What makes a week holy? By definition it would be seven days dedicated or

consecrated to God or a religious purpose. Sacred time. The Christian church has only one such designated week each year. Is it intent, practice, or interpretation that sanctifies time? Aren’t there really 52 holy weeks a year if we live in grateful mindfulness?

The liturgical Holy Week contains many familiar elements from our work-a-day lives: a parade, a shared meal, a garden, civic authorities, a hill. And more intangibly: expectation, friendship, betrayal, fear, desolation.

Then come the unexpected jolts: death and mysterious rebirth, the crucifix-ion and resurrection of One perfect in goodness and righteousness—Jesus.

We have many opportunities to give ourselves over to Holy Week at Westminster. Starting with Palm Sunday we can bring our hosannas to the gates of Jerusalem to rejoice in the life, teachings, and eternal presence of Jesus. Tim Hart-Andersen will probe the question “What Happens Between Love and Betrayal?” The Global Choir will share two Brazilian tunes at

WestminsterNEWS

Westminster Presbyterian Church | 1200 Marquette Avenue | Minneapolis, MN 55403 | 612.332.3421 | westminstermpls.org

APRIL 2018Vol. 52 • No. 4

Holy WeekPalm Sunday, March 258:30 & 10:30 am

Maundy Thursday, March 29Worship: noon & 6 pmDinner: 5:30 pm

Good Friday, March 30Worship: Noon

Holy Saturday, March 31Quiet Worship: 9 amEaster Vigil: 8 pm

Easter Sunday, April 1Worship: 7, 9 & 11 am

Seven Holy Days by Melanie Ohnstad, Minister of Music and the Arts

HOLY DAYS continued on page 9.

All-Church CelebrationMark your calendars for this all-church, intergenerational event to celebrate the opening of our new building!

We are waiting until May 5 so we can be together in all of our new spaces, including the outdoors. There will be something for everyone. We begin in the Sanctuary at 5 pm for a short program with Vice President Walter Mondale (childcare provided) and then celebrate the night away with food and drink from D’Amico, entertainment from numerous musicians, a DJ for our youth, a play area outside for the kids, and activities for all. This is an event you will long remember–don’t miss it!

Saturday, May 5, 5 pm startTickets are $20 per person, $5 for age 18 and under, and a $60 family maximum; scholarships available. westminstermpls.org/event/celebration

2 April 2018 | westminstermpls.org

A Legacy Thought“We are delighted to be part of the Westminster Legacy Circle. Our planned gift will help ensure that future genera-tions can be as inspired and challenged as we have been by our amazing staff, the varied worship services, the stimu-lating sermons, the beautiful music, and the strong commitment to social justice through local and worldwide outreach and support.” —Debbie and Gordon Stofer

To discuss how you can help sustain the future of Westminster with a Legacy Gift, contact Mary Hess, Director of Stewardship, at mhess@wpc-mpls.org. If you already have made arrangements for a gift, please let Mary know.

Tuesday, April 10 | noon Healing the Effects of Childhood Adversity and TraumaNadine Burke Harris is a pediatrician and advocate for children’s health. She is the founder of the Center for Youth Wellness, which researches the impact of adverse childhood experiences on long-term health, behavior, and learning. She has shared her findings at the Mayo Clinic, American Academy of Pediatrics, Google Zeitgeist, and Dreamforce. An advisor to the Too Small to Fail initiative, which promotes the importance of early brain and language development in children, she is the author of the new book The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity. She is the recipient of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation’s Humanism in Medicine Award and the Heinz Award for the Human Condition. This event is co-sponsored by Washburn Center for Children.

Music precedes the forum at 11:30 am, and a public reception and book-signing follow. For information, contact Susan at smckenna@wpc-mpls.org, or 612.332.3421.

Westminster Town Hall Forum: Nadine Burke Harris

God is Calling, Can You Hear? by Sarah Brouwer, Associate Pastor

Have you ever thought you might want to be an officer at Westminster?

Have you ever felt that nudge or tug, that tap on the shoulder by the Holy Spirit encouraging you into leadership? Has anyone ever told you that you would make a great deacon, elder, or trustee? Do you feel like you want to do something more at Westminster? Something significant?

