & Archive

The artist John August Swanson is well known by Westminster members and visitors who experi-ence his art throughout the building. His body of

Christian art includes many of the significant Biblical stories, and much of the credit for the depth and breadth of the Westminster Collection is due to his prolific storytelling. Swanson’s earlier artistic career was a time of discovery and reaction to the world around him. As a student of Sister Corita Kent, he mastered the use of graphic design in proclaiming the messages of engage-ment and protest against war and violence, and stood up for social justice.

Swanson made his Biblical serigraph prints over several decades. With the death of his printer, James F. Butterfield II, he went back to his earlier social justice themes and the format of the poster. A detail of Time to Heal is shown here. “Health is not a consumer good. But a universal right. Access to health services cannot be a privilege.”

Swanson has recently gifted us with prints of his new posters and many of them are featured in the exhibi-tion The Beloved Community. Health care, immigration, the environment, and our relationships with our fellow human beings are some of the prevalent themes. Many of the other art works in the exhibition are also new to the col-lection including a series of watercolor illustrations by Lucy Rose Fischer. Come see how these artists illuminate the writings of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s six principles of non-violence and his vision for The Beloved Community.

Time to Heal (detail), by John August Swanson, poster, 2017

WestConnect Fall Retreat by Sarah Brouwer, Associate Pastor

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God, Power, & Control Dr. Bill Cahoy October 1 The character of God’s power is revealed in creation, cov-

enant, Christ, and Trinity. We will engage in a theological reflection on this power and its relation to love and control. What does this revela-tion teach us about God’s power? In what sense do we as the People of God share in this power? What does this mean for how Christians are called to exercise power in a secular world?

Choosing a Centripetal Life in a Cen-trifugal Society Joani Essen-burg and Dr. Tim Essen-burg October 8 & 15 In October 1990, Tim and Joani Essenburg, with their one-year-old, moved into the East Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Neighbors took bets on how long they would last. Nothing (much) in their white, upper-middle class upbringing and education prepared them for the life they encountered. The unrelenting centrifugal forces of racism, classism, and ethnocen-

trism became ever more apparent. Tim and Joani chose to center their lives with the centripetal force of the common good. Come hear their story, one that has forced them out of autopilot and into difficult and concerted decision making: nuclear/extended family or fam-ily as neighbors? Home as castle or wayside? School for privilege or inclusion? Culture for lived supe-riority or enriching appreciation? Cars for personal use only or also for common use? Conceptualizing the neighborhood as full of liabili-ties or assets?

Christianity’s Early Conflicts Matthew Skinner October 22The New Tes-tament can be viewed as a series

of snapshots that reveal ancient Christian communities’ efforts to work out their understanding of who they were, what they believed, and how they should live. Those efforts were sometimes arduous. Opinions took time to emerge, and some were contested. Disagree-ments and unexpected develop-ments sometimes provided oppor-tunities for those Christians to live out a more welcoming and gener-ous faith; sometimes frictions made churches more unforgiving and stringent places. We will consider a range of issues and challenges that were pivotal for the early churches’ growing self-understanding and

for the subsequent emergence of established Christian teachings and practices and what the New Testa-ment divulges about Christianity’s lively and sometimes tumultuous first decades. How does that legacy, which continues to influence Chris-tian attitudes today, instruct us in both positive and negative ways?

Picturing the Reformation: Luther, Cra-nach, and the Power of the Visual Paul Daniels October 29

Explore the dynamic relationship between the great reformer Mar-tin Luther and Lucas Cranach, the artist and propagandist who joined Luther in advancing the reformer’s cause. This talk will present many images on the role the new media (the printing press and the easily reproduced wood block print) played for good and ill in this highly polarized time. We will discuss the parallels and the differences between our time and the Reformers’ time and what we might learn from the collaboration of Luther and Cranach even while we observe the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

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Sunday Adult Education classes are held at 9:15 am.

