The Harstad Fine Arts Series, Inc. (HFAS) is named after Faith Lutheran’s late Associate in Ministry for Worship, Bonnie Harstad, and is a continuation of her vision to bring the visual and performing arts to our community. The series honors her years of service, which brought vibrancy to our music and worship, and transformed Faith Lutheran into a nationally recognized congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Established December 2015 by the congregation council of Faith Lutheran Church under founding artistic director Thomas J. White, HFAS is an independent entity striving to serve the community by offering distinctive exhibitions, concerts and outreach — always free and open to the public.
Faith Lutheran has been a presence in Lexington’s Chevy Chase neighborhood since 1948 and is known for being “deliberately diverse and fully inclusive,” with ongoing commitment to social justice.
Thomas J. White, founding artistic director, was appointed Cantor of Faith Lutheran Church in June 2015. Before arriving in Lexington he worked at several churches in South Carolina along with being an active musician in the Charleston, SC theater scene. He was founding director of the Redeemer Arts Series, Charleston and served as artistic director for Patrons and Friends of the Arts at Ebenezer, Columbia, SC, one of the oldest series of its kind in the southeast.
Tom received degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in conducting and composition. He enjoys most working as a conductor and his diverse musical commissions have been performed at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival USA and Patrons and Friends of the Arts, South Carolina, and The Phil Kramer Recital Series, Texas.
Tom helped develop the concept and lead the first three seasons. He is now Cantor at Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Savannah, GA.
Kathy Rees Johnson Video- Why I Love Harstad Fine Arts Series
Testimonies from our first two seasons:
See our past season programs here
Board of Directors
Kerstin Wendroth (president), Scott Gralheer (vice president), Carol Davis (treasurer), Douglas Hahn (secretary), Yvonne Centers, Kathy Egner, Pete Gross, Anne Gross, Elsbeth Johnson, Pastor Dana Lockhart, Matthew West
Contact: info@harstadarts.com
Building community through free and public offerings of the arts.