Pastors
Timothy D. Hart-Andersen
Pastor and Head of Staff
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The Rev. Dr. Timothy Hart-Andersen began as Westminster's Pastor and Head of Staff in November 1999, having served for the prior decade in San Francisco. Tim felt called to Westminster because of the church's commitment to the city and its strong worship tradition, as well as its capacity to show forth the love of God in ways that lead toward justice. Tim received the Doctor of Ministry degree, with honors for the outstanding dissertation, from San Francisco Theological Seminary in May 2000. His thesis explored ecological imagery and church life, and proposes characteristics of a sustainable urban congregation. He also has a Master of Divinity Degree from McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, with special awards in Ministry and Theology. He holds a M.A. degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas. Tim's service to the larger church and community has been extensive and currently includes serving on the Board of Trustees of Macalester College and the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians. Tim's responsibilities include preaching, worship leadership, and serving as head of staff and moderator of the Session of elders. His assistant is Kathy Fisher.
Meghan K. Gage-Finn
Associate Pastor for Children, Youth & Families
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The Rev. Meghan K. Gage is Associate Pastor for Children, Youth, and Families. She received her bachelor's degree from Ohio Wesleyan University with majors in psychology and women's studies, and then served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in Columbia, Missouri, running a literacy and tutoring program in the public elementary schools. Meghan received her Master of Divinity Degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2005. During seminary, Meghan did a yearlong international internship in youth and family ministries with two English-speaking congregations in Lausanne, Switzerland, and during that time served as a delegate to the 2004 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Before coming to Westminster in 2007, Meghan served as a Lilly Minister in Residence at the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, MI. As a Lilly Resident, Meghan served in the areas of children's ministry, evangelism and fellowship, youth ministry and Confirmation, pastoral care, small group ministry, and campus ministry. Her assistant is Barbara Prince.
Katherine S. Michael
Associate Pastor for Adult Education and Leadership Development
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The Rev. Kathy Michael is Associate Pastor for Adult Education and Leadership Development. She received her Master of Arts degree in Bible and Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Prior to coming to Westminster in 1996, Kathy was coordinator for ecumenical ministries at Luther Seminary, and has considerable experience working in Christian education. Her assistant is Claudia Kapitan.
Douglas Mitchell
Associate Pastor for Faith in Action
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As Associate Pastor for Faith in Action, Doug Mitchell brings a history of leadership in urban mission agencies dealing directly with issues of discrimination, housing, youth, inclusivity and other critical social justice concerns. Before coming to Westminster in 2001, Doug served as the President of the City Mission Society of Boston. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Doug's service to the larger church includes chairing the General Assembly's Urban Ministry Support Team, 1989-1993, and serving on the Urban Strategy Task Force, 1991-2000. His assistant is Dan Franklin.
Annika Lister Stroope
Associate Pastor for Evangelism & Fellowship
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The Rev. Annika Lister Stroope joined Westminster Presbyterian Church as Associate Pastor for Evangelism and Fellowship in 2002. Annika staffs member development, fellowship groups, communications, hospitality, special events, and Women’s Ministries. She is the person to talk to if you have questions about church membership, Presbyterian theology and history, or ways to connect with the Westminster community!
Before coming to Westminster, Annika served as a chaplain at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. She discerned her call to ministry while serving as a mission associate in Des Moines Presbytery’s partner church in El Salvador in the 1990s, and she subsequently worked in various capacities as a Spanish interpreter. Annika recently served on the Twin Cities Area Presbytery’s Pastor Nominating Committee for its new church development, Familia de Fe. Annika holds a Master of Divinity degree, with awards in theology and preaching, from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts, with majors in history and religion, from Swarthmore College. Her assistant is Claudia Kapitan.
Byron Thompson
Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care
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The Rev. Byron Thompson is Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care. His responsibilities includes work with older persons, hospital visitation, intercessory prayer and BeFriender Ministries. Byron worked for many years as a director of Young Life, an international Christian youth organization. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. His work at Westminster began in October 1993 when he joined the staff as a pastoral intern. His assistant is Claudia Kapitan.
David Liddle
Minister of Visitation
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The Rev. David Liddle joined the staff in March, 2008, and assists the Rev. Byron Thompson in Westminster’s Pastoral Care ministry. As Minister of Visitation, a part-time position, David helps to extend the pastoral care of the church to older adult members, particularly those who are hospitalized or homebound. A native of Des Moines, Iowa, David graduated from Northwestern University and holds Master’s degrees from the University of Iowa and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and a Certificate in Advanced Studies in the Practice of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary. In more than 38 years of service to the church, David has served four congregations in California, Indiana and Wisconsin as an associate pastor, interim pastor and pastor/head of staff. He and his wife reside in south Minneapolis and have two adult children and two granddaughters, all of whom live in Minnesota.
