In this final installment of our “Wholehearted” series, we take a close look at the critical role of unity in the church. While the world divides, Jesus calls us to draw together. He tells us to make every effort to keep unity. We do so by choosing things like peace, patience and forgiveness. While forces outside the body of Christ try to tear us apart, we know that in God’s Kingdom we are always better together.

Better Together starts this Sunday, April 12! We hope you’ll join us – either in-person, or online, at 10am CT.

Discuss Sermons in Gathering Groups & Better Together Clubs:

For the duration of the series, we’ll be hosting Clubs again! We’ll have groups for men and women that meet in-person, Sundays before the service, and one for Woodland Hills volunteers. Learn more here!

The start of a new series is also a great time to join a Gathering Group! These groups are ongoing, and meet online each week on Tuesday evenings, Wednesday mornings, or in-person at Woodland on Sunday mornings. Learn more here.

As we continue our Wholehearted series with it’s last sub-series, Better Together (which starts April 12), we’ll also be continuing short-term Clubs!

“Better Together” Clubs will meet in April and May throughout the sermon series. Here’s what we’re offering:

• Women’s Club – Sundays at 9am (April 19-May 24)
• Men’s Club – Sundays at 9am (April 19-May 24)
• WH Volunteers Club – Mondays at 6:30pm, via Zoom* (April 13-May 18)

With a short-term commitment and no prep other than listening to the sermon, the clubs are an easy way to find connection with others through sermon discussions – and of course, coffee! You can read a recap of the “Love Is” Clubs here.

*Volunteer club for those who volunteer at Woodland who may not be able to meet at the 9am time right before church, due to volunteering 😉 Contact Shawna for the Zoom link!

We hope you’ll consider joining one this time around!

Woodland’s School of Everyday Mission (SEM) is a place where students learn to love together, with all their hearts and minds. A few students told us what this experience has meant to them.

How’d you get connected to SEM?

Amy: I was first introduced to SEM through my husband, Josh, who served as a facilitator during the early years of another discipleship program at Woodland, and had been encouraging me for quite some time to join. Kevin Callaghan was also a strong and consistent voice, encouraging me to step into this experience—and I’m so grateful I did.

Juston: I started noticing that a surprising number of people I knew were going through SEM. One person in particular really encouraged me to attend so I enquired about the program. I heard so many good things about it that I turned around and pushed someone else to join, who is now going through it with me.

Megan: I’ve attended Woodland Hills my whole life, so I’d heard about SEM through the usual announcements, but it was my mom who really encouraged me to give it a try. She knows how passionate I am about theology and scripture. As always, I’m ever so grateful I took her advice.

What are some SEM highlights?

Amy: Some of the most meaningful parts of SEM for me have been the retreats, which created space to truly know and be known by others, and to experience the vulnerability people shared in their life stories. This year’s healing journey has been especially powerful, and the teaching from Paul, Greg, and Kevin has had a lasting impact on me.

Juston: The letter-writing assignments to our younger selves and to God stand out. They opened up exploratory questions about my history in ways I hadn’t thought to ask before. Those assignments gave me a structured reflection on specific life stages and a framework for revisiting things I’d just always left alone.

Megan: The SEM retreat is a highlight every year. I’m such an introvert but I absolutely love spending multiple packed days with my SEM family! We laugh, we cry, we sing and we bask in the presence of the Spirit together. I feel confident in saying that I have created lifelong friends in SEM. I cannot wait to journey with these people even after our time in the program ends.

How has SEM changed you?

Amy: One idea I keep returning to is Paul Eddy’s teaching that we are not ultimately citizens of any earthly nation, power or empire—we are citizens of God’s Kingdom. And as citizens of the Kingdom, we are called to be his ambassadors wherever we are planted. That truth has taken on even deeper meaning for me in light of the turmoil in the world, and especially here in Minneapolis over the past several months. Remembering my identity as a citizen of God’s Kingdom has been a steady source of hope and grounding.

Juston: My default mode has always been to move forward without paying much attention to the past. SEM disrupted that in a healthy way and it gave me the tools to look backwards. It’s easier, too, to understand other’s struggles when you do the work of examining your own story.

Megan: SEM has started to open my eyes to just how loved I am by God. The course material, the teachers and my classmates make me feel seen, heard and cherished, and it’s creating ripple effects in my life for how I see myself, how I interact with others and how I lean on God at all times.

How would you describe SEM in three words?

Amy: Transformative, Kingdom-centered, safe

Juston: Framework for growth

Megan: Wrestling, growing, peace

Thank you Amy, Juston and Megan, and may the rest of your time in SEM be equally encouraging!

