Meet Amanda Smith
Amanda Smith started attending Westminster after hearing the choir sing from her neighboring apartment. She became a member in 2019. Amanda worked as a teacher in the greater Portland area for eight years before heading north to Alaska to teach in a rural village called Togiak. After three and a half years, she returned to Washington and, after some time in her hometown of Seattle, she settled in Vancouver but continued to attend Westminster. She enjoys cooking, bad movies, and playing with her grown daughter’s two cats, Cora and Mips.
Amanda became Westminster’s Interim Director of Children’s Ministries in January 2026, serving under a one-year contract. She’ll be working part time and will be working partial days on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Amanda can be reached at amanda@westprespdx.org.
Children’s Ministry Activities
To get on the e-mail list to receive updates and opportunities about all children’s activities, please e-mail Amanda at amanda@westprespdx.org with your request or call the church office at 503-287-1289. (For young people sixth grade and older, check out our programming for youth.)
Seeking Children’s Ministry Volunteers
Amanda Smith and the Children’s Ministry Committee are looking for two sets of volunteers. First, for the committee itself. We meet monthly, usually via Zoom. Second, we need Sunday School teachers. The lessons are sent to you in advance and are very easy to follow (Bible story, short activity or art project, then free time with whatever time we have left until parent pickup). Teaching experience is not required. This is a great way to meet the children of our community. Please contact Amanda (amanda@westprespdx.org) for information.
Angel Choir
Westminster’s Angel Choir is a children’s choir for kids ages five and older, and they sing a few times a year in worship. It’s a wonderful way for children to experience music and participate in worship. If you have questions about Angel Choir, please contact the church office at info@westprespdx.org. Note: Angel Choir is currently on hiatus.
Sunday School (During School Year)
Although children are always welcome to stay with their families in the sanctuary for worship, during the school year, we invite children age preschool through fifth grade to join our volunteer staff for Sunday School. Sunday School happens after the “Moments with Children” time in worship. After the “moments,” children may go to the back of the church where they will be greeted by volunteer staff and escorted to our children’s space (Room C/D, downstairs, under the sanctuary). If you are a new family to WPC, we ask that you to come with your child at this time to meet the volunteers, see where your child is, and fill out a brief contact form. Children stay in the Sunday School room for the rest of the service, and caregivers can pick them up after the service. On communion Sundays, which are the first Sunday of each month, children stay in worship; there is no Sunday School. During the summertime (typically mid-June through early September), our Sunday School is on summer break.
Pray-Ground
A pray-ground is a designated place in the front of the sanctuary for children, a place where they can experience worship through art and quiet play while worship is happening. All children up to age three are welcome to use the pray-ground with their caregiver present.