Growing On The Journey:
Knowing Jesus. Loving Jesus.
Serving Jesus. Sharing Jesus.
"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." - Mark 9:37
Preschool - 6th Grade
At West Hills, we love kids! Like Jesus, we take delight in walking alongside children and their families as they are on a journey with Him. Beginning with a child's first experience in the church, we want them to feel the love of Christ. As part of the larger mission of West Hills Church, we love to:
- Connect with children in inviting, fun, safe, and age-appropriate ways
- Provide opportunities for kids to encounter the love of Jesus through committed adult and teen volunteers
- Build a foundation for them to come to love God's word and the God who gave it to us
- Invite them into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
- Make space for biblical discipleship through mentors and small groups
- Welcome children as members of the worshiping community
- Encourage a heart for mission in children and families
At West Hills, we also know that parents are the primary nurturers of their children's faith. It is a joy and a privilege to serve as a resource for families, equipping parents to disciple their own children and partnering with families to connect each child to the community of faith with threads that will keep them connected to God, others, and the world for this lifelong journey.
What to expect on your first visit
At West Hills, children are always welcome to join you in worship. Kids Crosswalk is for Preschool-6th grade at 9:00 a.m. If you'd like, our greeters will direct you to the preschool and grade school area on the lower level.
Children four years through 6th grade check in at the lower level welcome center beginning at 8:45 a.m. Parents walk children to their classroom door where a volunteer staff member will welcome the child to the Fun & Games portion of the morning.
We use an electronic check-in system that prints a name tag for your child(ren) and a guardian claim tag with matching numbers. To ensure a quick and smooth first visit to Crosswalk, please use the form below to pre-register your kids.
Children In Worship
It is a joy to our West Hills family to gather with all generations to worship Jesus. We believe that God put wiggles and giggles in His small image bearers, and He is neither offended nor distracted by sound and movement, but delights in their presence. So do we!
We offer some worship resources at the main entrance to the sanctuary to help your children engage with the worship time. There are two styles of worship bulletins that correspond to the sermon text, small worship bags with quiet activities to help keep hands active so minds can focus on the message, and a page for taking notes and doodling while they listen.
Feel free to quietly talk through the service with your children. This creates an atmosphere of curiosity and engagement. They may need help to follow the order of worship, to understand what is happening, or to find and follow along with the scripture reading.
If you need to take your children out for a bit, please do bring them back in! While they are taking a break, both the glass quiet room and large gathering area outside the sanctuary allow you to see and hear the service. The sermons are also available online each week if you need to listen again later.
We believe that God uses our time together in His presence to transform each of us. May each of our lives be transformed as we worship together!
Family Fun
We believe that God put us in families to give us a chance to grow together. We offer seasonal celebrations that are a great way to set aside the routine of daily life and connect with your own family and other families. This is also a great time to invite friends to experience the joy of a church family. These events include things like jumping venues, hayrack rides, Father-Daughter and Mother-Son dates.
Family Faithbuilders
We know that God tells us to teach the next generation about His faithfulness. As parents and grandparents, that is sometimes a hard command to walk out. To support families on this journey, we offer challenges, celebrations, and workshops several times throughout the year to help parents and children grow together in our faith. Examples include a Bible presentation, an interactive communion workshop, a Books of the Bible challenge, a prayer experience, and a stewardship opportunity.
Families On A Mission
Statistics show that one of the most important things parents and grandparents can do to help children develop a living faith of their own is to work together to put their faith in action. At least once a quarter, Families on a Mission join the West Hills teams that demonstrate that Jesus' love is an action verb. Families come together to love our neighbors with our time and our actions because Jesus loves us. Families on a Mission serve our Westgate neighbors on Servant Sunday in the spring and fall, go caroling in December, and look for other ways we can love our neighbors in Westgate, in our own neighborhoods, and beyond throughout the year. It makes a difference to be Families on (God's!) Mission together!
Family Resource Center
Our Family Resource Center and Children's Library features more than 1,000 Christian books and videos for children to borrow or to enjoy in the library area. There is a growing collection of parenting resources available to be checked out as well. You may visit, browse, and borrow materials any time the church building is open by filling out the card in the front of the book. The library is in the process of being automated and searchable.