Applications are open for SEM 2026. You can learn more about SEM here and find the application here.

Spring has officially sprung, and the days are getting longer and warmer! Check out what we have going on throughout all our ministry areas over the next couple months…

Heroes Gate Children’s Ministry

• Club 56 Fun Night (4th-6th graders) – Friday, April 17 from 6:30-8pm
• Connecting Sunday – April 19 after church
• Family Hangout (outside clean-up) – Sunday, May 3 after church
• Connecting Sunday – May 17 after church
• 5th + 6th Grade Level-Up Ceremony – Sunday, May 31 during church
  Learn more: whchurch.org/heroes-gate

Echo 7-12th Graders

• Echo Service – Wednesdays from 6:30-8pm
• Journey Groups – Wednesdays from 8-9pm
• Sunday Morning 7th + 8th Grade – Sundays from 10-11:10am
• Echo Video Show – Wednesday, April 22 from 6:30-9pm
• Parent Meeting – Wednesday, April 29 from 6:30-8pm
• Echo Echo Awards – Wednesday, May 13 from 6:30-9pm
• Summer Retreat – Friday-Sunday, May 29-31 (registration due May 10)
  Learn more: whchurch.org/echo

Vessels Young Adults

• Weekly Gatherings – Sundays from 6:30-8pm (no Vessels April 5, May 24 or 31)
• Life Groups – Sundays from 8-9pm
• Bingo night – Thursday, April 9 from 6:30-9pm
• Bonfire night – Friday, April 17 from 7-9pm
• BBQ night – Sunday, June 7 from 6-8pm
  Learn more: whchurch.org/vessels

Cultivate Classes

• Reading Ecclesiastes Together – 4 weeks starting Tuesday, April 7 at 7pm (via Zoom)
• Spiritual Friendships – 4 weeks starting Wednesday, April 22 at 6:30pm (via Zoom)
  Learn more: whchurch.org/cultivate-classes

Gathering Groups & “Better Together” Clubs

Ongoing weekly Gathering Groups:

• Tuesday Online – 6:30pm
• Wednesdays Online – 10am
• Sundays In Person – 9am
  Learn more: whchurch.org/gathering-groups

“Better Together” Clubs meeting throughout the sermon series:

• Women’s Club – Sundays at 9am at Woodland (April 19-May 24)
• Men’s Club – Sundays at 9am at Woodland (April 19-May 24)
• WH Volunteers Club – Mondays at 6:30pm, via Zoom (April 13-May 18)
  Learn more: whchurch.org/better-together-clubs

Missional Community Groups

• Every Meal Missional Community – Teams providing weekend meals for elementary kids
• Urban Compassion Outreaches – Saturdays in South Minneapolis
• Sojourners Missional Community Gatherings – Saturdays, RSVP on website
  Learn more: whchurch.org/missional-communities

Healing Well Support Groups

Some in person, some online. Join anytime!

• GriefShare (grief recovery) – Mondays @ 6:30pm, in person
• Light in the Darkness (depression/anxiety) – Mondays @ 6:30pm, in person
• Moms in Prayer – Mondays @ 6:30pm, online
• Pure Desire (men’s sexual sin) – Thursdays at 7pm, in person
• Recovery in Christ (drug/alcohol support) – Thursdays at 6:30pm, hybrid
  Learn more: whchurch.org/healing-well

Life on Purpose Spiritual Practices Group

• Mondays @ 6:30pm, online and in-person
  Learn more: whchurch.org/life-on-purpose

Renovation Lay Counseling

• Monday evenings, online and in-person
  Learn more: whchurch.org/counseling

TRIO Prayer Appointments

• Individual prayer on Monday evenings
  Learn more: whchurch.org/prayer

Arts Group

• Makerspace Tour @ Twin Cities Maker – Sunday, April 19 at 12pm
• Art In Bloom @ Mia – Saturday, April 25 from 10am-12pm
• Art Feedback Workshop – Sunday, May 17 from 11:30am-1:30pm
  Learn more: whchurch.org/arts

Coffee & Connections

Hang out and enjoy treats after church!

• Sunday, April 19
• Sunday, May 17

Special Services

• Good Friday – Friday, April 3 at 7pm
• Easter – Sunday, April 5 at 10am

We hope to see you around!

We hope you’ll join us for our upcoming Good Friday and Easter services! Details below.

GOOD FRIDAY

On Friday, April 3 at 7pm, we’ll hold a special service as we come together to reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice. (If you missed it, you can watch the service here.)

