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Program Staff of Westwood Church
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Scott Christiansen -- Senior Pastor scott@westwoodchurch.net
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Hello! I have to be honest, being the senior pastor of a church was never in my plan, but God had other ideas! I have spent the majority of my career working with teenagers. I grew up in Lincoln and attended the University of Nebraska majoring in secondary education. During my college years I worked for Southeast Nebraska Youth for Christ. After graduation from the University I taught high school for seven years and felt God's call to full time youth ministry.
I became the Director of Youth Ministry for Westwood Church in 1989 and served Westwood for five great years. Then I became the Director of Youth Ministry for the Synod of the Heartland, a larger region in our denomination, the Reformed Church in America. During those years I attended and graduated from Central Baptist Theological Seminary.
After feeling God's call back into local church ministry, Westwood Church invited me to come back and take the role of senior pastor, so I did and have loved serving Christ at Westwood ever since. My heart is focused on leadership and preaching. My passion is reaching families for the Kingdom.
And as much as I love families, my own family is most important to me. My wonderful wife, Cathy, and I have been married for over 25 years. My three sons, Jacob, Benjamin and Zachary, are the joy of my life. We are a family that loves Christ and are trying our best to serve Him in every part of our life. We are excited to meet you at Westwood Church!
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Shorty Brown -- Director of Adult Ministry shortyb@westwoodchurch.net
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Hi, I am called Shorty, which I prefer. I have been a pastor for 40 years. Four years ago, my wife Heldred and I took early retirement to live near our two children and five grandchildren in Seattle and work part time for the western part of our denomination as a developer of new ministries church planting. My experience has given me a variety of experiences in the Body of Christ. I have planted one church, served as a mission supervisor for Chiapas, Mexico and Native American churches, as a Director of Church Development in the Midwest, and been pastor of three congregations. I served here at Westwood as Senior Pastor from 89-96. Westwood developed a position in response to the need for discipleship development in light of its rapid growth over the last few years. They asked me if I would consider filling that position part-time. We prayed it through and accepted the challenge. I am the Director of Adult Discipleship. D.A.D. An appropriate acronym when I am working with the young high energy, creative, and committed staff here at Westwood. Returning after being gone for 8 years has been wonderful. I have found Westwood to be what I dreamed it would one day be, a place where people from all walks and backgrounds are welcomed and invited to become followers of Christ. My task is to be sure folks who do come to Westwood are on the path to becoming those who are fully devoted followers of Christ. We do this through educational experiences, small groups and caring ministries. We invite you to join us on the path of discipleship.
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Kristin Fuhs -- Director of Children's Ministry kristinf@westwoodchurch.net
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My name is Kristin Fuhs. I am the Director of Children's Ministry at Westwood. My family and I started attending Westwood in 1992 and joined the church in the spring of 1993. I joined the staff of Westwood in January of 1996. This job is a perfect fit for me! I am able to combine my passion and love for children and families with the true privilege of growing and building the Kingdom of God. I am blessed to oversee and direct Westwood's Kids for Christ Ministry, which includes opportunities for infant - 5th grade children. We strive to teach the love of Jesus and an understanding of what a personal relationship is with Him in all that we do. It is a true privilege for me to watch God work in the lives of kids and families through the hands, feet and loving words of the many faithful volunteers that serve in children's ministry. I also truly enjoy the time I spend supervising our fabulous Mom's Day Out Program and awesome Preschool Programs. I love developing and planning monthly family events and activities for Westwood and the community and with the time I have left in my week, I lead our children's choirs and try to sneak in a few times a year teaching parenting and family life classes. I wake up every day so grateful that God opened the doors of Westwood for me to step into and serve. Westwood is a church that really cares about kids and families! It is our desire to build His Kingdom one heart at a time--it is so wonderful that many of those hearts are the little ones! Praise God for kids--they are a great and precious gift from above! A little about me. I grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa in a wonderful Christian home that taught me the importance of a relationship with the Lord and the need for Christ in my life. After graduating from high school in 1981, I attended Iowa State University and received a double major in Elementary Education and Child Development. I married my husband Chris in December of 1984 and we have lived in Omaha for the past 22 years. I taught Kindergarten after graduating and when our first child was born, I became a stay-at-home mom for nearly 10 years. I operated a small home daycare during that time. Chris and I have been blessed with 6 wonderful children who are the light of my life and give me so much joy! They are: Emily, Daniel, Rebecca, Victoria, Caleb and yes, number six child is Greta. They range in age from college down to first grade. Our family is the most important gift I have been given and I treasure each and every one of them! I should spend all of my spare time doing laundry with a family of our size, but instead I love to spend time enjoying music and singing. Watching, playing and coaching sports are another favorite. I seem to always have one of my own kids on a team that needs a coach so I don't have to look far to keep busy! I have been blessed with a life that is full of family, faith, friends and coffee whenever I can fit it in!
