a safe place to grow in faith
At West Denmark there are opportunities for lifelong learning. Whether you are seeking to grow in your own spiritual life, support your family’s faith journey, or connect with others in study and prayer, we have a place for you.
Sunday School
Faith formation for children ages 3 through 6 th grade happens on Sunday mornings before worship, between 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Children learn about the Bible, along with core teachings of Lutheranism through stories, crafts, and other age-appropriate activities. The children also put on a Christmas program in December. The goal of ourSunday School program is to support families in helping their children grow in faith and God’s love.
Confirmation
Our youth start their Confirmation training in 7 th grade. We are participating in joint confirmation classes with area ELCA churches, with classes held at Luck Lutheran in Luck. Mentors from West Denmark assist with these classes which are led by Pastor Mary Ann Bowman. Confirmation, or Affirmation of Baptism, is a multi-year educational process designed to deepen a young person’s understanding of Scripture, Lutheran theology, and Christian living in daily life. Confirmation students participate in at least one service project per year, along with attending worship services and taking notes to share with their mentors and Pastors. They occasionally go on field trips to learn about other faith traditions and/or service needs in our society.
Confirmation is held on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Luck Lutheran Church. Confirmation students, as well as their families, are encouraged to join the Luck Lutheran Wednesday meal ahead of class, and families are expected to help in the provision of these meals at least once per season. Confirmation is usually held on Pentecost Sunday at West Denmark, typically the first week of June.
Our youth are also invited to participate as a group in periodic service activities or celebrations. These include participating in skits and plays, going on mission trips, cleaning our cemetery, going kayaking or other age-appropriate activities. West Denmark seeks to engage our young people in continuing to build Christian relationships and deepen their faith in practical ways.
Mindfulness Meditation
Our meditation group meets at 8:30 a.m. on Sundays in the church balcony. In a world that can often feel chaotic, this gathering has become a grounding and connecting time for all participants. We start with a brief reflective reading, followed by 15 to 20 minutes of silence, and wrap up with a discussion about our experiences. It is a beautiful way to center ourselves and find peace together.
Adult Bible Study
We’ve begun weekly meetings—at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays—in the fellowship area of the church to look at the book of First Peter together. This is a pretty informal group modeled very loosely on the ancient monastic practice of Lectio Divina. We begin in silence with a short prayer, read a small passage together and discuss it, and we end in silence with a short prayer. We go very slowly through the verses since there’s so much to taste in the words. So it may take us a long time to get through that tiny book! Which means there’s plenty of time for you to come, too! The study is led by Christy Wetzig, our parish associate.
Book Discussion Group
The West Denmark Book Discussion Group book discussion meets, via Zoom, at 11:00 a.m. on the third Wednesday of every other month. To be added to the group email list, which is where, among other things the Zoom link for the meeting is circulated, please let Mark Hulsether know at mhulseth@gmail.com.