EASTER

Then on Sunday, April 5 at 10am, join us for a special service as we joyfully celebrate the Resurrection! It often feels like we live in a “Good Friday” world, but Easter Sunday reminds us that our hope lies in Jesus! (If you missed it, you can watch the service here.)

Both services will be in-person, and live-streamed at whchurch.org/live (or in our app).

We encourage you to bring family & friends! If you’re watching from home, invite your loved ones over. Let’s celebrate this Easter season together!

Camp Penuel, in Costa Rica, brings Jesus’ love to children in need through a free camp for 7-11 year olds from poor and challenging backgrounds. This year’s mission team is the most recent in a series of teams Woodland has been sending since 2014.

The purpose of each team is to come alongside the camp directors, Paul and Thelma, and their volunteer staff. Tim, who is a trip leader says, “We see how they pour out everything they have to the campers so we aim to come under them and support their efforts.”

Camp Penuel provides a three day camp experience where kids get to be kids, while they are fed three meals a day (not guaranteed at home), enjoy activities and crafts, and learn about Jesus.

The impact on the kids is far-reaching. Tim shared with us, “We met a pastor who brought a group of kids to camp from his church—it’s a church only for children, in one of the worst neighborhoods in that area of Costa Rica. He came to Camp Penuel as a camper 20 years ago, and encountered Jesus there. Now he’s grown and bringing kids so they can experience the same hope and love of Jesus that he found when he was their age.”

This is the kind of work that the Costa Rica team wants to be—and is—a part of! We are thankful for this ongoing long-term relationship with Camp Penuel and for the Kingdom work they do.

Because of the snowstorm this weekend, we’ve decided to cancel our Sunday morning in-person service so everyone can stay safe and off the roads. Greg recorded his sermon on Saturday night, though, and it will be available in all the normal places (like here) at 10am. We hope you’ll tune in; the live chat will be active like usual!

Watch here

Stay warm, stay safe, and we look forward to seeing everyone again next Sunday!

This past Friday, our Arts Group held its first Art After Hours event!

This was a time for artists of all skill levels to showcase their work and get to know other artists within the Woodland Hills community.

Everyone’s unique pieces were on display, and a select number of folks got up to present their work.

Hannah, our Graphic Designer and Arts Group organizer, said: “I was really grateful for all of the artists who shared their work at Art After Hours, especially the people whose work touched on deeply personal experiences. There’s a lot of beauty in being able to shed light on what it means to be human and to join in on the holy work of creating, first displayed in Genesis 1.”

Check out a gallery from the event below! Click to enlarge.

Written work:

Hiking at Evening Last Love Song Thrown

Keep an eye out for future Arts Group events! If interested, you can learn more or get added to the Arts email list here.

Our Serve-a-thon is a way we choose to live the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. beyond MLK Sunday. This year we had a goal of 500 hours of service, and you came up with …. 1,303!

You volunteered at food shelves, supported people in recovery, tutored students, assisted with tax returns, advocated for the incarcerated, encouraged struggling neighbors, gave rides, donated blood, taught English and more.

And many of you served in response to a particular need. Our Serve-a-thon coincided with ICE’s unprecedented surge in our metro area, which affected thousands of vulnerable neighbors who were suddenly in need of significant help. Many people asked what the church should do and this is what Greg shared:

“At the center of the gospel, is our call to love like God loves and to care about our neighbors, to protect our neighbors, especially the ones who are vulnerable, especially those who are oppressed, and especially foreigners and immigrants and aliens, because one of the most dominant themes in the Bible is care for the foreigner and the illegal, the immigrant and the alien … And this isn’t about playing politics, and it’s not about trying to run the government of the world or anything of the sort. We’re just trying to protect our neighbors and care for our neighbors and love on our neighbors, because that’s our mandate in the Kingdom of God.”

John and Ruth Ann responded to this call by volunteering to stand watch outside a school during pickup and drop off times. John says, “It was emotional! We were able to mentally put ourselves in the place of the principal and staff and share the fear they carried and witness the love they expressed as they opened car doors and embraced their kids.”

Ruth Ann adds, “Many families from this school were feeling afraid. Standing in our neon vests we became another statement to the children and their families that the community was there for them and cared.”

At another school, Emily also kept watch. “It was a rather simple way to serve (although a bit chilly some mornings!). Helping in this way gave me the opportunity to pray for and offer a smile to people coming to school in the morning.”

