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Vocation of Friendship

2025 Fall subtheme as a part of Leadership in a Culture of Grace.

Leadership in a Culture of Grace continues into a second program year, inviting us to explore how God’s grace shapes the ways we live, lead, show generosity, and share love. Last year, we journeyed through several subthemes, each helping us see new dimensions of our calling through our own agency and capacity as followers of Christ. This fall, we turn our focus to a theme we have rarely explored together as a congregation: The Vocation of Friendship.

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Friendship is one of the most universal human experiences, and also one of the most diverse. In worship and in five-week small groups, we will reflect on what it means to “show up well” for those who are not family but whose lives are intertwined with ours for a moment, a season, or a lifetime. John 15 reminds us that Jesus calls us friends and commands us to love one another. We are invited to see friendship itself as a holy calling.

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This fall, our worship and small groups will create space to consider the joys, challenges, and responsibilities of friendship. We will reflect on how God meets us in moments of connection, how we can honor differences as gifts rather than threats, and how we can be companions to one another through various seasons of life. Whether you are longing for deeper connections, seeking to nurture existing ones, or simply curious about what friendship means in this moment, we invite you to join us in this journey of discovery.

2025 Fall Schedule Highlights
Mark your calendars.

  • God's Work. Our Hands - September 3-7 (click to volunteer)

  • Rally Sunday, September 7, 10 am Worship

  • Fall Worship Schedules begin, September 14, 9 am and 11 am

  • Community Meal begins, Wednesday, September 17, 5-6:30 pm

  • CYF Pre-Confirmation & Confirmation Orientation:

    • 8th & 9th Grade Orientation (Westwood Room) - September 10, 6:30 pm

    • 7th Grade Orientation (Westwood Room) - September 17, 6:30 pm

    • 6th Grade Orientation(Westwood Room) - September 24, 6:30 pm

  • New Member Class:

    • Sun., September 21,  12 pm (part 1) and

    • Wed., September 24, 6:30 pm (part 2) -

    • New members are received in worship on Sun., Sept 28 

  • Cantemus (Middle & High School Choir) begins practice, Wed., Sept ?

  • Faithful Families begins, Oct. ?

  • Trunk or Treat - October 28

  • Holiday Fair - November 10-12 

  • Worship and Pie Fest - November 22

  • Advent Festival - November 26

  • Children's Program in Worship - December 10

Westwood Small Groups

Join a Vocation of Friendship small group this fall.

This fall, small groups will run for five weeks from the week of September 17 through the week of October 15. Groups will meet once per week. The pastors have a thoughtful curriculum based on the fall theme to dive deep into the Vocation of Friendship. The curriculum consists of weekly Scripture readings, other texts, prayer practices, and discussion questions for the groups to follow.

 

Find the group that best fits you and your needs! Register below.

Be part of the fun with CYF!
(Children, Youth, and Families)
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It's time to register for CYF!

Here are the various options available for children, youth, and families:

  • The Message

  • Faithful Families (preK-2nd grade)

  • Pre-confirmation (6th grade)

  • Confirmation (7-9th grades)

  • Youtherans (Senior High)

  • Cantemus Choir (5-12th grade)

  • Children's Choir (preK-5th grade)

Registration is open for the 2025-2026 Program Year AND Confirmation Orientation sessions are coming up! Mark your calendar and plan on attending with your student(s):

  • 8th & 9th Grades on September 10

  • 7th Grade on September 17

  • 6th Grade on September 24

All orientations will be in the Westwood Room at 6:30pm

The Message

Sundays | 9 + 11a 

We kick-off September 10!  

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Sunday is a fun day for kids, ages preschool- elementary! Here’s how it works: 

  1. Check-in at The Message table found in the sanctuary entrance.

  2. Sit together in worship as a family.

  3. After the storytelling in worship, kids follow their Message leaders to the youth room (downstairs) for kid-centered faith-talk and activities.

  4. The Message kids return to you in worship after the sermon. 

  5. Repeat weekly with your Westwood friends!  

 

Register today—and join us any time! (Middle and high school helpers are always needed.)

Faithful Families

Wednesdays | 5:45-6:05 p, Fireside Room 

Begins September 13!  

