VOLUME ONESUMMER 2018Westwood Community ChurchGoing Where God Calls p. 24Learning to Let Go p. 6Grow SpirituallyThis Summer p. 26Experience more of the story through this video21WorshipBelongServeGoNeeding God in Every Area of Life 4Learning to Let Go 6Kaboom! Westwood’s Next 10 Years 10ContentsYou Are Among Friends at College Ministry 12Planting Seeds of Hope 14Choosing Faith Over Fear 17A Summer to Remember: High School Students Serving In Haiti 21Medical Team Serves Refugees in the Middle East 22Going Where God Calls Her 24Grow Spiritually This Summer 26Serving Opportunities 27Upcoming Events 28–31Life Events 32Save the Date 33On the cover:Westwood, partnering with The Timothy Initiative, is planting new churches located in the remote high-lands of central Asia. This is a photo of a brand new church.See even more online in our e-mag.Photo by Chaz Nichols2David AchesonAllison AndersonTalitha AndersonMichelle BarnesKiernan BeckerKrystyna BlankJennifer BrodahlZoee BrodahlDenise CarneySue CraigMichelle CrouchBrock DoddsShannan DoddsDanielle DowningAshton Downing-GrenzBeka DunhamScott DvorakBethany EggersScott EisenachAlexandra EngelmannJenny EricksonNick FischerJanelle FossumRyan GalindoPaedra GerjetsAmalia GoldwasserTodd GoldwasserChris GordonDawn GraceMichael HaehnKatrin HafnerKaren HansenCorey HatanpaCecily HoldermanJohn JamrozekAngela JapuntichStephen JapuntichKim JordahlVanessa JordahlCheryl KrampitzCarly KrieselKailee LeventryTimothy LineAngie LutzCathy MahadyMaria MarchettiShannon McClardSherrie McClardDave MenkeJennifer MenkeOn Easter Sunday, 66 people expressed their faith in Jesus through baptism. People of all ages and from all backgrounds came forward to share what Jesus has done in their lives. These personal reflections remind us that God is pursuing each of us, meeting us where we are and drawing us closer to Him.Congrats to everyone who was baptized!Chelsea NaegelePatricia WalshRobin WardenJenny WareJessica WareRyan WareBrianna WarnerKay WatkinsSlade WatkinsKatie WendorffBrody WittaBrooks WittaGriffin WittaJay WittaSara Witta2“It was one of the top ten most meaningful experiences in my Westwood journey.” -Pastor JoelWorship / Belong / Serve / Go3“My mother introduced me to Christ when I was a child and at the age of 4, I accepted Christ as my Savior – yet I was never baptized. As I look back over my life I can see where God was gently nudging me and calling me closer to Him. Today I deepen my faith through baptism and I will continue to revel in the best He provides me, now and into the future.”– Sue CraigSue CraigExperience more of the story through this video45I grew up in a Christian family accepting Christ in elementary school. I recited John 3:16 in front of my church and received my first Bible. The actual faith part of my relationship has evolved over time. My parents have been an incredible influ-ence in my life when it comes to the importance of church, my relationship with Christ and the power of God’s love and protection, particularly through prayer.As I have journeyed through career, marriage and kids, I have learned more about God’s amazing love and grace. I am a driven person that prefers to have my hands on the steering wheel, yet I have slowly learned I can’t do it all by myself and have submitted more areas of my life to God. Things never go as planned, therefore the guidance of God’s promptings have helped me to navigate them. I need God in my marriage. I need God in my role as a mother. And I finally have realized, I must include Him in my work. He revealed this to me after a defining moment in which work had taken over too much of my life, and I learned I needed to submit it ALL to God.I felt compelled to walk forward when Pastor Joel extended an invitation to be baptized one Sun-day. My desire was to recommit myself to Christ through baptism as a symbol of how my relation-ship has evolved in the last several years. I wanted to do something to show my whole body com-mitment to Christ. It was an amazing service and Needing God in Every Area of LifeKatie Wendorff’s Storymore emotional than I expected. It was intimate, symbolic and God’s presence was amazing. And I was overcome by having my husband and chil-dren there to witness this commitment. It sparked great conversations with my son in particular. A Bible verse that means a lot to me right now is Exodus 31:3, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills.” Over the last several years, I have been drawn to this verse as