Shannon and Jerry decided to volunteer with Arrive Ministries, an organization that Woodland has worked with in the past. Arrive serves refugees and needed help delivering groceries to families afraid to leave their homes. So, on the first Friday of February, Shannon and Jerry delivered a week’s worth of groceries to six families, and have done so every week since. Shannon says, “Arrive is going to continue to deliver groceries as long as there are people living in fear and so Jerry and I are going to continue with Friday deliveries for them as long as needed. The truth is we are all in this life together and we may be the neighbor/stranger in need of help any day in this unpredictable world.”

Sharon also volunteered for grocery delivery, and felt a very personal connection to the work. She says, “I felt the rhetoric against Somalis rather personally because I have quite a few Somali students in my classes. After a student was taken by ICE agents brandishing weapons on the campus where I work, quite a few of my students of color were afraid to attend in person and attended the final week of classes via Zoom. I really found my calling after hearing that Valley View Elementary in Columbia Heights, a few blocks from where I used to live, had 25 kids who had a parent taken by ICE, including little 5-year-old Liam. The need was so great—for a while they had 20-30 requests for groceries coming in every day! So I began delivering to families who live in my old neighborhood. Even though I haven’t lived there for over 35 years, it still feels like my neighborhood, and those families still somehow feel like my neighbors.”

Michelle was connected to a group started by a Latina woman organizing for her community. As the group grew, they needed more space to store food and supplies. Michelle says, “I knew I had a very large garage that was not being used and tables, a fridge, freezer, etc. to house items. I also had the ability to be home for drop-offs and pick-ups. We were very ‘under cover’ to ensure no one was being followed as the pickups were from food shelves and people’s homes. I was SO very sad for those that felt like they couldn’t leave their homes to get food, so it was wonderful to feel like I was being a part of the solution. I was also humbled to be a part of a community that was doing something and met wonderful people who renewed my hope in the fact that most people are good and want to serve.”

In this unprecedented time, these volunteers, and many more, took to heart the
Kingdom call to love our immigrant neighbors.

We are grateful for each one of you who served in such varied and creative ways, and we hope you’ll carry on!

That’s a wrap for our March Food Drive – we’ve ended on a final total of $52,480!

We can’t thank you enough! Everything over will help us respond to needs as they arise in our neighborhood.

March is Food Nutrition Month, so throughout the month, we’re collecting food, donations and brown paper bags for our food shelf, the Corner Shelf. Our goal is to raise $25,000 to help support our food-insecure neighbors!

At the Corner Shelf, we continue to see an increased need for food. It’s a great testimony that most weeks we can still keep up with the demand, and we want to continue to support as many families as we can. Our food drives help ensure that!

How you can help:

1. Make a financial contribution – Because of the food distribution partnerships we have, this is a very cost-effective way to make a difference. Every $1 buys roughly three meals!
2. Drop off grocery bags – We would love to give your brown paper bags a second life! We go through hundreds of them each week, and typically need to purchase some to keep up.
3. Donate food – If you prefer this route, here are the items that are most helpful:

• Cooking oil
• Rice
• Spaghetti noodles
• Pasta sauce
• Macaroni & cheese
• Ramen noodles
• Jelly
• Cereal

Make a financial contribution

Give here

Make sure to select “Food Drive” as the fund. The fund will be open until the end of day on Tuesday, March 31. Additional funds collected beyond the goal will be used to serve the community.

Drop-offs

On Sundays throughout the month of March, you can drop off food donations and grocery bags in the Gathering Area at church. If you’d like to bring food or bags to church on a different day of the week, just email Kinsey: kzafke@whchurch.org.

Thank you so much for helping us serve families in our community! 

SEM is our three-year “seminary for everybody” and with graduation coming up in a few months, we asked Obi, one of our students, to share his SEM story:

I am British-born Nigerian and live in the UK with my wife and three kids, 19, 17 and 14. I run a leadership coaching and training business, and I’ve been walking with Jesus for 31 years this year. I grew up in a Christian household, in and around the church, and actually with different expressions of the church — Church of England, Catholic Church, Pentecostal, non-denominational — so I’ve done the rounds!

Several years ago I read a mind-blowing book called Repenting of Religion by Greg Boyd, and then my friend, Caroline (SEM grad, pictured below), sent me a few links to some Woodland sermons. I was just floored.

At that point, I had been a Christian walking with Jesus for about 25 years. But the way I saw Christianity and Jesus was largely transactional, not transformational. Prior to that, occasionally I’d hear a message speaking about God’s heart, but generally it was, “God is master, he’s up there, yes he loves me, he saved me, but that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily interested in connection.” I was in a faith community that was very legalistic; we prioritized doing for God over being with him. I was getting a very different flavor from the Woodland Hills messages.