Now is the time of year when our Congregational Nominating Committee begins to take names for nomination to church office. We ask that you—yes, you!—take a few moments to think and pray about who God might be calling into ministry at Westminster. Nominate yourself or someone else!

The ordained office of deacon is for those in our midst who have gifts of caring, compassion, listening, and doing. Deacons are the hands and feet of Christ for the church. The ordained office of elder is for those who seek to serve as deci-sion-makers, lead committees and councils, and do the governing work of the church. Trustees are commissioned leaders who serve on committees, such as finance, property, and budgeting.

Questions or suggestions? Contact Sarah Brouwer at sbrouwer@wpc-mpls.org.

Dear Friends,

Last week Westminster’s pastoral staff held a plan-ning retreat in the glass-walled Trinity Conference Room on the second floor. Here’s the scene...

A delightful parade of children and staff members files by all day from the recently-opened Harman Center for Child and Family Development. They’re part of the program for Somali children on the autism spectrum now housed in two of our church school classrooms on weekdays. There’s one teacher for every child. The kids look at us through the glass. Some make fun faces at us; we wave and smile back.A few of the teachers are practicing Muslims. Later that morning they will use the Prayer Room made available to them, near the sanctuary.

Meanwhile, on the first floor the new Magnet Senior Center has begun operation. More than 25 elders from the community have come to Westminster for coffee, conversation, and companionship. They’ll be back later in the week when the Center hosts a presentation on American history before the Declaration of Independence.

In the Great Hall I notice the director of a local non-profit sitting at a table, using his laptop and the church’s internet. I stop to chat; he has discovered that our space provides him what he needs to get work done, and he doesn’t really have an office. Several Westminster members are reading in the Lowe Library; a mom and her kids are in the Children’s Library.

Four people have come in from the street with their bags of belongings to get warm. They’re relaxing near the fireplace in the reception lounge, enjoying coffee and cookies.

I happen to walk past Westminster Hall. Facilities staff members are setting up for Wednesday evening worship. The chairs are in a half-circle, oriented toward the expanse of glass that affords a view of the city. In a few hours 100 people will assemble. In the gathering darkness candles will light the Hall. Sung prayer and silence will fill the leaf-lined wood of The Clearing.

Just then high school students come walking through Westminster Commons. They’ve come through the skyway from an event at a hotel across the street and are talking animatedly about the exhibition of social justice-themed works by women artists on the wall by the colored-glass.

Westminster is a different place these days. It’s an Easter of sorts, filled with new life!

See you in church.

Grace and peace,

Clergy & StaffFrom Our PastorStaff Leadership Rev. Dr. Timothy Hart-Andersen, Senior Pastor Rev. Meghan K. Gage-Finn, Executive Associate Pastor Janice Teliczan, Executive Assistant Rev. Daniel Vigilante, Associate Pastor, Outreach, UptownCongregational Care Rev. David Shinn, Associate Pastor Angelique Kingsbury, Coordinator of Volunteers & Senior Center Deb Wagner, Administrative AssistantCongregational Life Rev. Sarah Brouwer, Associate Pastor Sheila Delaney, Events Manager Deb Wagner, Administrative Assistant Kristin Kieft, Communications Coordinator Vanessa Uzong, Wedding Coordinator & ReceptionistEducational Ministries Dr. Carmel Tinnes, Director of Educational Ministries Barbara Mauk, Librarian Drew Smith, Administrative AssistantFaith in Action Rev. Matthew Johnson, Interim Associate Pastor Vanessa Uzong, Administrative AssistantFamilies, Youth, and Children Jim Cochrane, Interim Director of Youth Ministries Marie Kruskop, Coordinator of Early Childhood & Family Ministries Kasey Collver, Nursery Coordinator Drew Smith, Administrative AssistantMusic and the Arts Dr. Melanie Ohnstad, Minister Music/Arts, Organist Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, Director of Choral Ministries Dr. Rodney Allen Schwartz, Director Gallery & Archive Barbara Prince, Program Assistant; Director Global/ Chamber Choirs Brad Ollmann, Dir. Early/Middle Childhood Music Ryan LaBoy, Director, Youth Music Mark Kieffer, Director, Handbell ChoirFinance & Stewardship Julie Champ, Director of Finance Kienan Mick, Accounting Manager Mary Dolan, Accounting Assistant Mary Hess, Director of Stewardship Anna Gram, Stewardship AssociateOperations Dennis Alfton, Director of Operations PJ Eichten, Director of Facilities Chris Brown, Todd Bushy, John Seagard, Richard Wilder, Facilities StaffEmeriti Rev. Elizabeth D. Heller Rev. Byron Thompson Rev. Katherine S. Michael Rev. 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 Laurel Severns Guntzel, M.Div, MA, LPCC Ben Thompson, MA, LPCC Rev. Susan Thornton, M.A., M.Div., LP Jennifer Aden, Office ManagerWestminster Town Hall ForumSusan McKenna, Director