it speaks to how every person is gifted uniquely to make a difference in God’s Kingdom. He wants to use us creatively to encourage others. Historically, I did not believe I had a role to play in God’s work or at least an important one. I hold onto this verse as I think about how I have been gifted and where I can be of service to the Lord.After placing my faith in Christ, I’ve learned the more areas of my heart and mind I have submit-ted to Him, the more freedom I have discovered. I worry less. I feel alone less. And I often sense an overwhelming comfort everything is going to work out. My relationship with Christ has revealed over time what freedom means! “My relationship with Christ has revealed over time what freedom means!” Worship / Belong / Serve / Go6My family attended church most every Sunday and participated in various events at the church throughout the year. Starting in 5th grade I became very involved in the youth group program. I really loved the experi-ence that I got in my youth group. I was confirmed, and taught Sunday school classes for younger children when I was in high school.I had not been active in faith or in a physical church setting since high school graduation. I did not see much of a need for Christ in my life. I was in a mindset where I was in control of my life. If I desired a specific outcome, I would do what it took to achieve it. I never wanted to be in a place where I had to be vulnerable or rely on anyone or anything else in life. I was responsible for my actions and would take the credit or the blame for the effects they had. I thought this mindset was serving me well. I was achieving the type of success I wanted profes-sionally. I thought I was enjoying my life. I was traveling, doing all the things you do after college. I always believed that as long as you had a great attitude and were a good, kind person that things would work out like they should. I didn’t feel a hole in my life or really think I needed Christ. I thought I was okay with where I was at in my faith journey.In June of 2017 a special friend came into my life. With her encouragement and support, I learned to peel back the layers of onion that were my story. I realized that I had a fair amount of work to do on myself. She surrounded me with patience and support. She brought me to Westwood Church. I started hearing about the messages that Pastor Joel was sharing. I started watching online and then started attending worship services on Sundays, rarely miss-ing a service. The messages seemed to be delivered right to me. I can remember being blown away a few times, and more and more wanting to release Learning to Let GoNick Fischer’s Storythe control from my life that had consumed me for so many years. I had carried so much weight for so long, trying always to have the best attitude no matter what the circumstance. I was exhausted and needed to be done carrying guilt. Now I am practicing letting go. I am trying very hard to release all control of my life and have the conversations I have needed to have for many years. I am working to apologize for wrongs that I have carried guilt around for, for far too long. I am ready to let go, to let Him take the burdens from me that I have been feeling. To open my hands to what He has to give, then to give to everyone else in my life in return. My walk with Christ looks simple, simple because all I have to do is believe. I accept that I may not know why or what is happening, but that it’s for a reason and that God has my back. He will provide what is needed. It is ok to be vulnerable and inse-cure, just have faith in Christ…it’s pretty simple.I chose to get baptized because I am ready to be all-in on faith and Christ, ready to let go of con-trol in my life and follow that plan that is in place for me. My life has been wonderful since being baptized about a month ago, I’m noticing a lot more God promptings. I am getting involved with outreach and volunteering. I am just excited about the future!“I am ready to let go, to let Him take the burdens from me that I have been feeling. To open my hands to what He has to give, then to give to everyone else in my life in return.” Worship / Belong / Serve / Go7“Before knowing Jesus Christ I was lost, now I am found. I am thankful He came into my life and know He is the way, the truth and the life. Today, I want to commit myself to follow Jesus through baptism. I want my life to display and reflect God’s love!”– Patricia WalshJanelle FossomNext >