Rev. Donna Papenhausen

Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania and raised in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. Rev. Donna Papenhausen, has always been an artist at heart. She began revealing her passion for art as a three year old who liberally decorated the walls of her parents home with her drawings, once in black grease pencil! As she got older, Donna graduated to art classes in grade school, middle and high school, even winning an award in a state sponsored show her senior year.

As an undergrad at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA, Donna majored in Art Education, graduated with honors. She taught art at Windsor Locks High School in Connecticut and later became Director of Christian Education at the East Granby Congregational Church. Donna graduated from Yale Divinity School, in New Haven, CT, and served churches in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida before retiring in 2012. Throughout her ministry Donna created her own art and used the arts in teaching and pastoral care.

Donna completed her Expressive Arts training in 2012 at Expressive Arts Florida in Sarasota. This training transformed her approach to making art and further integrated her artistic and spiritual practice. It also resulted in a grant that allowed Donna to serve as Pastor of Expressive Arts at St. Andrew United Church of Christ in Sarasota, FL in 2014.

Currently, Donna works at Health South Rehabilitation Hospital in Sarasota, FL in the Art in Healing program. Donna has two grown children and two granddaughters who live in Georgia. Donna enjoys reading, painting, making jewelry, and doing mosaics. She is active in her church and loves to travel.