April 2018 | westminstermpls.org 3April 2018 | westminstermpls.org

Holy Saturday Quiet Worship March 31 | 9 am | Garden Room Holy Saturday is a quiet day, a day of waiting. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are past. But for us it is not a dark day—as it must have been on that first Saturday—for we know the rest of the story, that Easter morning will dawn. For us, it will be a day of quiet but joyful anticipation of the light that is about to come. Tim and Beth Hart-Andersen lead worship.

Quiet Worship Saturday, April 21 | 9 am | Garden Room The weeks of Easter are a time of joy and the beginning of something new. Good Friday and Easter have passed and Jesus remains among us as the Risen Christ. Rev. Denise Dunbar-Perkins leads worship.

FEAST April 22 | 4–7 pm Help serve a meal to the hungry in the church neighborhood. Sign up at the reception desk or contact Vanessa Uzong, vuzong@wpc-mpls.org.

Thin Places Spring Issue The Lenten/Spring issue of Thin Places is now available and includes Wild Rumpus, a meditation that begins, “I’m risk-averse. There, I said it,” and then recounts the experience of a deeply reluctant up-rooting and its outcome. Also included:

• Sacred Space, a special Holy Week experience, and other opportunities like The Clearing, a weekly contemplative worship service

• Minnesota’s Taizé Cross

• Faiths Finding Faith in Each Other with John Philip Newell

• An Evening with Joyce Rupp

• Notes on Barbara Brown Taylor’s book, An Altar in the World and more

WPC Happenings Daily PhoneDEVOTIONS

612.332.7087April 1 John 20:1-182 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-243 1 Corinthians 15:35-494 1 Corinthians 15:50-585 Acts 4:32-356 Psalm 1337 1 John 1:1-2:28 John 20:19-319 1 John 2:3-1110 1 John 2:12-1711 Mark 12:18-2712 Acts 3:12-1913 Psalm 414 1 John 3:1-715 Luke 24:36b-4816 Psalm 15017 Hosea 5:15-6:618 Mark 16:9-1819 Acts 4:5-1220 Psalm 2321 1 John 3:16-2422 John 10:11-1823 1 Peter 5:1-524 Revelation 7:13-1725 Mark 14:26-3126 Acts 8:26-4027 Psalm 22:25-3128 1 John 4:7-2129 John 15:1-830 Galatians 5:16-26

BIRTHSAdlai Olukayode

William Oluwatobi Hansmeyer

December 9, 2017

Palmer David Hartlieb February 15, 2018

Quinn Madison Schieffer February 20, 2018

IN MEMORYRobert Kendig, February 15

Lois Hanson, February 23

Shirley Pottratz, March 1

Margaret Harder, March 5

Viola Davies, March 7

Harriet “Teedee” Ludwick, March 7

Cheri Register, March 7

Mildred Jansen, March 8

4 April 2018 | westminstermpls.org

Open Doors Open Futures Mission Focus: Young Adults by Meghan K. Gage-Finn, Executive Associate Pastor

As we continue to welcome the community through our open doors, we see the ways God

leads us to use our building as mission. Senior adults are gathering during the week for learning and fellow-ship, St. David’s Center is becoming rooted in partnership spaces, and the Westminster Counseling Center has returned.

Yet with all the excitement happening inside, we can’t forget the ways God is leading us to serve people outside the building. One part of the mission com-ponent of the Open Doors Open Futures campaign is to support vocational and young adult ministries.

