With gratitude for service and faith in his salvation, we report to you the passing of the Rev. David Droog from this world to God’s eternal kingdom on Tuesday, July 14.  David lost his battle with cancer after a valiant effort over a number of years.  David just recently resigned his position as Interim Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Rochester due to health issues.  He was ordained to the Office of Word and Sacrament in 1981 by the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area and served in this Presbytery throughout his career.   Please keep his wife Diane and other family members in your prayers in their time of loss.  A memorial service will be held for David at the Associated Church of Owatonna, MN at 10:30am, Saturday, July 18.    Though it is a Saturday and outside of the metro area, clergy are strongly encouraged to attend the service to honor our colleague in ministry.  The family has requested that the ministers not robe or process at the service, but we will sit together as honorary pall bearers.  Directions to the church can be obtained through the church’s website, www.associatedchurch.org.     
 

 
Lord God, creator of all,
you have made us creatures of this earth
but have also promised us a share in life eternal:
receive our thanks and praise
that, through the passion and death of Christ,
your child David, our brother,
whom we commend into your hands today,
shares with your saints in the joy of heaven,
where there is neither sorrow nor pain
but life everlasting. Alleluia. Amen.  

 Sincerely,
  The Staff of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area

Chaz Ruark, Executive Presbyter

Nancy Grittman, Stated Clerk

Risa Anderson, Office Manager

Dennis Sanders, IT/Communications Specialist   

*Prayer:   Copyright © The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000-2006.

A Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Kosuke Koyama will be held next Friday, April 3, at 10:00 AM in the Bigelow Chapel of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities Area.  Dr. Koyama died Wednesday morning at the home of his son, Mark, in Massachusetts.   John D. Rockefeller Professor Emeritus of World Christianity at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, Dr. Koyama and his wife Lois retired to Minneapolis in 1996 following his retirement.  Widely recognized as one of Asia’s three most influential Christian theologians, his books Water Buffalo Theology, Three-Mile-an-Hour God, and Mount Fuji and Mount Sinai, sing with striking metaphors. Here in the Twin Cities Dr. Koyama lectured at UTS and Luther Seminary and served as theologian-in-residence at Westminster and House of Hope.  Baptized at the age of 15 during the American bombing raids on Tokyo, his pastor gave him this charge: “Kosuke, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ.  You must love your enemies, even the Americans.”  His life bore witness to that charge.  Three Haiku poems written by Peggy Shriver on the occasion of Kosuke’s retired from his chair at Union captures the beauty of this humble man:

Smiling East-West spirit,
 You move with sun, and Son,
 Shining peace on us.

Like a child piling blocks
Your words construct new dreams,
Towering poet.

Gentle and strong, as trees
Bend gracefully in wind,
You stand-and I bow.

-submitted by Gordon Stewart
Gordon Stewart is the pastor of Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska. The New York Times ran an obituary today chronicling Koyama’s life today.  You can read it by going here.

The Presbytery office recieved the following news February 25 on the death of Rev. Donald Meisel from Rev. Tim Hart-Anderson, Senior Pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. Please keep Rev. Meisel’s family in your prayers.

I am sorry to convey the sad news that Don Meisel died suddenly on Monday, Feb 23, at home.
Don served Westminster from 1972 -1992. His ministry bridged from turbulent times (the end of the 1960’s, the pre-Nicollet Mall days, Civil Rights, Vietnam, etc.) into the future that we now enjoy in this historic congregation.

As you know, Don was the Pastor Emeritus of Westminster – as well as a Trustee Emeritus of Macalester College, having served on the Board of the College for 22 years. Don was an alumnus of the Macalester Class of 1945. The College will fly the flag at half-staff on Friday, March 6, in Don’s memory.

The memorial service for Don’s wife Ellie took place ten years ago, in March 1999. It was the first service in the restored sanctuary. Don and Ellie’s one daughter, Nancy, lives in Minneapolis and is a member of Westminster. Their three sons, Don, Wayne, and Tim, live in the east. Wayne is a Presbyterian minister.

I ask your prayers for the family and for all those who mourn Don’s death.

A Service in Witness to the Resurrection is planned for Sunday, March 8, at 2PM, in Westminster’s Sanctuary. There will be a reception following the service.

We will gather to give thanks to God for the life of this faithful servant, and to celebrate his life among us. Don was a wonderful man. We will miss him greatly.

Thanks be to God for the life of the Rev. Dr. Donald M. Meisel.

Tim Hart-Andersen

 An obituary detailing Rev. Miesel’s life can be found in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.