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Music and the Arts Staff
Melanie Ohnstad
Minister of Music & the Arts/Organist
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Melanie has served Westminster as organist since November 1995. In addition to her position as organist, she also serves as Minister of Music and the Arts. Melanie received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota in June 1999. She earned the Master of Music in Organ Performance from Arizona State University and the Bachelor of Music from St. Olaf College. Prior to coming to Westminster, Melanie was the Assistant Organist at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Minneapolis. While there she made three compact discs with the Cathedral Choir. Melanie has also served Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix as Organist-Choirmaster and St. Stephen Lutheran, Wausau, as Director of Music and Youth. Her current area of interest is integrating theology and the arts. Her assistant is Barbara Prince.
Jere Lantz
Director of Westminster Choir
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Jere Lantz is the Director of the Westminster Choir. He holds masters and doctorate degrees from Yale in conducting. For twenty years he has been the Music Director of the Rochester Orchestra and Chorale. In addition, he directs the Minnetonka Choral Society and serenades Lake Harriet audiences on weekend evenings each summer directing the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra. He has conducted most of Minnesota’s major choruses, including the Minnesota Chorale, Bach Society, Minnesota Center Chorale, Oratorio Society, Winona Symphonic Choir and Soul Liberation Choir. In 1996, he served four months as Interim Director of Music at St. Mark’s Cathedral. Jere has been active in the community serving as an advisory panelist for the Minnesota State Arts Board, as a board member of the American Composers Forum and on the Citizens’ Advisory Committee of Minnesota Public Radio. His assistant is Barbara Prince
Rodney Allen Schwartz
Director, The Westminster Gallery and Archive
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Rodney Allen Schwartz is the Director of the Westminster Gallery and Archive. He works with the Fine Arts Committee to curate and install five gallery exhibitions and numerous other exhibitions within Westminster each year, and manage a growing collection of original religious and relevant secular art. He and a group of volunteers are working their way through 150 years of archival artifacts. Rodney earned his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design and was previously the curator of decorative arts at the Goldstein Museum of Design.
Nancy Carter
Director of Westminster Handbell Choirs
Nancy is responsible for forming and maintaining a Handbell program that enables members of all ages to experience music through handbells and choirchimes. Prior to her work here, she served as director of other handbell programs and children’s music programs, as well as participating in choirs and small ensembles. Nancy has a bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Catherine. She and husband Jim have been married 35 years and have two children who grew up at Westminster.
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Christopher Laumann
Youth Music Director
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Brad Ollmann
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Director of Early Childhood Music
Brad is currently in his eighth year teaching music at Saint Anthony Park Elementary (Saint Paul Public Schools). He completed a Bachelor of Music Education degree at the University of Minnesota in 1999 and a Master of Music Education from the University of Saint Thomas in 2006, where he completed a thesis that examined young children's ability to sing in tune. Brad has a strong interest in cultivating children's love for music through singing and movement activities.
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Program Staff
Mary Alette Davis
Director of Children's Ministries
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Dan Franklin
Coordinator of Discipleship
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Melanie McCall
Coordinator of Fellowship, Communication, and Special Events
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Barbara Prince
Music and the Arts Program Assistant
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Erin Swenson
Director of High School and College-Age Ministries
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Administration
Samuel G. Cooke
Director of Administration
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Sandy Wilson
Assistant to the Director of Administration; Scheduler
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Kathy Fisher
Executive Assistant
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Paddy Jensen
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant
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Claudia Kapitan
Administrative Assistant
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Kristin Kieft
Publications Coordinator
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Barbara Mauk
Librarian
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J D. Shaffer
Accounting Assistant
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Jennifer Zenanko
Accountant
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Counseling Center
Margaret McCray
Director of Westminster Counseling Center
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Margaret McCray, D. Min., is the director of the Center. She is a Presbyterian minister, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and a Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. She works with individuals, couples and families and leads a weekly women's group. Margaret consults with church staffs on issues of relationship, conflict and renewal. She teaches in the fields of clergy sexual misconduct prevention, leadership skills, conflict management, and communication styles.
Leta Herrington
Pastoral Counselor
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An ordained Presbyterian pastor, Leta has served as a pastoral counselor for the past 19 years in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Minnesota. Leta works primarily with individual adults and couples, but also with families, adolescents and children. She completed a two-year residency program at Illinois Pastoral Institute, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and Fellow with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.
Stephen K. Lander
Pastoral Counselor
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The Rev. Lander has extensive experience in working with young children and their families. His theoretical approach is eclectic, and includes family systems theory and Jungian depth analysis. He also is adjunct faculty at St. Mary's University.
Lori Churchill (not pictured)
Administrative Assistant to the Westminster Counseling Center
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Town Hall Forum
Susan McKenna
Town Hall Forum Coordinator
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Facilities Staff
Neale Holleschau
Facilities Manager
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Christopher Glenn
Custodian
Philip Johnson
Custodian
Richard Wilder
Custodian
Ree Johnson
Housekeeping
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Open Positions There are no open positions at this time.