New resources are available for the Meisel Scholar Program. This year we celebrate 30 years of supporting young

people to continue their learning outside the college classroom, while furthering the telling presence of the church. We will recognize the past and future of the Meisel program on Sunday, June 10, and begin the next chapter for decades to come.

Local young adults are living in intentional community while serving in local non-profits through Twin Cities Houses of Hospitality. To date, 31 young people have benefited from this program.

Students in need of support at Macalester College and McCormick Theological Seminary can advance their learning and opportunities through campaign mission dollars. The mission component of the campaign also allows for broader development of

care for, and guidance of, our seminary students and those seeking ordination in the church.

Westminster is a place where faith is nurtured and young people are valued. Space is made for vocational discern-ment and intentional connections are established across generations. Mission resources from the campaign allow us to live out this covenant for generations to come, and you can be a part of this faith development! If you haven’t done so already, please make your generous, five-year pledge to Open Doors Open Futures online, or contact Mary Hess, Director of Stewardship, mhess@wpc-mpls.org, 612.332.3421.

April 2018 | westminstermpls.org 5

All those who have joined Westminster in recent years are invited to come together for a New Member Reunion Potluck, to be held at the church in the Meisel Room on Sunday,

April 22, at 6 pm. This will be an opportunity for new members to reconnect with those from their class and others who joined with the congregation in the same time frame. Clergy and leaders from the Member Development Team will also join us for conversation and fel-lowship, and new members will have the opportunity to hear about developing ministries and ways of getting involved.

I look forward to hearing your stories of finding your way into the life of this congregation and helping you find your definite place of usefulness! RSVP to Janice Teliczan at jteliczan@wpc-mpls.org with your potluck contribution of choice (salad, main dish, dessert), by Friday, April 20.

New Member Reunion Potluck by Meghan K. Gage-Finn, Executive Associate Pastor

In this issue’s introduction to the BeFriender Ministry, direct your attention to the image of the hands. The image of the hands is in a mutual, sturdy grasp, suggesting trust and support. The connection is firm, and yet gentle, allowing freedom of choice for both the BeFriender and the one being visited. This is part of the mutual connection and commitment of the BeFriender Ministry.

Contact David Shinn at dshinn@wpc-mpls.org to learn more.

Men’s Retreat by David Shinn, Associate Pastor

Tell the truth. Did you or did you not jump up and down, and high five your family and friends when Stefon Diggs caught the “Minneapolis Miracle” pass and scored the game winning

touchdown in the Vikings playoffs?

“Sports generate emotions that we do not often have permission to fully express in other facets of our lives,” Marcia Mount-Shoop writes in Touchdowns for Jesus and Other Signs of Apocalypse. “Excitement, disappointment, anger, joy, frustration, and delight are authorized as full-bodied experiences in sports.”

Sports is the topic for the Westminster men’s spring retreat on April 7 from 8 am–noon. Our guest speaker will be our very own Executive Presbyter, Rev. Dr. Jeff Japinga. He will speak to us about Sports and Religion. Included in his messages are “faith and doubt,” “sport and motivation,” “truth, story, and fable,” and “morality plays and cathedrals.”

Japinga is no stranger to us at Westminster; many of you have heard him speak on various topics about our Presbytery, leadership, and the Presbyterian Church. We will begin the customary special breakfast at 8 am in the Fellowship Hall (Refectory), and then move up to Meisel Room for our morning sessions. Register in Westminster Commons or contact Bill Kruskop, bpkruskop@gmail.com.

6 April 2018 | westminstermpls.org

Calling all Westminster Women! You are invited to participate in a week-end of rest, reflection, fellowship, and fun at Presbyterian Clearwater Forest near Deerwood, MN. We’ll enjoy a blend of guided study and discussion as we reach for greater depth in our faith and understanding. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the beauti-ful lakefront and forest, relax with a book, play cards, or anything else you’d like to do.

Rev. Judy Kim, a retired Presbyterian minister and a parish associate at Westminster, will lead this year’s retreat.

The retreat group will depart West-minster Friday, April 27, at 4 pm, and return Sunday, April 29, at 2 pm. Cost of the retreat is $110. Partial scholarships are available. We are grateful to the Faith Nixon Fund for covering transportation costs.