Upcoming Sunday Adult Education Classes by Carmel Tinnes, Director of Educational Ministries

October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

The Racial Justice Working Group is hosting a day-long anti-bias workshop specifically designed for Westminster members. All are welcome to attend.

Westminster community members will explore identity-related social justice issues, including race, sexual orientation, and class. It is the intention of the WPC Racial Justice Working Group to increase participants’ awareness of their own race and culture and knowledge and response to biases, as well as solidify their stake in racial justice work. The workshop will be facilitated in a way that builds community and enhances relationships between Westminster members. Come learn how your faith is calling you to participate in seek-ing justice. Together we can further shape a Westminster community that is welcoming to all people and communities.

Liz Loeb, Associate Director at the Kaleo Center for Faith, Social Justice, and Transformation, will facilitate the workshop. Liz is a community organizer, academic, and civil rights attorney with more than 20 years of experience working with intersec-tional movements towards justice. As a member of local LGBTQ and Jewish communities, Liz has both instigated and supported local multi-faith efforts to resist the violence of white supremacy in our practices and insti-tutions and to move towards deeper and more accountable liberation.

Date/Time: October 7, 9 am-3 pmLocation: Meisel RoomBest for ages 16+Questions? Contact Laura Blue at laura.blue1@gmail.com.

7October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

Anti-Bias Workshop by Laura Blue, Social Justice Ministries Team As we continue to get to know one

another, I have been asked to share my theological underpin-

nings for justice and service ministry. Here are a few brief reflections on what anchors my theology concerning justice and peace.

Beginning with Genesis, it is clear that God desires a relational life of interde-pendence and care for all of creation. In Genesis 2, God brings each of the animals before Adam, and he names them, eventually joined by Eve, his equal partner. Humans are dependent on the plants and animals they are called to care for. An image of God’s desired shalom emerges, one without exploitation of any part of creation. God invites us into a more open understanding of our inter-relatedness and interdependence.

The story of the fall reminds us that we are broken and, like the earth, our relationships need careful tending. Throughout the Old Testament, we are called to love God and our neighbors, specifically those whom society marginalizes — to “learn to do good; seek jus-tice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17). Like the Israelites, we are called to be in supportive relationship with immigrants in our midst: “You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21).

In the New Testament, the beatitudes offer a list of those Jesus calls us to love: “the poor in spirit,” “those who mourn,” “the meek,” “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” “the merciful,” “the pure in heart,” “the peacemakers,” (Matthew 5) the “poor,” the “hungry,” those who “weep” (Luke 6). These lists are ever-changing, ever-expanding invitations to live into the call to love God and those whom God calls blessed.

Finally, one verse serves as a primary lens through which I see the world: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). God desires abundant life for all people and all of creation. That abundant life requires justice, and that justice requires relationship.

As we continue to get to know one another, I invite you to register to receive the Faith in Action weekly email update by going to westmin-stermpls.org and selecting “Email Sign-Up” at the top of the page. Your Faith in Action Council will keep you updated with engaging ways to live into your faith through relationships in this wonderful, interrelated world.

Reflections on Justice and Peace by Matt Johnson, Interim Associate Pastor

8 October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

October 1 The First 90 Days: Refugee Resettlement in MinnesotaMargaret Yapp, Volunteer Coordinator, Lutheran Social Service of MinnesotaLearn about the process for refugees coming to Minnesota, from overseas screening through the first

90 days in the United States. Included in the presentation will be new ways to get involved in welcoming refugee families in Minnesota.

October 8 Building Prosperity in the Native American CommunityRobert Lilligren, President/CEO, Native American Community Development Institute

October 15 (see page 9) A Palestinian Perspective on Reconciliation

October 22 Follow-Up to October 7 Anti-Bias WorkshopLiz Loeb, Associate Director - Kaleo Center for Faith, Social Justice, and TransformationParticipants of the October 7 anti-bias workshop are encouraged to attend this forum, but those who did not participate in the workshop can still benefit from

this forum, as well. Come seek opportunities for advancing values of justice and community with one another.

