Following the mission statement, Westgate strives to integrate its Mennonite foundation into the life of its program. Our school is grounded in our Anabaptist tradition and focuses on developing Biblical literacy and spiritual reflection. At the same time, we welcome and recognize the different Christian traditions and other faith traditions of our students. In fact, we believe that our foundation as a Mennonite school gives us the obligation to be a welcoming and loving place for all of our students whatever their tradition may be. We often say that we become richer as new students with new
traditions become part of our community.
Our schedule includes daily devotions and a weekly chapel. In these activities, students will be invited to sing, pray, and listen to various speakers speak about their faith. Once a year we hold a Spiritual Emphasis Week in which we hold extra chapels, invite guest speakers, and meet in small groups to delve deeper into a topic.
Furthermore, students will take one Christian Studies course in each grade. These courses invite our students to explore their beliefs within the context of a Mennonite school. The courses progress throughout their time at the school. In grades 6-8, students will explore Old and New Testament stories and themes. In grade 9, the focus is on Jesus and the early church. Grade 10 focuses on other religious
traditions such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Indigenous Spirituality. In grade 11, students will enter into the arena of Christian ethics. Finally, in grade 12, the focus is on Mennonite history and theology. Our hope is that through the progression of these courses and through participation in
devotions and chapel, students will gain a deeper and richer understanding of their own beliefs and the beliefs of others.
Chapel Theme 2025-26
The Law IS Love
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus summarizes the religious laws and teachings he’d received in a powerful call to love:
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands. – Matthew 22:36-40 (CEB)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus gathers with his disciples before his death and gives them a command to follow in his footsteps of love and service:
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. – John 13:34-35 (NIV)
This year at Westgate we will call each other to follow Jesus’ radical law of love, which stands above all other demands and rules we live by. We will use a series of Scripture passages and stories from our lives and the world around us to help us understand what it looks like to follow the law of love.
September-November: To love means to do no harm, Romans 13:8-10.
January-March: To love requires letting go of our ego, 1 Corinthians 13:4-5.
April-June: The command to love includes loving our enemy, Matthew 5:43-45.