The retreat usually sells out! Regis-tration begins Sunday, March 25, in Westminster Commons. Payment by cash or check must be submitted to confirm your reservation. Contact Deb Wagner, 612.332.3421 or dwagner@wpc-mpls.org.

Women’s Spring Retreat by Cindy Vekas, Women’s Ministries

Parent-Only Potluck and Bowling Eventby Marie Kruskop, Coordinator of Early Childhood and Family Ministries

Westminster parents are invited to bowling and a pot-luck dinner Saturday, April 14, 6-9 pm at the St. Francis Bowling Center (426 Osceola Avenue, St. Paul). Whether you’re a seasoned bowler or not doesn’t matter! After one game to warm up, our second game will be filled with a variety of approaches. You’ll be asked to bowl back-wards, with your non-dom-inant hand, with your eyes closed—and more! We’ve rented the entire bowling al-ley and have space set aside for a potluck dinner. Join us for sure-to-be-fabulous food and loaded-with-laughter fun and fellowship. $15 per person. By April 12, RSVP and note your potluck contri-bution to Marie, mkruskop@wpc-mpls.org.

We welcomed Angelique Kingsbury March 1 to our staff as the

Coordinator of Volunteers and Senior Center. Angelique is a lifelong Minneapolitan and proud North Minneapolis resident who brings to us a wealth of experience working in the not-for-profit arena, particu-larly with older adults. She spent a number of years working with Hennepin County Medical Center as a patient services coordinator and, more recently, served as an elder program coordinator with Pillsbury United Communities. She is excited to help lead the way as our Magnet Senior Center partnership with the Minneapolis Central Library comes to fruition. She also brings creative thinking to the Faith in Action team as she helps engage all of us in more direct volunteer ministry opportuni-ties. Angelique is looking forward to building new relationships within the Westminster community and beyond. She will join us every other Sunday morning.

Take a moment to introduce yourself and welcome her to Westminster.

“I am excited to join Westminster in serving our seniors. I envision a senior community that is engaged and flourishing. I look forward to partner-ing with the broader community and I am grateful to be a part of a warm and committed group of people who are keen believers in collaboration and shared learning. There is much work to be done! I will be seeking out and encouraging volunteers to contribute their knowledge, skills, and compas-sion. Sometimes, there will be donuts involved.” — Angelique Kingsbury

The Hunger Ministry Team invites you to join us at FMSC’s Chanhassen location to pack meals for children in need. You’ll hand-pack rice, soy, dried vegetables, and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins and minerals into bags, which are then sealed, boxed, placed on pallets, and shipped to partners working hard to reach the neediest children around the world. We promise a fun time; we may even get a little competitive. For more information and to register, please contact Angelique Kingsbury, akingsbury@wpc-mpls.org.

Feed My Starving ChildrenSaturday April 21 | 2-4 pm

April 2018 | westminstermpls.org 7April 2018 | westminstermpls.org

Welcome, Angelique Kingsbury! by Matt Johnson, Interim Associate Pastor and David Shinn, Associate Pastor

The Magnet Senior Center is open four mornings per week: Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 am to noon at Westminster in the Heller Commons; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am to noon at Minneapolis Central Library at 300 Nicollet Mall. Individuals over the age of 50 and of all faiths are welcome at both locations.

The Magnet Senior Center offers older adults a place to gather for coffee, conversation, and cultural and educational events. An advisory board comprised of library staff, church members and seniors will plan programs, ranging from chair yoga and healthy diets to board game competi-tions and book discussions. The program is drop-in; no reservations are required.

Magnet Senior Center

8 April 2018 | westminstermpls.org

The Westminster Gallery, located in the Heller Commons, offers six differ-ent exhibitions throughout the year. The current Lent and Easter exhibition, For God so Loved the World, runs through April 8. This retell-ing of the story of Christ’s passion dramatically takes us on the journey with Jesus to the cross and his resurrection.

With the completion of our new wing, the opportunities to intentionally exhibit art have multiplied dramati-cally. I am working with my volunteers to rethink the diverse mix of art in the Westminster Collection and how we are now able to expand our mission of telling stories in new ways and in new spaces. We now

have new rooms and expansive walls where a storyline can unfold beyond the formal setting of the original gallery.