October 29 Criminal Justice in Minnesota: In Need of Reform? Andy Mannix, investigative reporter covering the criminal justice system for the Star TribuneWestminster’s Session is considering the adoption of an advocacy statement on mass incarceration and the criminal justice system. This is the first of a three-part

series that looks at some of the issues raised in that report.

All Social Justice Forums meet at 9:15 am Sundays at Westminster.

Upcoming Social Justice Forums

Deacon Training by David Shinn, Associate Pastor

Every fall, our newly elected officers (elders, trustees, and deacons) begin a journey

of learning, preparing, and fine-tuning their gifts by attending leadership training classes. This five-month process is both theologi-cally sound and biblically inspired. More importantly, it is based on the ordination vows of our Presbyterian church.

As our Board of Deacons begins its three-year process of transforming to a focus on care ministry, the leadership training classes will reflect and support this work. After conferring with Sarah Brouwer, our pastor guiding Leadership Development classes, and receiving support from our Board of Deacons leadership team, we will begin this year’s classes with some important additions and changes.

New officers will start training in November. Then, beginning March 2018, the deacons will break off to attend classes on caregiving skills. The six classes are:

1. Prayer and Healing: the beginning of care ministry

2. Boundaries: self-care and awareness to care for others

3. Listening, part 1

4. Listening, part 2

5. Grieving process

6. Grief and loss

The Deacon Leadership team was so excited about this curriculum

Training continued on page 9.

9October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

When violence forced John Khamis to flee South Sudan for a

refugee camp in Uganda, he did not leave behind his commitment to Christian peacebuilding in a country embroiled in civil war. Through the RECONCILE Peace Institute, John and others bring together members of rival ethnic groups to engage in peacebuilding. Presbyterian mission co-worker Shelvis Smith-Mather says John’s skills in trauma healing bring “a presence of God’s love and care for people in great need.”

Fifty percent of the Peace & Global Witness Offering (received Sunday, October 1) will go to the national church to support national and interna-tional ministries like RECONCILE. Twenty-five percent of the offering our congregation receives will go to local ministries of peace and reconciliation and 25% will go to similar work at the mid-council level of the PCUSA.

Your gifts will help bring peace in troubled places around the world and build bridges of reconciliation in our community.

Peace & Global Witness Offering: Spotlight on South Sudan

Taking up this year’s Social Justice Forum theme of “rec-onciliation,” the Bethlehem

Partnership Committee is sponsor-ing a view from a part of the world where reconciliation has been long sought but singularly elusive: Israel/Palestine. On October 15 at 9:15 am, Palestinian-American Dominique Najjar will speak on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from the experience of the native Palestinian population. Najjar will briefly review the historic background as experienced by the Palestinian commu-nity, sharing his story and accounts of others about the general impact and hardships faced by ordinary Palestinian people. He will help put contemporary events

into some context and also look to the future for hopes, aspirations, and possible solutions toward a peaceful and dignified resolution to the conflict.

Najjar was born and raised in Jerusalem, attending DeLaSalle

Christian Brothers School until starting college at Birzeit University in the Occupied West Bank. He came to the U.S. in 1973 and moved to Minneapolis in 1975, graduating

from the University of Minnesota. As a CPA, he spent most of his career as Chief Financial Officer for a national contracting firm. Dominique has visited the Middle East frequently to see family and friends and has been involved for 35 years with organizations such as the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Middle East Peace Now, and the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Come hear a message that may seem all too familiar, and yet perhaps not at all familiar, from

American press reports. What is the hope for Palestine?

A Palestinian Perspective on Reconciliation by Diana Warner, Bethlehem Partnership Committee

that the entire Board of Deacons will receive a fast-track version of the care ministry training at our fall meetings in October and November.