There was no question for me about God and Jesus—that wasn’t up for debate. It was more, what kind of God? The Woodland Hills team is really big on saying that “God looks like Jesus.” And if you say that or ask most Christians, they would say, yeah, of course he does. But do we really understand that on a deep, experiential level? Do we understand that he’s a crucified King who traversed an unsurpassable distance, paid an unsurpassable price, to ascribe unsurpassable worth to us?

Because it was so different I felt I needed to process this with someone. I ended up being connected to Paul Eddy and Kevin Callaghan, and then at some point Greg Boyd, and I realized, “Ok, I’m not going crazy. I’m not mad. There are other people thinking like this.” I know some people could hear that and say, “Oh it’s just that you wanted to hear what your itching ears wanted to hear.” No, it was genuinely that I was wrestling and seeking and I was having a paradigm shift.

I think of the story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus explaining to the disciples everything from the Old Testament, and it says that Jesus “supernaturally unlocked their understanding.” Like those disciples, it’s possible to be on a journey and be in a faith community and have your understanding limited by certain perspectives and paradigms. The journey God was taking me on unlocked my understanding, I felt as though I was being born again again.

And then I remember listening to one of the SEM promo videos, and Greg said that some people find they have to go on a journey of deconstructing and reconstructing their faith. That struck me. I felt I needed to go on this journey. Sometimes people say, “Hey, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!” But then how do you know what the bath water is and what the baby is? That’s why it takes a journey!

I didn’t say yes to SEM the first year that I found out about it because I knew that it would be a big commitment. But a year later I thought, “I don’t think I’m going to find any other way for me personally to go on this journey of deconstructing and reconstructing.”

SEM is three years—many degrees are three years, the disciples were with Jesus for three years,—and so I knew it wasn’t going to be just a 12-week reflection or four weeks reading a book. I imagined that at the end of three years a lot would have shifted. I wanted to be able to examine and think, reflect, read and listen to other people who are also wrestling.

I liken my time in SEM to Neo in the movie The Matrix. I was feeling stuck in Christendom broadly and then God called me to see more of his Kingdom and break out of The Matrix.

I have appreciated each year, but year three, which has focused on personal heart formation has been my favorite. In my church experience before, we were so focused on apologetics and the Bible and very little on God’s heart or our hearts.

Most seminary experiences are the same way, they tend to major on apologetics, biblical history, church history, all of that. But SEM is holistic, saying, “Hey, we’re going to talk about the Kingdom meta-narrative, we’re going to look at heart formation and we’re going to focus on relational depth and connection.”

The hardest part for me has been being so far away. If I could move Woodland to around the corner, then I would! Even with Zoom, if you’re not able to do life with people day to day, then that’s a tough dynamic. But what’s helped is the smaller cohorts where we meet to check in and share reflections on both class and life.

I’m incredibly grateful for the vision of SEM, and the ability to offer this not only to people at Woodland but also to people like me who are in a different church, practically and weekly. Most churches think, “We’ve got 200 people in our congregation. How do we serve them, how do we bring more people in here?” But SEM says, “Hey, this is a space where we want to serve our brothers and sisters who are here, or in different parts of the world.” And whether or not you come to Woodland on a weekly basis, this is just a great resource that serves you and equips you to be light and love wherever you are. That gesture alone communicates the heart of God for Christians all over the world.

I remember when I first started, I was thinking of Paul’s words where he says, knowledge puffs up, love builds up. And while there’s been a lot of knowledge gained, it’s definitely been more the love that builds up. SEM has remained true to the very heart of what called me here which was the message about the love of Jesus and the love of the Father.

Obi we’re so glad you made the choice to take the SEM journey. It’s been a joy to learn and love alongside you!

If you wonder what it means to experience a God who looks like Jesus, want to be equipped for missional living, or are looking for a holistic discipleship experience, we encourage you to consider SEM, too! Applications for Fall 2026 are open and you can find out more here.

If you had stood at 1740 Van Dyke Street in 1999, all you would’ve seen was an old, abandoned, dilapidated big box store. Yet what the Woodland Hills building committee saw was a glimpse of what could be.

Built directly on the border between St. Paul (the city) and Maplewood (the suburbs), this location confirmed a growing sense that God was calling Woodland to be a bridge, connecting people with God and with one another across racial and socioeconomic lines.

But what about that $7 million price tag? Well, through intensive prayer, generous giving, and a miraculous and unexpected source of financing, Woodland was able to secure the building. In addition, against the odds, the Maplewood city council allowed the property to be removed from the tax rolls. From there, renovations kicked into gear.