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Regina Carnazzo -- Director of Music Ministry reginac@westwoodchurch.net
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I've been involved in music my whole life. I sang with my mother and sisters at home as far back as I can remember. I began studying piano at age 7, sang in talent shows with my friend, Mary, and planned plays and programs just for the fun of it. God was preparing me for what I consider my dream job--directing music for Him. After graduating from high school in Seminole, Oklahoma, I attended Oklahoma University on a leadership scholarship for two years. I took a "sabbatical" from my education, married and had two children, Jason and Jennifer. I returned to school six years later, but this time to Oklahoma State University (that was a bold move for a now former Sooner), and received my Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance in 1983. During that time, I taught private piano, and worked in various churches as church pianist and children's choir director, primarily as a volunteer. I then completed my Master's Degree in Education with a cognate area in piano, composition, and voice in 1994, then left Oklahoma to come to Omaha. Although the move to Omaha was precipitated by a difficult divorce, it was clear to me that God was leading me here. I just had no idea what He had in store. After arriving in Omaha, I met my husband, Joe, added four step-sons to my life, and soon began my career in Music Ministries, first at St. Andrew's Methodist Church and Sunset Hills Baptist Church, and then at Westwood. What a joy it is to serve the Lord at Westwood, doing what I love doing, and knowing that God prepared me from childhood to do His work!
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Ben Putnam -- Director of Young Adult Ministry ben@westwoodchurch.net
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I started growing up in small town Iowa, but moved to Dallas, Oregon when I was just eight years old. I lived in Oregon for the next seven years. At fifteen I landed here in Omaha. I graduated from Millard South High school and attended Metro Community College. We moved around a lot when I was a kid. Even after we moved to Omaha we lived in 4 different houses in just 5 years. We just never had anything to anchor us anywhere. In 1998 I finally found my anchor. That's when I started attending Westwood Church. I started volunteering with the high school youth group in 1999 and in 2000 became a member at Westwood. I had no idea what God had in store for me when I became an adult leader for the high school youth group. Over the course of my first year, God revealed a passion for youth ministry. I volunteered with the youth group for the next four years while I worked a full time job, and I attended mission trips, seminars, and all kinds of events. I've enjoyed building relationships at Westwood, especially my relationship with the youth and with Christ. I joined the Westwood staff in July and God continues to be my anchor. With the support and encouragement of my wife Dawn and my three kids Brandon, Reagan, and Colton, I look forward to everything God has in store.
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Support Staff of Westwood Church
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Connie Wismer -- Office Administrator connie@westwoodchurch.net
Burt Finch -- Staff Administrator burt@westwoodchurch.net
Jennifer Van Cleve -- Director of the Westwood Church Preschool preschoolkids@westwoodchurch.net
DyAnn Schmiedt -- Director of the Westwood Church Mom's Day Out mdo@westwoodchurch.net
Michelle Goodrich -- Children's Ministry Assistant michelleg@westwoodchurch.net
Jean Mendenhall -- Preschool and Mom's Day Out Assistant jeanm@westwoodchurch.net
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