Radically spiritual

Westminster Presbyterian Church is about to wrap up its 150th anniversary celebration with a service to rededicate the church. Westminster’s senior pastor, Rev. Dr. David Thompson, told SN&R that the goal is to spiritually prepare for the next 150 years. He’ll take as a sermon topic “Bishop Tutu’s vision for the world, of everyone being one family,” said Thompson, “and you wouldn’t bomb your family. We’ll talk about how to marshal the forces of optimism on behalf of the world.”

Westminster’s been at the forefront of social issues throughout its history—opposing slavery, supporting housing for impoverished downtown residents, resettling international refugees, welcoming gays and lesbians as deacons, and assisting Gulf Coast residents rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Most recently, Westminster has begun to look at global climate change as a moral issue.

The rededication service will be held at Westminster at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 29, and is open to the public.