And then, 25 years ago today, on February 17, 2001, Woodland held our first service in this once broken-down, decaying building. The impossible was reality.

As Paul Eddy, our Teaching Pastor, says, “Recognizing this 25th anniversary reminds me of that series of unlikely events that, with God’s clear guidance, allowed us to procure this building. And now, a quarter century later, we see the fruit of God’s faithfulness in the many ways our building provides a home for our church family and a base of ministry to our surrounding community.”

It’s true, this building is not only a base for Woodland to serve the community, but for numerous other organizations to do so as well. Did you know that our building is used every day of the week? We have eight on-site partners and three churches we share this space with!

Greg Boyd, our Senior Pastor, says, “Soon after we acquired the property, the Lord gave us a clear direction about becoming a ‘one stop shop’ for people in need. It has been absolutely amazing to see how the Lord has been bringing that about over the years. Through God’s direction and the tireless work of countless people, this property has been ‘a gift that just keeps on giving’ to the community around us.”

25 years ago, we thought that acquiring the building was a big leap, but we didn’t realize God had even bigger plans!

Janice Rohling, our Executive Pastor, says, “When we moved into the building, we had ideas about how we might be able to use the space, both for our congregation and for the community. But it’s humbling to look back on how the last 25 years have unfolded. Turns out we weren’t dreaming big enough; God surprised us time after time, and far outpaced our ideas for how we might serve our church family and neighbors.”

We can’t wait to see what God does in the next 25 years, so… stay tuned!

Woodland Hills staff then

Woodland Hills staff now

It’s that time again! This weekend, we continue our series on Revelation, The Unveiling, with part 9: The Last Exodus.

The Exodus from Egypt was central to the story of God’s people. In vivid imagery, John returns to this narrative to create a picture of a final exodus, this time from Babylon. He reminds believers that, as God has rescued his people before, he will rescue them again, once and for all!

The Last Exodus starts this Sunday, February 15. Join us in-person or online at 10am!

The start of a new series is a great time to join a Gathering Group! Groups meet online each week on Tuesday evenings, Wednesday mornings, or in-person at Woodland on Sunday mornings, and are ongoing. Learn more here.

When Rose, Mike, Ann and Dennis signed up for a Covenant Partner class, they didn’t know that they would be starting a commitment not only to Woodland Hills, but also to each other.

Covenant Partnership is Woodland’s version of “church membership.” To become a Covenant Partner, each person goes through a class to learn about the vows we ask Covenant Partners to take, and how those vows shape our everyday lives. In 2023 Woodland opened up membership to podrishioners, which is how these four came together as a special group of friends from a larger class. Because of the bonds they formed, the group decided to continue meeting even after the class finished.

Rose first came to Woodland at age 11 and when she left Minnesota she stayed connected through things like online Cultivate Classes. But she felt like something was missing. “Cultivate is great, but it’s a class, and then you walk away.” What made the Discover Covenant Partnership class different was the explicit shared commitment to Woodland. “These people are your people,” she says.

Mike is a longtime podrishioner, so when Covenant Partnership opened up to podrishioners, he says, “Treating the remote people as first-class citizens and not an after-thought was attractive. With this group, I was able to be part of the church and not just a viewer of the church.”

Ann and Dennis had attended Woodland for years, but then moved out of driving distance. “We wandered from church to church,” Dennis said, “and we didn’t find our people.” Eventually, they realized their people were still at Woodland and decided to become Covenant Partners.

As the four took the class together, they discovered that it was more than just theology and the tenets of Woodland. Mike says, “We had the prompts to discuss, and then you realize it’s also a safe place to bring what’s going on in your lives.”

Ann says, “People need spiritual friendships. As we’ve gotten to know each other better, we’ve talked about some pretty delicate and personal things in our group, and there’s real trust there.”

Dennis agrees. “Besides liking these guys, they’re also committed to the same thing I am. They are my family now and there’s something about wanting to keep in touch with your family.”

The group also benefited from the representation of different life stages and generations—parents of teens and adult kids, and people without kids. Rose says, “I feel in very good hands with Ann, Dennis, and Mike, and their deep biblical knowledge, which feels like a weak point for me. They have perspectives from areas they’re plugged into and different life experiences living in different places.”

Rose goes on to say, “I think that sense of home is a big thing that connects us all. And the real intentional decision to make it our home church body, despite living in different places. When that decision is common, this just felt like the natural consequence of it. Of course we connect. Like Dennis said, we’re family, we stay in touch.”

