Adult Education

Spring 2024

March 3, 10, and 17

Culture Wars
Dr. Richard L. Rohrbaugh, Paul S. Wright Professor Emeritus, Lewis & Clark College

Culture war—social, political, cultural and gender conflict—has been a sad but constant part of the human story since the beginning of time.  All too often it has been expressed in violence, oppression, discrimination, and hatred of those unlike ourselves.

The issues are nothing new:  race, gender, immigration/borders, urban/rural, class, and education.  Interestingly, every one of these existed in antiquity except for the racial divide.  “Culture”—Greeks, Romans, Jews, Egyptians, Cretans, Syrians, Gauls, Persians—not race, divided people in the ancient world.

In this class, we will look at the issues faced by early Christians to see what we can learn from their responses. Some were courageous and inspired; others were abysmal and even tragic. 

This series will meet in the Great Hall.

March 24 and 31 – No Classes

 

April 7

Refracting Light: The Power and Possibilities of Mentorship
Traci Rossi, Executive Director, Friends of the Children

Founded in Portland by Duncan Campbell, Friends of the Children is a national program dedicated to mentoring at-risk children. Each child is paired with a paid professional and long-term (12+ years) mentor, called a Friend. Results are impressive: 83% of the youth receive a high school diploma or GED, and 93% remain free from involvement in the juvenile justice system. You will hear about this life-changing program headquartered in our NE Portland neighborhood. 

April 14

What’s New at the Zoo
Melanie Billings-Yun, Vice Chair and Head of Advocacy for the Oregon Zoo Foundation

The Oregon Zoo is a source of pride for the greater Portland region, advancing animal welfare, conservation education, and species recovery locally as well as around the globe. In 2008, Metro area voters passed a bond measure that underwrote transformational upgrades across roughly 40 percent of the zoo. As the zoo enters the next phase of development, let’s look back on what has been accomplished over those 15 years and what new projects lie ahead to advance the Oregon Zoo’s mission of connecting our community to the wonder of wildlife and of working to create a better future for all.

April 21

Upcoming Ballot Issues
League of Women Voters

A lecturer from the Speakers Bureau of the Portland League of Women Voters will join us to talk about the ballot measures we will be deciding on May 21. The speaker will give a lecture on how the questions on the ballot might affect us, followed by a generous time for Q & A. In the past, these sessions have been informative and lively. Our ballots will likely feature a number of interesting measures……Note: We will not be discussing candidates!

April 28

Poetry of the Oregon Poets Laureate
The Rev. Beth Neel and Mary Ann Wish

Beth Neel and Mary Ann Wish are delving into poetry again. They will be sharing their favorites from some of the Oregon Poets Laureate. If you enjoy poetry—or even if you’re not sure you do—you will enjoy hearing and discussing these creations.

May 5

The 2023 Hymn Society of America Conference in Montreal: Epiphanies and Learnings for Westminster
Debbie Glaze, Director of Music, Westminster Presbyterian Church

Congregational singing is constantly being studied as worship continues to evolve. What constitutes a hymn? What is important to congregations as they sing and worship together? What is permitted, under copyright laws, to be owned, sung, and livestreamed?

Debbie will bring the most interesting and valuable learnings from a rich 4 days in Montreal. The Hymn Society of America, over 100 years old, gathers annually to sing, learn, listen, teach, and network among musicians from several countries and numerous denominations. How will these learnings inform worship at Westminster, going forward?

May 12

The Ballmer Institute: A Novel Solution to Children and Adolescents’ Growing Mental Health Crisis
Atika Khurana, Professor, College of Education, Director of Community Engagement, U of O Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health

Mental health problems in children and adolescents have increased dramatically over the past 15 years. As the need for youth mental health support has continued to increase, the number of qualified providers who can deliver that support has remained relatively static. This widening gap between the need for mental health support and availability of a trained workforce to meet this need led to the creation of the Ballmer Institute. The Ballmer Institute is working on a novel solution by creating a new profession–the child behavioral health specialist–which only requires a college degree to be qualified to deliver behavioral health services in schools and community settings. The goal of this new role is delivering early interventions and supports that are designed to prevent mental health problems from emerging or worsening. Creating a system that prioritizes the early identification and prevention of mental health problems will improve the well-being of children and adolescents in ways that will ultimately reduce the number of children who need more intensive mental health interventions. This will ensure that existing mental health providers can reach more of the children in need of these services.

May 19

Update on North by Northeast Community Health Center
Suzy Jeffries, Executive Director, North by Northeast Community Health Center

North by Northeast Community Health Center is the only medical clinic in Oregon devoted to Black/African American health. It exists to improve health outcomes and advance health equity by offering primary care services and health education and promotion focused on the Black/African
American community.

Previous Class Recordings

The Adult Education Committee is pleased to offer recordings of many recent classes. The recordings are available here.

Toothmarks on the Lectionary

Every Sunday, 9:15-10:15 a.m., in Room A. Morning participants will read the Bible texts for the 10:30 a.m. worship service that day. Classes include pastoral participation and background material to help prepare more fully for worship and listening to the sermon.

“Exploring Membership” Classes

Whether or not you’re ready to become a Westminster member, in our “Exploring Membership” classes you are invited to learn what it means to be Presbyterian and consider opportunities for spiritual growth and meaningful mission. These classes are generally offered in spring and fall, either on Saturdays or Sundays. Childcare may be available on request. There is no charge to attend, but advance registration is requested so we can adequately prepare. For more information, please contact Alaina Smith in the church office.


Church Library

Westminster Presbyterian Church has a library with a wide variety of books. You don’t need to be a church member to use the library. The library is located on the ground floor of the church near the 16th Street entrance. You are welcome to browse through the bookcases and table displays. 

We recently updated and remodeled the library. It’s both an organized resource area as well as a place to meet in a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. 

If you have any question, please contact the church office during weekdays at 503-287-1289. Please note that our library is no longer taking book donations.

Additional Opportunities

We have more educational activities offered in small-group settings, including a variety of book groups. Please check out our Community Life page for more information.

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