Westminster member and gallery volunteer Pam Beggs and I recently curated a selection of art specifically by women artists on themes of social justice, entitled Voices of Conscience. This exhibition is installed in the south end of Westminster Commons near the rainbow window. Sister Corita Kent (she was the mentor of John August Swanson) and Sister Mary Ann Osborne (School Sisters of Notre Dame in Mankato) are both featured artists in this exhibition.

While I trust you will continue to venture to the

Heller Commons and the original Westminster Gallery, I encourage you to explore the entire building to find art in new and different places.

The Gallery is Growing by Rodney Allen Schwartz, Director, Westminster Gallery and Archive

Mark your calendars for an engaging lineup of eco-justice speakers and activities starting in April.

Earth Day Weekend Saturday, April 21, 9:30 am to noon

Westminster members will join The Friends of Lake Hiawatha for Earth Day Cleanup at the Lake Hiawatha Recreation Center. Free and open to all ages. No pre-registration necessary—check in at our table. Bring gloves or use those provided. Street parking available.

A Telling Presence in the City of Lakes – Restoring Lake Hiawatha Sunday, April 22, 9:15 am Meisel Room

Sean Connaughty, Public Artist and Roxanne Stuhr, Ecological Landscape Designer and Master Water Steward

Saving the Boundary Waters and Lake Superior Watersheds from Toxic Mining: Is It Still Possible? Sunday, April 29, 9:15 am Meisel Room

Green-Vesting: How Can I Put My Money Where My Values Are? Sunday, May 6, 9:15 am, Meisel Room

For more information, contact Sandy Wolfe Wood at swolfewood@gmail.com.

Film Screening & Discussion Mayflower: A Journey Toward A Carbon Neutral Congregation 11:45 am, Meisel Room

Members of Mayflower Congregational Church will contribute to the discussion.

Spring 2018 Eco-Justice Forums & Activities by Sandy Wolfe Wood, Eco-Justice Ministry Team

Justice Will Flourish, by Mary Ann Osborne, hand-carved linden and metal foils, 2012

April 2018 | westminstermpls.org April 2018 | westminstermpls.org 9

Day Camp 2018 The Heart of the CityWe are gearing up for an exciting Day Camp back at Westminster! We’ll explore how Westminster is engaged in the city and learn about Minneapolis’ housing, transportation, food, and government. Two streams of children, a younger group and an older group including current sixth graders, will explore these justice issues in developmentally appro-priate ways as they learn about this won-derful city. Adult volunteers concerned with these justice issues are invited to share their involvement. Contact Carmel, ctinnes@wpc-mpls.org, if you are inter-ested in serving our children in this way or in helping out by being present during this busy week at Westminster. Registra-tion form available online.

8:30 am; the Westminster Choir will lead the palm waving procession with choral praises at 10:30 am.

On Maundy Thursday, March 29, David Shinn preaches at the noon communion service in the Chapel. Beautiful music will accompany the Last Supper. In the evening you are invited to “Come to the Table,” a Mediterranean meal accompanied by Sephardic guitar beginning at 5:30 pm in Westminster Hall. Wor-ship begins at 6:15 pm. Still seated at the round tables, the intimate service will include hand washing, the Eucharist, and several musical settings of the traditional Maundy Thursday text, Ubi caritas...Where charity and love are, there is God. The service will conclude with a choral embrace as the choir sur-

rounds the room singing Durufle’s sublime chant setting.

Good Friday noon worship is offered in partnership with the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches. This ecumenical service will center on the last words of Christ. Lead-ers from three separate Christian denominations will offer a reflection on one of the chosen words. We look forward to welcoming ELCA Bishop Ann Svennungsen.

The Westminster Choir will sing, with baritone Erik Krogh offering Samuel Barber’s haunting solo The Crucifixion.

Holy Saturday worship opportuni-ties bookend the day. At 9:00 am, Beth and Tim Hart-Andersen will lead a contemplative service of

waiting. The Paschal candle is at the center of this morning service of joy-ful anticipation. At 8:00 pm, Meghan Gage-Finn and Tim Hart-Andersen will lead an Easter Vigil, the first celebration of the Resurrection.

