Church Staff

Overview

Westminster Church Staff

Profile

Celeste Lasich
Interim Pastor

After graduating with her M.Div. from McCormick Seminary in Hyde Park Chicago, Pastor Celeste’s first call was as an Associate with FPC Tracy CA, so Westminster feels a bit of a coming full circle. Celeste is passionate about Transitional Ministry and all the ways God shows up to encourage and empower churches ready to trust the Holy Spirit’s energy and wisdom. 

(916) 442-8939 Ext. 306
Profile

Rola Al Ashkar
Ministry Assistant for Outreach and Christian Education

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As a proud Lebanese, Rola Al Ashkar comes to us with a Multicultural Ministry background. Rola had previously served Parkview Presbyterian Church and the national office of Vital Congregations. She now sits on the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s board.

Her passion for community building, church ministry, and yoga has led her to Westminster, where she serves in Outreach and Christian education. Her goal in the next two years is to create and sustain a New Worshiping Community that uses yoga and Christian spirituality as a means of healing.

 

(916) 442-8939 Ext. 307
Profile

Betsy Nix
Director of Children's & Youth Ministry

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Betsy is a lifelong Presbyterian who has served as a youth elder, choir member, elder, trustee, and committee chair in Memphis, Boston, and Baltimore churches. During her 20-year membership at Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, she taught Sunday School from pre-school to the middle grades, took part in a team that ran Vacation Bible School, worked to institute an annual retreat, and helped to launch a Wednesday night dinner program.  

 

(916) 442-8939 Ext. 309
Profile

Brad Slocum
Organist / Music at Noon Program Director

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Brad Slocum is a native Californian, a Magna Cum Laude music graduate of San Francisco State University, and a published choral arranger. He relocated to Sacramento in 2002 after retiring from the De Anza College Music Department in Cupertino, California, where he was Staff Accompanist, Director of the De Anza Chorale, and Voice Coach and Instructor for 17 years.

(916) 442-8939 Ext. 315
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Janet Matranga
Director of Choirs

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Janet is a native Sacramentan whose love of singing in choir when she was 8 led Janet to earn her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at Cincinnati University (Conservatory of Music). Janet has sung in the Cincinnati Opera and San Francisco Opera companies throughout her career, received her California Teacher Credential and Master of Music, Voice Performance, and has conducted choirs in several other churches. She continues to teach school choirs from elementary to high school. 

(916) 442-8939 Ext. 308
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Joshua Botha
Director of Praise Band

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Joshua grew up listening to his family’s different music tastes, influencing his love of music. He first started performing music playing snare drum and xylophone in 8th grade, and then quickly fell in love with choir by his sophomore year of high school and guitar by his junior year. Through American River College and Professor Lee Hoffman, Joshua joined Westminster’s choir as tenor section leader and now, through that, the opportunity to be Praise Band Director.

(916) 442-8939 Ext. 308
Profile

Portia Njoku
Audio/Visual Technician

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Portia Njoku is a local musician in the Sacramento region. She plays tuba, composes music, teaches private lessons, and teaches college courses at Folsom Lake College. Ms. Njoku also enjoys the field of Commercial Music and is happy to be providing quality sound to Westminster’s church services and events. When she is not busy making music, she likes to cook, play tennis, and hang out with friends and family.

Profile

Rebecca Venegas
Finance / Office and Facilities Administrator

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Rebecca is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of our beautiful historic building, coordinating contractors, volunteers and all kinds of needed experts. In her spare time (ha!) she also handles monetary pledges, payments, monthly parking spaces and any other items that need attention. 

(916) 442-8939 Ext. 304
Profile

Samantha Jones
Administrative Assistant

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Samantha is your first point of contact when you visit or call Westminster Church during our weekly operating hours.  She can answer almost any question you ask.  If she can’t immediately assist you, she will connect you to the appropriate individual who can!  She also coordinates the weekly bulletin, room rentals, including weddings/receptions, and whatever else comes flying her way in the course of a typical weekday. 

(916) 442-8939 Ext. 301
Profile

Michelle Mosnier
Worship Arts Teacher

Michelle comes to Westminster with decades of experience as an elementary school teacher and mother of 3.  She lends her creative talents to Westminster in developing scripture-related art projects and assisting in the set design for our Vacation Bible School themes.  She also substitutes for our Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry when needed.