Growing Our Kids & Our Faith Together
This series is a staple in our children’s ministry at Westwood. Now they have a podcast! I have been on the look out for a podcast that I can listen to with my kids about racism & privilege- here it is!!
A kids podcast about the things that matter, like Racism, Body Image, and Belonging. Each episode opens up the dialog we’ve begun in our groundbreaking A Kids Book About series. Created by folks who’ve been there. Honest. Important. Relevant. Start the conversation. We know you’re ready.
Join us for a spring day sledding event!
Saturday March 6th, 10-11am. Wear masks! Bring sleds!
I’ll bring stomp rockets and there’s a playground! Come hang out with other Westwood parents & kids!
Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School (On the big hill!)
9400 Cedar Lake Rd, St Louis Park, MN 55426
https://goo.gl/maps/UkF8bdNDx22qDJEb9
Saturday February 20th, 6-9pm
Take Steps for Equity & Love
Our commitment to anti-racism is illuminated in the steps we take to educate ourselves and work for change. Join us for a self-guided walk on the nature trail beautifully lit with ice luminaries created by our Westwood community and reflect on our place in God’s world to build equity and show love.
Masks and social distancing required; all ages are welcome! The entrance to the trail is at the berm, at the top of the EAST parking lot. Be ready for off-road trail walking down by the lake. Bring a hot beverage to enjoy!
Make Ice Luminaries!
Help us light the trail by creating ice luminaries. This is an easy winter project- we hope you will make a bunch! All you need is water, buckets/containers, and a few cold Minnesota nights.
Check out our Pinterest page for DIY ice luminary ideas: https://pin.it/2hkmukP
Deliver your ice luminaries to Westwood anytime before Friday Feb. 19th. Put them under the blue tarp near the EAST parking lot (we will put them on the trail). Candle donations (that stay lit for 3+ hours) are appreciated!
Support BBIA Organizations
Another way to step forward in anti-racism is by supporting Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian (BBIA) organizations. As you make ice luminaries or come to walk the trail, we encourage you to make a donation (any amount is appreciated!). Here are a few organizations to consider:
Tubman: https://www.tubman.org/
African American Leadership Forum: https://tcaalf.com/
Ujamaa Place: https://ujamaaplace.org/
Children & Family Movie Night | ‘Inside Out’
This Friday, January 15th @ 6pm
Get the popcorn out and take the night off to watch Inside Out, a 2015 Pixar movie about the importance of being connected to our feelings. Give your family time to watch, share, & learn more about the value of our emotional well-being & mental health. Kick-off the night at a brief family Zoom gathering with Jen at 6 PM, then sign-off to watch Inside Out with the provided conversation guide (download linked above) as a family.
Meeting ID: 410 601 1530
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4106011530
Inside Out is available on Disney+ OR you can rent it thru PRIME, YouTube, etc. for $3.99.
Our focus during Epiphany is ‘You are my Beloved | Care of Self: Care of Others‘. You can learn more about what we’re up to this month here: https://www.westwood.church/epiphany-2021
It’s a timely theme for families as we continue to navigate the emotional intensities and mental health toll of the pandemic on our kids and ourselves. As you support kid(s) thru their emotions, stress, & worries- don’t forget to prioritize yourself with compassionate self-care.
Looking for new ways to help your kid(s) process their feelings? Here are a few.
Epiphany is also known as ‘3 Kings Day’. It arrives 12-days after Christmas (January 6th) when we celebrate the kings arrival with gifts for Jesus. They followed the star! The Epiphany church season starts on Epiphany and lasts until Ash Wednesday (Lent).
Epiphany is a time for us to pay attention to what we’re following too! Enjoy these activities, crafts, and reflections this Epiphany season.
Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas! Thank you to all the families that helped create our family worship this year! Here are all the activities to print and use during worship!
Hey! How’s it going?
Hope you are doing alright during this messy December 2020.
It’s Advent! The time in the year when we get ready and wait for baby Jesus. And especially this advent, we are getting A LOT of practice focusing on being hopeful, patient, and waiting. It is not always easy!
Looking for some countdown and crafty ideas to use at home? Check out our Pinterest board of Advent family favorites!
Ready for something new to talk about? Looking for dinner conversation? Want a God-focused conversation related to the elections? Up for an end of day coloring page meditation time?
Try out these brief family guides, from Illustrated Ministry, to discuss what God wants for our world! 12 guides with great meditative coloring pages are located under the DIY Family Faith Talk page on this blog! It will remain available all school year for all families.
Password: DIY
Need a new way to kick-off or restart family prayers? Try rolling the dice!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11k8KHFRxWcRPiMjEKlgHTW91fOEbgura/view?usp=sharing
Westwood Parent Connect 