If you are interested in learning more about the Board of Deacons, I invite you to join us for those two meetings. Any past deacons are also welcome to join.

If you have any questions or want more information, please contact David Shinn, dshinn@wpc-mpls.org.

Training continued from page 8.

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Pre-Kindergarten Sacrament Workshop by Carmel Tinnes, Director of Educational Ministries

On Sunday, October 8, during Church School, our four-year-olds and their parents/

guardians will gather for a work-shop in the Chapel to learn about Communion. As Presbyterians, we celebrate two sacraments, Communion and Baptism. As a part of this congregation’s baptism promise, we vow to teach children the faith, and this workshop is one way that is realized. Those present

will learn about how communion is prepared and practiced here at Westminster, as well as a develop-mentally appropriate biblical and theological understanding of why we engage in this special meal. The workshop concludes with Brennan Blue, leading a brief service of Communion. A baptism workshop will be presented for this class and their parents/guardians in February.

October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

“It’s not rocket science to love a child,” says the Rev. Dr. Alika Galloway, co-pastor of Liberty Community Church (formerly Kwanzaa). “Loving children is what we do at Liberty. We put love into action.”

Join Liberty members and other Presbyterians for “The Opportunity Gap: A Critical Conversation” on Saturday, November 4, 9 am to noon, at Valley Presbyterian Church. Westminster is active with the sponsoring group, the Presbytery Liberty Church Ministry Team.

We are all familiar with the differences in student achieve-ment scores in Minnesota, but the achievement/opportunity gap is about more than statistics. It is about a kindergarten child whose parents could not afford a quality preschool program. It is about a middle school student whose parents work multiple jobs and

cannot help with homework. It is about a high school student who lives with her parents in a home-less shelter. It is about racism, generational poverty, and com-munity trauma. For Westminster, it is about our shared ministry with Liberty, our partner church.

Dr. Ross Roholt, Associate Professor and specialist in youth development in the School of Social Work at the University of Minnesota, is the featured speaker. We will share concerns and ideas as we prayerfully explore what we can do to help close the opportunity gap. Come, but be careful; what you learn may break your heart as it breaks the heart of God.

Valley Community Church is located at 3100 Lilac Dr., Golden Valley. To register, sign up in the Heller Commons or send your name to Rev. Karen Kennerly at kkennerly@gmail.com.

The Opportunity Gap: A Critical Conversation by Bebe Baldwin, Westminster Member

Wednesday Programming Brings Community and Care by Brennan Blue, Associate Pastor

With the start of the 2017-2018 programmatic year, our wonderful Wednesday morning and evening meal/programming offerings are now back and thriving with laughter and learning, community and care. As Open Doors, Open Futures con-struction continues towards comple-tion, we find ourselves once again sharing in the blessing of this day of fellowship, learning and ministry in a new location: Knox Presbyterian Church in South Minneapolis (4747 Lyndale Ave S). With 125 people joining our first Wednesday back, I’m reminded more than ever that the Church is not a building. It is the people!

If you haven’t connected with our Wednesday ministry offerings before, or even if it’s simply been a while, now is a great time to re-engage with our joyful community. Wednesday morning offerings include our Mom’s Group fellow-ship and the WOW women’s and men’s bible studies. In the evening, we have a drop-in, family-friendly meal from 5:15-6:45 pm and a host of educational and music offerings, including our children’s choirs, adult eduction, confirmation, parent-child programming, and youth hangout/homework space. There truly is something for everyone!

At the heart of it all, our Wednesday programming offers the chance to gather and reconnect in the midst of our busy weeks. For many, it’s a point of sabbath rest and connection

Wednesdays continued on page 11.

The 17th annual Groveland Food Shelf Benefit will be held on Sunday, November

5, at the Historic Heights Theater. This year’s feature will be the 1965 classic musical My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex

Harrison. The event will begin at 1 pm and will be preceded by an organ concert on the Heights Mighty Wurlitzer.

