"Let the
children come to me,” Jesus
said.
Westminster welcomes children and youth warmly, in many ways
— teaching, learning, caring and
having fun together.
Here’s how you can get
involved:
Children and Worship
Children are always welcome to worship with their families at
Westminster. For children with more limited attention spans, you
may find the 45-minute service at 8:30 a.m. meets your
family’s needs.
Children's Church
During the 10:30 a.m. service, children
ages four through six attend the 
beginning of worship with
their families and then are excused for
Children’s Chuch. They are escorted
from the sanctuary by staff and parent volunteers for a special
program designed for young children. Parents and staff lead
activities that include worship, singing, storytelling and games in
a relaxed and nurturing environment. Parents of children are
asked to help lead several times a year.
Nursery and Toddler Care
Professional staff provide nurturing care for children ages three
and under every Sunday during worship (8:15-11:30). Parents assist
as volunteers in the nursery/toddler room on a rotating basis
during the year. On Wednesday evenings from
6:30–8:00, our child care staff extend
care and craft programs for the little ones.
Education for Children and Youth
Church School:
(Classes for 3 year olds - 8th Grade)
Classes meet during the Sunday morning Education Hour,
9:15–10:15 a.m. Just prior to
classes, kindergartners through third graders meet as a group for a
brief "Gathering Time" in the Great Hall and then go to classrooms
with their teachers.
A volunteer team of over 40 teachers has been trained to lead
and love our children and youth. We use the Presbyterian
“Bible
Quest” and lectionary-based, "Seasons
of the Spirit" curriculum. The 5th and 6th graders have an
Old and New Testament survey course from the Presbyterian Church,
USA. Teachers engage the students in age appropriate Bible
stories, activities, and discussions, and encourage children
to apply the lessons to their daily lives.
Church school classes also take part in regular mission and service
projects. During our annual Arts Month, the children learn
stories of faith through creative projects led by local
artists.
Middle School: In addition to the Sunday
education hour, middle school youth participate in monthly
social activities, service projects, retreats and a yearly summer
mission trip. See the Middle School
calendar. Download Middle School Fall Retreat Registration
Forms. Contact Meghan
Gage for more information.
Confirmation: Confirmation Class is for ninth
graders and meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00, with
additional retreats, field trips, and activities. Classes
begin in early October and run through the following
September. Contact
Meghan Gage, Associate
Pastor for Children, Youth, and Families.
Senior High/Youth: High school students (9th
through 12th grades) meet weekly during Education Hour in the Youth
Lounge to discuss relevant topics and challenge each other in
deepening their faith lives. Activities are planned on a
weekly and monthly basis, including "Chipotle and a Movie" and
Service Opportunities in conjunction with Youth Link and Urban
Ventures. Fall and Winter Retreats, the Coffee House Cabaret,
Youth Sunday, and a Summer Mission Trip are events the young people
look forward to each year. Contact Meghan Gage for more
information and visit the High School/College
Activities link.
Family Fellowship Events
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The Children, Youth and Families Council
shapes policy, supports programs that nurture faith and spiritual
growth and assists parents and leaders in planning activities
for children, youth and families. The Committee holds
events for fun and fellowship, providing an opportunity for all
participants to meet each other in a relaxed setting. (Look
in the Westminster
News, throughout the year or check the "CYF Calendar"
on this website for activities.)
Midweek Activities
Each Wednesday night during the school year, members
are invited for an informal supper and fellowship in the refectory
from 5:15–6:45 p.m. Activities and
choirs for youth and children follow until 8:30 p.m. while
discussion groups, Bible study, choir, and special programs are
scheduled for adults.
Nursery service is available from
6:30–8:00p.m. for children up to age
six.
WEDNESDAY EVENING SCHEDULE
5:15pm
Supper (Adult $5, Children $3)
5:45pm
Youth Jazz Band
6:00pm
Cherub Choir
6:30pm
Confirmation Class; Choristers; Seraphim Choir;
Youth Handbells; Youth Choir Activities
7:15pm
Chorister/Seraphim Activities; Youth Choir
8:00pm
High School Choir
Boy Scouts
 Westminster sponsors two Boy
Scout troops: Troop 33 – one of the
first in Minneapolis, with a long history in this church
– and Troop 100, our outreach to the
Hmong community. The troops meet weekly at the church and
participate in monthly camping trips and outings. New members are
always welcome, and adult leaders and drivers are needed. Contact
Scoutmaster Dave Moore for
more information.
Summer Activities
Westminster Day Camp, July 28-August
1,
Baker Near-Wilderness Reserve, Plymouth
Day Camp continues its tradition of teaching Christian
values to young children in a safe and fun environment. Campers
will bus to Baker Reserve each morning, leaving Westminster at
8:30AM and returning to the church at 5:00PM each afternoon.
During the day campers will be in small
“family”
groups lead by two trained counselors. The program, created
and directed by Westminster’s
Children, Youth & Families Staff, will include a
biblically-based story time, crafts, nature exploration, games,
music, swimming on the beachfront of Lake Independence, and lunch
in the Dining Hall. A light snack will be offered mid-morning
and before the children return home on the bus. The campers
will also have rest-time in the cabins with counselor
supervision.
Download Westminster Day Camp
Brochure & Registration Form
Download Counselor Job Descriptions &
Application
Camp Ajawah
Camp Ajawah is located on Linwood Lake, about 30 miles north of
downtown Minneapolis. The camp offers two week summer sessions
for boys and girls.
Visit the Camp
Ajawah website to read more about their programs or to
obtain registration forms.
Camp Ajawah Family Camp, August 15-17
Download
registration form
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 Meghan K. Gage
Associate Pastor for Children, Youth, and Families
Email Meghan
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Mary
Alette Davis
Director of Children's Ministries
Email Mary Alette
Ixchel Napue-Bentford
Director of Child Care
