Children + Youth | Westwood

CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES

Our ministries across the first decades of life are uniquely designed for the time we live in, both helping to strengthen all forms of family as well as the importance of younger voices in the life of the church. Our goal is for our children and youth to continue to grow and participate in their vocation and in their relationship with God, others, themselves and their world.

WE BELIEVE

Parents are the most important adults in their child’s faith life. (See the National Study on Youth and Religion for more detail).
God is active in every part of your family life, from changing a diaper to going off to college.
Each age has a unique way of connecting to God and living out their faith.
Being in community is a gift from God and is an important part of our faith lives.
Baptismal promises shape our life together.

THE MESSAGE

Sundays at 9a & 11a Worship

Kid-Style Faith-Talk

Preschool-5th grade: Families start in worship, and kids are invited to leave after the children's sermon. The Message offers families time to worship together and time for kids to dig into faith-talk, music, games, and activities with their friends during the sermon.

Preschool (3, 4, 5 yr.) Lower Level 203

Grades K-3- Youth Room

Grades 4-5- Lower Level 201

Children leave with their group leaders after the gospel storytelling. Parents are welcome to join their child at the Message.

All elementary kids return to worship after the prayers of the people to participate in the rest of the service! 

Registration

FAMILY FAITH FORMATION

Wednesday evenings (September-April):

Community Meal and Family Fellowship (new!)

5-6:30 PM in Good Shepherd Hall
Dinner is served! Start your Wednesday evening's off with a Community Meal. We encourage our families to sit together in Good Shepherd Hall. We proved a place for families to connect and a weekly self-led activity. Goodwill donations help this outreach ministry serve our neighbors. We're always looking for volunteers to help out with several tasks throughout the evening. For more information on volunteering as well as the menu, click the buttons below.

Faithful Families

5:45-6:05 PM in the Fireside Room

Come as a family to enjoy activities and service projects that spark God-talk. We gather together to grow faithful families through bible stories, interactive prayers, music and rituals. Pastors serve open communion once a month and all are welcome to join in God's meal of grace.

Volunteer

Registration

MIDDLE SCHOOL

6-8th Grade Wednesday Night Faith Activities & Groups (September-May)

At Westwood Lutheran Church we look to continue to connect youth in their faith journey in meaningful study, through relationships and friendships. We are committed to programming that includes fellowship, worship, study, service, and fun!

6th Grade Pre-Confirmation

Wednesdays (October-May) 6:15-7:15 PM

6th grade Pre-Confirmation works with big questions such as: Who wrote the Bible, God or humans? Is God male? Is it ok to be angry at God?

Grades 7, 8, 9 Parent Student Learning and The LAB

Wednesdays (October-May)

In Parent Student Learning each age group has a time of learning with the Pastors. Parents attend the class alongside their students.

6:30 Worship

7:15 Parent Student Learning

9th - 1st Wed of the month
8th - 2nd Wed of the month
7th - 3rd Wed of the month

LAB (Learning And Belonging)

Confirmation students attend LAB on Wednesdays that they do not have parent-student learning

Registration

CONFIRMATION AND BEYOND

7-9th Grade Confirmation & Inter-generational Learning

Confirmation starts with Westwood U—offering people of all ages the opportunity to gather for education, faith development, and growth.

Kids, parents, grandparents, friends... Everyone is invited!

The purpose of doing confirmation in this way is to move beyond education towards transformation. Westwood U is a way to create an ecosystem of lifelong faith formation at Westwood. We believe that our hearts and hands must accompany our heads in our journeys of faith. This model creates opportunities for faith exploration by tapping into the life experiences of multiple generations with the understanding that the content of faith has no traction outside of faith-based relationships.

Westwood U offers flexibility and choice of study topics and class times as well as intergenerational learning and growing.

Click below to see the catalog and register.

Westwood U in Depth

HIGH SCHOOL

9-12th Grade Wednesday Night Faith Activities & Groups (October-May) 7:30p-8:30p

At Westwood Lutheran Church we look to connect young people through relationships by including faith into everyday life. Our philosophy of youth ministry is to engage young people as well as adults in ways that include depth and perspective on how we live as Christians in this world. We are committed to programming that includes fellowship, worship, study, service and fun!

YOUTHERANS (aka Senior High Youth Group)

Join us weekly to engage in meaningful relationships, conversations, study and fun! (Wednesdays, October-May)

For more information about High School ministries & events contact

Alison Broman, Children, Youth and Family Coordinator

Registration

SUMMER 2024

Scuba Vacation Bible School

Westwood wrapped up a "Fin-tastic" week of VBS in June 2024. 93 children participated, and over 50 youth and adult volunteers assisted in a week of learning about God's love and friendship for everyone.

VBS occurs the first week of summer (after school has ended).

Watch for details about VBS 2025 in the Spring.

Camp Wapo

This Summer at Camp Wapo, there is SEEDS Summer Camp for Grades 1-3, Wapo Youth Camp for Grades 4-9, and a Family Get-Away for ALL!

Our 2024 registration is FULL.

Camp Westwood

This inaugural year of Camp Westwood will be one to remember, as it is the start of something new! We are taking the paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown! However, with good courage, we are developing the most spectacular four days of FUN for campers entering 1st grade to 5th grade. Campers will participate in theme days, service learning opportunities, arts and crafts, games, and more! Volunteers include youth entering 6th grade and up.

This camp occurs the last week of the summer before school begins.

Our 2024 registration is FULL.

We hope to see you next year at VBS or one of the camps! Stay tuned for summer 2025 plans!