Forming spiritual friendship in any setting isn’t a guarantee, but it’s special when it happens. As Rose says, “Finding friends in the online groups can be kind of like fishing. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.” We’re glad that it worked out this time, and it just goes to show you never know where community might turn up!

Our next Discover Covenant Partnership class is coming up Wednesdays at 6:30pm (starting February 18) and Thursdays at 12pm (starting February 19). If you’d like to join, you can sign up here.

In summer 2019, Woodland Hills volunteers built the first tiny home for Settled, an organization working to help people struggling with long-term homelessness through Sacred Settlements of tiny homes on church properties.

Now, almost seven years later, Woodland has built or been a part of building 24 homes! (You can read more about our partnership and role as a tiny home production facility here.)

Settled continues to grow in exciting ways. Heartwood Church in Oakdale has become the fourth congregation to say yes to a Sacred Settlement. Heartwood’s Sacred Settlement will include six homes, a community garden and a greenhouse.

Their pastor told Settled, “Just as the early church worked to bridge gaps between ethnicities, cultures, and social classes, to become the One Body of believers, partnering with Settled to house people who have experienced long-term homelessness is a way in our specific community to fulfill that Kingdom model.”

Heartwood joins Mosaic Christian Community, Prince of Peace Lutheran and Church of the Open Door in the vision to create communities of love and belonging. Here are some quick updates on these other Sacred Settlements:

As of this year, Mosaic has six permanent homes and recently marked its third anniversary while Prince of Peace has expanded its community to include a third home. Meanwhile, Open Door is in the planning stages for its Sacred Settlement, and readying its space for 12 homes!

Learn more about these developments here.

On Sunday after church, we held a Prayer Gathering with our Covenant Partners where we came together to pray for all that’s been going on in our cities.

We had a handout to help guide us on what to pray for specifically, and we thought it would be helpful for everyone during the Month of Prayer that we’re in through the end of February. See the guide below, or click the button to download/print.

Ways to Pray PDF

Pray for: Those Living in Fear

• Peace that passes understanding
• Protection as they move about in the community
• Wisdom as they trust others to help them
• People of peace to arise and serve those in need
• Material resources, and the ability to get what they need
• Mental healing/protection from the trauma experienced and observed

Pray for: Our Government Officials

1 Timothy 2: 1-3

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior…

• Donald Trump, President
• Kash Patel, Director of the FBI
• Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security
• Pam Bondi, US Attorney General
• Tom Homan, Enforcement and Removal Operations
• Amy Klobuchar, US Senator
• Tina Smith, US Senator
• Tim Walz, Governor
• Keith Ellison, MN Attorney General
• Jacob Frey, Mayor of Minneapolis
• Kaohly Her, Mayor of St. Paul
• Local officials and representatives
• ICE Agents
• For the Twin Cities overall, and that the protests remain peaceful

Pray for: Woodland Hills Church

• Wisdom for Janice, Paul and Greg (the Executive team)
• Strength for Paula, Kinsey and Gary (the Food Shelf/Outreach staff)
• Those in our congregation, staff and leadership who are immigrants and/or people of color
• Unity in love among our church family
• The partner organizations in the building that serve our neighbors
• Resources to distribute freely to those in need without red tape or restrictions
• Protection over our property, building and parking lot
• Ask God to stir the church body at large to step up and help those in need
• Ask for direction for his church in how to pray during this season

Thank you for joining us in prayer during these troubling times.

The Corner Shelf is the food shelf we run here at Woodland, and lately we’ve been busy finding new ways to serve our community. Recently, we started working with two schools and a local church, providing emergency food boxes to families in need.

We’ve also had an uptick in people asking how they can help. So, here are a couple things you can do:

1. Think through whether you have neighbors who might need help getting food and ask them about it. Even if they’re in good shape, it’s likely they will appreciate your concern.
2. If you do have neighbors who need food, but they’re unable to come to the food shelf, you can do “proxy pick up” for them — up to five different families at once! Just get in line with your car on Wednesday or Thursday, following the instructions here.

Paula Bowlby, our Outreach Associate Pastor, says, “We hear back that these boxes of food are a bright spot for families. If you’re in a difficult time and you have food in your cupboard that you like, it can make a world of difference!”

Please continue to pray for people in our communities who don’t have enough food, and that the food ministries at Woodland can continue to meet these needs.

If you have more questions you can reach The Corner Shelf at thecornershelf@whchurch.org.

On Friday, March 6 we’ll be holding our first annual Art After Hours event—a creative showcase highlighting how God is moving through the creative part of his body.