Easter worship at 7 am, 9 am, and 11 am brings on the joy. The early morning service in jazz/gospel style ushers in the day. The baton passes to the brass, timpani, choir and organ at 9 and 11. Tim Hart-Ander-sen’s sermon “Eyes to See!” will no doubt lend a provocative look at the resurrection. The morning culmi-nates with Handel’s Hallelujah and perhaps the recognition that it is God who, after all, sanctifies time and us.

HOLY DAYS continued from page 1.

In anticipation of greeting our new St. David’s Center neighbors, children were invited to help create a community-created art piece which was presented as a welcome gift to St. David’s on March 1. The banner is intended to be a symbol of Westminster’s open arms and open hearts in welcoming the staff and families served at St. David’s.

10 April 2018 | westminstermpls.org

All ages will be engaged in an exploration of “Looking for the Lost,” based on Luke 15:3-32. Children will meet in their classrooms, although some classes will move to other spaces to create. Creations will be displayed April 29.

Sunday Adult Education Hour 9:15 amFrom Collector to Creator April 8 | Liz Heller Liz has spent a lifetime collecting art (much of which is now a part of our Westminster Collection). She is currently engaging in creating though a therapeutic arts program. What is the value of creating? What are the benefits?

Why Art Matters April 15 | Artist Panel

April 22 | Rodney Allen Schwartz

An explanation of why art matters at Westminster begins with a brief his-tory of the church’s art collection. An armchair tour of the collection will il-lustrate the scope, depth, and breadth of the collection and demonstrate

how it is used to tell stories in the Westminster Gallery and throughout the building. A focus on art from the collection that illuminates this year’s Arts Month theme will be featured in mini-exhibitions in the building.

Of Brokenness and Wholeness: Art of the Prodigal Son April 29 | Paul Daniels

This session will explore Biblical messages of alienation and restoration through images from the Prodigal Son Collection at Luther Seminary. We will discuss the four “chapters” of this well-known and well-loved parable using Power Point images covering the 400-year range of the Prodigal Son Collection. Ample time will be made available for questions and comments.

Weekly Sunday Art Engagement 9:15 amA hands-on art class will be offered on a first come, first served basis in the Calvin Room. Each week a new form of art will be explored. This class is designed for all interested partici-pants; no prior experience with art is required.

Multi-generational: Photographing the Ephemeral April 8, 15, 22 , 29 | Tom Northenscold

As Christians, we are acutely aware of the thin veil that separates this world from the next. All of creation is ephemeral on the one hand and yet eternal on the other. Photography allows you to capture a moment in time and preserve it for generations to come. In the process, you are preserv-ing your unique outlook on your world at this time. Photography is as close as

we’ll ever come to time travel. In es-sence, when you make a photograph, you enable others to find a moment in time that would have been forever lost.

Wednesday Adult EducationCome at 5:15 pm for supper, attend The Clearing at 6:30 pm in Westminster Hall, then stay for a wonderful class. Wednesday Adult Education has a fabulous line up of presenters for April. Classes begin at 7:10 pm.

Both/And or Either/Or? Or Both/And and Either/Or? April 11 | Bill Cahoy

This session will address the overarch-ing theme of this year’s adult educa-tion series: Living a Both/And Life in a World Addicted to Either/Or. We will consider the character of both/and relations and either/or relations, the relations between them, and how the two play out in life and theology. Does the path of wisdom lie in choosing between either a both/and approach or an either/or approach? Or does it lie in embracing both? Or is that a cop out? An avoidance of hard decisions? Is a both/and approach selling out?

April Arts Month & Wednesday Adult Education by Carmel Tinnes, Director of Educational Ministries

ED continued next page.

April 2018 | westminstermpls.org April 2018 | westminstermpls.org 11

Does it mean abandoning one’s prin-ciples, abandoning the truth? Does an either/or approach promote exclusion, division, demonization of the other, and even violence? As illustrations we will consider such topics as trinity, incarnation, kingdom of god/king-

dom of the world, good/evil, right/wrong, faith/works, body/soul/spirit, faithfulness/unfaithfulness.

Navigating Conflict and Change with Gospel Lightness April 18 | Anna Kendig

Through case studies from history and hospital rooms, we will trace the theological threads of “holy playful-ness,” from the Gospels to modern day, and explore the value of bringing our whole humanity to the chal-lenges and conflicts that surround us. Participants will leave with lists of playful “spiritual skills” that have been practiced by Christians and those of other faiths for centuries in the midst of struggles both personal and societal.

