| Family is vital to West Church, and, we believe, to God!
 As a community of believers, we operate, in many ways, as a family. We have different personalities and styles, we may disagree and then make-up, but we choose (hopefully!) to stay in relationship and keep growing together.
Within this larger family of God, smaller family groups at West are pretty individualized! Some have a traditional look, several are headed by single parents, a number include children from different birth parents, some have no children, many are older grandparents or empty nesters, and some are single people with extended family living elsewhere. West is certainly a blended family!
We recognize that, more than ever before, there is much brokenness within families today. All family groups need support and encouragement to make their relationships healthy and their connections strong. We want to do all we can to mend, encourage, cultivate, and inspire family members.
Our Family Ministries are designed to come alongside people with care, training, resources, events, mentoring, prayer, ongoing small groups, and honest, personal sharing. It’s our joy to see husbands and wives treasure one another, children be nurtured, parents develop coping skills, extended families experience satisfying companionship with each other, and the larger community family of West become Jesus to one another in love, assistance, and authentic relationship.
Contact us if you have a need, a suggestion, a hope, or want to work with us to help and encourage others!
Family Connections 2009
This is a once-a-year big event…. a conference filled with interactive workshops led by experts in the fields of marriage, parenting, children and youth. We also have worship, food, and fun! Past topics have included: forgiveness, healing past hurts; what destroys marriages; transformational parenting; conflict resolution; pornography, expectations in marriage; sex in marriage, domestic abuse, teen problems, divorce, and many more.
The conference includes special children’s programming for K-6th grade, nursery for infants and preschoolers, resources, and plenty of sharing.
Tickets prices are kept low (last year, the price was $10 per adult, $5 for children age 5 through 6th grade, or $25 per family including Friday dinner) and children birth through age 5 are free.
Coming March 27, 28 and 29!
Family Forum Wednesdays - REGISTER ONLINE NOW!
Join us for informative, fun, meaningful short term (2- 6 week) sessions designed to help you learn parenting skills (and vent your parenting frustrations!), enhance your marriage, develop coping skills with your teenagers, discuss, question, and generally grow together with others who want to be the best parent and/or spouse they can be. Single parents, dating couples, or only one member of a couple, are welcome.
Session1 - Sept 17, 24, and Oct 1
Communication Clinic: How to Say What You Mean, be Heard, and Talk about Touchy Topics! led by Ellen Ronka, LCMHC
Cost: $10 per couple for all three sessions (couples may be spouses, parent-adolescent, dating couples, or others)
Session - Oct 8, 15, 22, 29 and Nov 5
Love, Logic, and Winning the Whining Wars
Cost per person (couples may share materials): $9.00 for workbook
(If desired, “The Answer is No!” and “Win the Whining Wars and Other Skirmishes” may be ordered for $14.00 per book)
Session 3 - Nov 12 & 19
A Tale of Two Brains: Men’s Brains… Women’s Brains
by Mark Gungor, founder of “Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage”
Cost; Free
Session 4 - Jan 14, 21, 28, Feb 4 & 11
Love and Respect by Dr Emerson Eggerich
Cost: $7.00 per workbook
Register for Family Forum Wednesdays Online
Marriage Repair
An 8 week group for married couples who want to improve their relationship. Sessions include personality differences, communication, intimacy, anger and conflict, childhood wounds, marital drift, sex, forgiveness, and much more, all in a welcoming, honest atmosphere. There is no charge, and couples from newlyweds to great-grandparents may attend! This group may be offered once a year. Please call or email Shirley@westchurch.org to sign up.
Celebrating Couples
Saturday, Oct 25th
7:00-8:30
Meeting at the home of Stephen and Catherine Rogers, 161 Neck Rd, Bradford
These events are for any couple, married or dating. Join us for an informal night of decidedly honest talking, good food, laughter, and maybe even some enlightenment about your relationship! Please call either the Rogers or Shirley at West church to sign up (but please don’t be afraid to just show up that night!). Plan to bring some kind of finger food (appetizer type).
October Topic: “Taking Off the Masks”
So, we all know that we sometimes pretend our lives are going well when they’re not, right? Many of us have found ourselves being in a public setting – like at church- dressed nicely, looking happy, smiling and talking the talk, while our thoughts are running like a pack of irritated wild wolves or our emotions are being held behind a steel barricade. And much of the time, the issues we’re hiding have to do with our home life.
As couples, how can we find the balance between honesty, appropriate guarding of our relationships, disclosure, and receiving (or giving) help? How can we be authentic without undermining our partners? How can we REALLY model Christian community?
Tentative schedule for 2008-09:
Saturday, Dec 6th
Saturday, Feb 7th
Saturday, April 25th
Divorce Care
A weekly support group for those experiencing separation or divorce, either recent or past, conducted by people who have been there. You’ll find others who understand, learn how to deal with the pain, and take steps toward rebuilding your life.
Sept 25th – What’s Happening to Me?
Oct 2nd The road to Healing
Oct 9th Facing My Anger
Oct 16th Facing My Depression
Oct 23rd Facing My Lonliness
Oct 30th What Does the Owner’s Manuel Say?
Nov 6th New Relationships
Nov 13th Financial Survival
Nov 20th Forgiveness
Dec 4th Reconciliation
Dec 11th Moving On, Growing Closer to God
Dec 18th KidCare
To register, call 978-373-3034
For Men Only
This confidential support group meets weekly to assist any male dealing with the issue of sexual addictions. For more information, wives who have questions may contact Shirley Paz, and men may call Ray St Amand.
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