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Faithful Families is geared toward young families with toddlers, preschoolers, and/or elementary-aged kids! Each week will be an immersive experience for kids and their grown-ups. We'll dive into Bible stories, interactive prayers, and hands-on faith activities. Once a month we'll practice open communion where all are welcome to share in the gift of the Lord's supper. Come meet and connect with other Westwood families, get hands-on practice in faith formation and have fun with us!

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Confirmation

Confirmation is an engaging and creative journey with monthly Parent/Student Learning and elective-based courses called Westwood U. This model offers flexibility and choice of study topics and class times, as well as intergenerational learning and growing. 

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Orientation Schedule from 6:30-7:30p 

Wed., September 13  |  8th & 9th grade 
Wed., September 20 |  7th grade 
Wed., September 27  |  6th grade 

Confirmation (grades 6-9) begins in October on Wednesdays from 6:30-8p.

 

A full calendar is provided at orientations.

L.I.F.T.
(Living in Faith Together)
 

Geared for grades 2-5

Wednesdays | Open house style 6:15-7:45p, in the Youth Room 

Begins Wednesday, September 13

*Register above and stay tuned for more info.

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Youtherans (9th-12th grades)

Wednesdays | 8-9p, Youth Room 

Begins Wednesday, September 13

*Register above and stay tuned for more info

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Vocation of Elderhood.

Pause: Wednesday Evening Worship

 

Broken & Beloved: The Midweek PAUSE

Wednesdays @ 6:30p beginning October 4

 

The Midweek PAUSE is an honest space to name our own growing edges and hurts; it’s a space where we can name that the pain of the world is sometimes too much to bear. We gather as a community to remember that we are broken and beloved. We are cared for, we are loved.

Wednesday evenings will be a sacred space for contemplation where all are invited into prayer, reflection, healing, and wholeness.

Volunteer opportunities in search of
hearts, hands, and voices.

Join us in a variety of Caring Ministries that strengthen our community.

Lay Visitor

Provide monthly visits and communion to our home-bound members and those in long-term care settings. Spend time sharing stories and build a friendship. Volunteer as an individual, couple or family.

Contact: Sara Moran

You can be part of the many worship ministries at Westwood.
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We'd love your light
in worship.

Whether coordinator, musician, greeter or technician, we have a place for YOU in the ministries of worship, music, and the arts. There are many opportunities to offer joyous praise to God as you serve the community and develop new skills while strengthening your faith in fellowship with others.   

 

Everyone has a place—you can sing, play your instrument, serve as an assisting minister or usher, participate in reader’s theater, assist with camera operation, video creation, and much more!  

 

We hope you will read the options below and choose a way to get involved with our ministries of worship and music this fall! Please contact Phillip Shoultz or the person indicated in the slides below if you would like to join or receive more information. 

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NOTE: Scroll through the box below for music ensemble schedules, key contacts, and first rehearsal dates. Please reach out with inquiries or to find out more.

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Do you have the gift of hospitality?

Do you enjoy connecting and welcoming people? If your answer is “yes,” then we would LOVE to have you join the hospitality team of greeters and ushers.

Contact Phillip Schultz for more.

Engage in the work: Race Equity, LGBTQIA+ Belonging, and Environmental Sustainability
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The Race Equity Team monthly newsletter and on-going race equity zoom call...​

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Environmental Sustainability Team and monthly newsletter and new actions.

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LGBTQIA+ 

 

 

 

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Share Westwood's Statement of Welcome!

In God's church we find rest, safety and strength.  Whether we have been here minutes or decades, we are called to be ourselves across every spectrum imaginable—sexuality and age and race and gender and culture and stage of our faith journey—knowing we are loved, embraced and held up as precious.  This is the place of rest and safety and source of strength we seek to create in all we do at Westwood. 

- from our Reconciling in Christ Statement 

WECC

Westwood Early Childhood Center (WECC) is an integral part of Westwood where we foster the development of young children within a quality Christian atmosphere. Inspired by the educators of Reggio Emilia, our nationally accredited program uses elements such as natural materials, open-ended activities, and the arts to create a wonderful environment to nurture and grow.

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WECC is an in-demand program, so we encourage parent tours and getting on our waiting lists for openings.

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