Judaism: A Tradition of Nuance and Flexibility April 25 Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman

Judaism is a tradition of nuance and flexibility. The sacred text of the Talmud, written from the first through fifth centuries of the Common Era, is a document of criti-cal conversation and disagreement between equal and worthy opponents. In other words, there is not a Truth with a capital T, but many truths that can coexist. Jewish sages taught that God lives in the contradictions. Join Rabbi Zimmerman in exploring Jewish texts for a road map for a complex contemporary world.

On Macalester Sunday, April 8, Dr. Brian Rosenberg, President of the College,

will preach at the 10:30 service at Westminster. Rosenberg has served at Macalester for more than a decade. He is a leader in American higher education and a frequent contributor to Huffing-ton Post, the New York Times, and other national publications. Rosen-berg previously taught English and served as Provost at Lawrence College in Appleton, WI. He is a Charles Dickens scholar.

Westminster celebrates Macalester Sunday the week following Easter each year as a way to highlight the

historic ties between the College and the Presbyterian Church (and to combat the “low Sunday blues” after Easter!). Presbyterians began Macalester College – and dozens of similar educational institutions across the land – in the late 19th century in order to teach the val-ues of critical thinking, excellence in education, and service to the broader society. Those values con-tinue to inspire Macalester today.

Westminster’s senior pastor and church members have historically served as a member of the Macal-ester Board of Trustees as a mark of the close relationship between this historic congregation and the

College. Tim Hart-Andersen and Mort Mortenson currently serve as trustees of Macalester.

Macalester President Brian Rosenberg to Preach on April 8By Tim Hart-Andersen, Senior Pastor

ED continued from prior page.

Encountering the Heart of the People through Art: A Festival

of Palestinian Art & Culture May 17 - 19, 2018

• Exhibition of visual art by Palestinian artists• Musical performances and workshops, featuring the

Georges Lammam Ensemble• Film: shorts and feature length; discussions/talks with

filmmakers• Palestinian cuisine tasting, cooking classes and

demonstrations, featuring Sameh Wadi of World Street Kitchen

• Authentic Spice Market• Iftar: break the Ramadan fast with people of all faiths

All events at Westminster Presbyterian Church Visit windowsintopalestine.org for more information. Interested in

volunteering? Contact windowsintopalestine@gmail.com.

Windows Into Palestine is a collaboration between Bethlehem Lutheran Foundation, Bright Stars of Bethlehem, Christmas Lutheran Church of Bethlehem,

and Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Happiness, joy, exu-berance...

most of us seek and value these pleasant emotions. It feels good to feel good! However, in the pursuit of happiness, many of us forget how to relate constructively to less pleasant emotions. We may grit our teeth and smile through our anger, betraying our true needs. We might dissociate and “numb out” when we feel sad, turning to alcohol or food or social media. We may perpetuate our difficult emotions by over-identifying with them: I feel embarrassed, so I must be an idiot. Or I feel anxious, so clearly everything is falling apart. Happiness feels far away. Eventually we might notice that it is affecting our relationships and functioning, and we feel weighed down by life. Ironically, these unpleasant emotions start to steer the ship of our lives.

The philosophy behind Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) holds that difficult thoughts, memories, and emo-tions do not need to be squelched or rationalized in order to be managed. It also suggests that something as fleeting as “happi-ness” should not be our ultimate goal. We accept that difficult

To Steer One’s Own Ship by Laurel Severns Guntzel, M.Div, MA, LPCC, Westminster Counseling Center

experiences are a normal feature of being human. We make room for them in our inner landscape and learn to tolerate them as they come...and let them go if they are ready to dissipate, rather than hardening them into part of our identity.

Through mindfulness and getting clear on our values—articulating to ourselves what we want our lives

to be about—we recover our true selves and reorient our lives to a new North Star. We simultaneously accept and unhook from unhelpful thoughts, memories, and emotions, while steering our ship in the direction of what makes life mean-ingful. That anxiety or depression or chronic pain, if it sticks around, can come along for the ride. But it is no longer behind the captain’s wheel.