The Heights Theatre is located at 3951 Central Ave NE in Columbia Heights. Dave Eughusen, director

of Groveland, will speak briefly before the film. You may bring a non-perishable food item to the event to help as well.

This is open to the public so invite friends and neighbors to come to enjoy the movie and help Groveland. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children. Advanced tickets are strongly rec-ommended and may be purchased at grovelandfoodshelf.org.

Groveland currently serves more than 2,000 adult and youth with emergency food supplies and has been supported by Westminster and several downtown congrega-tions since 1975.

Questions? Contact Randy Greene at 612.927.5473 or the5greenes@comcast.net.

11October 2017 | westminstermpls.org

Classic Film to Benefit Groveland Food Shelf by Randy Greene, Westminster Member

Canon continued from page 1.in-between Sundays. Whether at Knox this fall or back at Westminster in early 2018 (or both!), we hope that you’ll consider joining us to share in this treasured time of community.

Wednesdays continued from page 10.

the wider Westminster com-munity, offering Global Choir’s “greatest hits” from around the globe at both services on World Communion Sunday. We will journey from South Africa to Palestine—as we prepare for our 2018 Palestinian Art and Cultural Festival—from Finland back to South Africa with our own extraordinarily gifted percussionist Jeffrey Gram.

I can guarantee that the Global and Westminster Choirs will stir some souls and ignite spirits on Sunday, October 1. This is a Sunday that you shouldn’t miss!

From infancy, we’re attuned to what it takes to survive in our family. The majority

of us were raised by parents who did their absolute best but still fell short of completely meeting our emotional needs. Never feeling quite good enough, we learned to compromise ourselves, to be what our parents needed or wanted us to be, with the hopes of finally gaining the love and approval we painfully longed for. Unconsciously, we end up carrying these patterns into adulthood, into jobs and relationships, and we live a life that we think we should be living. As James Hollis, the author of Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, states, “...virtually all of us lack a deep sense of permission to lead our own lives.”

As children, many of us learned that it’s not okay to be angry or cranky, or that there’s no need to be sad or afraid. If we learned that the wide range of our feelings, the voice of the True Self, is not okay or manageable, then we’ll try to control and deny it in others just as we do in ourselves. In his afore-mentioned book, Hollis referenced the following quote from Jesus in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas: “If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”

Beginning to honor and live in accordance with the True Self can feel terrifying, even life threaten-ing. This is not because you are actually in danger, but because you are remembering the terror

you felt as a child if you did not meet your parents’ needs. As an adult, what was once essential for survival is now suffocating. The True Self demands to be seen, heard, and understood by you for the survival of your life. Otherwise, whose life are you living?

From the Counselor’s CornerWhose Life Are You Living? by Sherri Dunham, MA, LPC

For those interested in becoming part of the Westminster community

through membership, mark your calendars for the fall new mem-bers class on Sunday, November 12, following the 10:30 am service. Lunch will be provided, and I will lead a conversation about the ministries of Westminster and the meaning of mem-bership. Tim Hart-Andersen will join us to share his perspective on Westminster past and present, and what excites him about our church’s future.

New Members meet with Session for dinner and worship on Thursday, November 16, and are received by the congregation in worship on Sunday, November 19. That evening, we will enjoy food and fellowship together at a potluck at Tim and Beth Hart-Andersen’s home.

Additionally, on Sunday, October 22, during the 9:15 am Education

Hour, I will meet with those who would like to connect for an informal gathering where we will share stories about our church experiences and discuss Westminster’s ministries and opportunities to get involved. All are welcome, whether you are

considering membership, are a newer member, or have been part of the congregation for some time.

If you or someone you know would like more information about the fall membership process, please contact me at mgage-finn@wpc-mpls.org. It is an exciting time to be part of the movement toward Westminster’s open future!

Fall New Member Class by Meghan Gage-Finn, Executive Associate Pastor