We’re inviting anyone in the congregation to submit their art, and we’ll curate a program around what we receive. All of the art will be displayed live, with a selection of artists presenting their work.

We want to celebrate art in all forms and at all skill levels, so if you have something you’ve made, please consider submitting! The more art forms we receive, the more opportunity we have to showcase the fullness of God’s creative spirit within us. The deadline to submit is Monday, February 16. Find the submission form below, or learn more about our Arts Group here.

Submission Form

We more than doubled our goal — with a final total of 1,303 hours! Well done, everyone!!

Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve….You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love, and you can be that servant.
—MLK

When Civil Rights leader John Lewis advocated for a holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., he called for a “national day of service.” He urged for “a day on, not a day off … a day of service to our communities, to our brothers and sisters, and to generations yet unborn so that we all may continue Dr. King’s work of building the beloved community.”

This attitude of service is the same attitude of Jesus who, “did not come to be served but to serve.” So, for our second year now, we are taking up this challenge for a “day on” of serving and turning it into a “month on” with a church-wide Serve-a-thon. Our goal is to put in 500 hours of service by the end of February, and hopefully create a pattern of serving that will continue long after!

There are endless ways to serve, both one-off and longer-term commitments, so be creative! Below are a few ideas to get you going. Although many of the websites are Minnesota-specific, similar programs likely exist in your city—just give it a quick search! Note that some volunteer activities require extra training or orientation.

Clean up your block

• Grab trash bags and some family and friends and pick up litter on your block.
• Some cities offer resources to help, like litter clean up programs in St. Paul or Minneapolis.

Provide food

• Bring a meal to a neighbor.
• Prep food for a community meal service.
• Loaves and Fishes has many locations around the Twin Cities metro.
• Pack a Meal with Feed My Starving Children.

Write letters

• Make a thank you note for your mail carrier, garbage collector, local librarian, first-responders… anyone you want to acknowledge!
• Send a letter to senior citizens through Letters Against Isolation.

Donate blood

• Find a location near you through the Red Cross.

Collect items for those in need

• Clothing and other supplies can be donated to our partner organization, Walking with a Purpose.

Preserve African American history

• Transcribe documents through the Smithsonian Digital Volunteer Program.

Help out an animal shelter

• Animal Humane Society has four locations across the Twin Cities.

Tutor a student

• Local libraries often have tutoring programs.
• Look into online programs like Upchieve.

Volunteer with one of our partner ministries

• Open Arms meal delivery
• Settled tiny home construction
• Today’s Harvest food shelf

For a comprehensive collection of volunteer activities across the Twin Cities, check out Hands on Twin Cities. For elsewhere in the United States, Volunteer Match is a good place to start!

Thanks again for your participation! While this year’s Serve-a-thon is over, we hope you’ll keep the momentum as we all make it a habit of helping those around us.

Right now Minnesota is going through an intense period of turmoil. During the service on January 11, Greg compared this to a hurricane. The hurricane is a source of destruction and mayhem and chaos. And many of us are feeling anger, confusion, frustration, fear, depression and grief.

How do we react to the fury of the hurricane around us? We, as the people of God, remember that there’s a center of the hurricane, an eye in the storm, and that is Jesus. As things unravel around us, we anchor in him.

And part of that anchoring is to pray. This is something we are commanded to do, as 1 Timothy 2:1-2 tells us, “I urge you then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people. For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” James 5:16 tells us that the fervent prayer of the righteous person accomplishes much. In addition, we remember that other humans are not our enemies, and our prayers are a powerful weapon to resist the rulers, authorities and powers of this dark world, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).

So, between now and the end of February, we want to join our prayers together, three times a day, at 8am, noon and 8pm. We will pray for our authorities, and for our city, state and country. Find a guide on what you can pray for specifically, here.

If you would like reminders, we will be sending out notifications through the Woodland Hills app. To download, search “Woodland Hills Church” in your app store, or click woodlandhills.app.link from your phone’s browser.

To turn on notifications in the app:

1. Open your WH app, and you should see a “Personalized Notifications” window pop-up
2. Toggle on the first notification titled “Prayer Reminders”
3. Then click “Finish” – easy as that!

If you don’t see the “Personalized Notifications” pop up or you already exited out of it, follow these instructions:

1. Click the “profile” icon in the upper left hand corner
2. Click the “settings” cog/wheel in the upper right hand corner
3. Then click “Push Notifications”
4. Toggle that on, and toggle on “Prayer Reminders”

If you notice you’re not receiving Prayer Reminder notifications after turning them on, ensure that you don’t have specific settings in your phone that may be blocking all notifications.