OverviewConfirmation is about baptism; it involves a period of instruction and faith-formation which culminates in young women and men publicly affirming the gift that God has given them in baptism. In this Rite of Affirmation (usually referred to as Confirmation) these young Christians pledge to continue to walk in the gift of newness of life, and the church prays for the Holy Spirit to continue to guide them in their faith journey. We do not live our Christian life in isolation; we live in community. Therefore, community and togetherness are important facets of this baptismal life. Confirmands learn together in small groups under the guidance of an adult mentor, or guide. In these small groups the confirmands fellowship with one another, reflect on lessons, discuss difficult questions of faith, pray together, serve each other and their neighbors, and (of course) have fun. It is important to remember in this process that YOU (the parent or guardian) are the single most important teacher of faith to your son or daughter. The church takes very seriously its charge to educate Christians in the faith, but remember that YOU are the church! Faith begins at home. What students may learn or experience in the context of formal instruction will quickly erode if what they experience at home is inactivity in the life of faith. Conversely, families who center their lives on the gifts of God—who regularly pray, study the Scriptures, serve others in the name of Christ, worship and participate in the Sacraments—will instill faith in their children’s lives in a way that church programs can never do. As a result of this conviction, we will do all we can to support you in these, the promises you made to your child at their baptism:
“…that, living in the covenant of their Baptism and in communion with the Church, they may lead godly lives until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Lutheran Book of Worship, Holy Baptism) These pages are intended to give you a thorough overview of confirmation ministry at Redeemer. Please take time to familiarize yourself with the various aspects of the program so that you may better journey with your young person along this important part of his or her walk of faith. Basic ComponentsThe CurriculumConfirmation instruction at Redeemer is a two-year curriculum which uses Martin Luther’s Small Catechism as its basis. During their 7th and 8th grade years, the youth cover the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the sacraments, as well as a review (in Sunday School) of Old Testament and New Testament Bible. The cycle is as follows: 2010-2011 Year A (Ten Commandments, Apostles' Creed, Old Testament) 2011-2012 Year B (Lord's Prayer, Sacraments, New Testament) Large Group/Small Group GatheringsGatherings are held on Wednesday evenings (see the calendar for the complete schedule) and are team-led by Pastor Kildea and Carol Kitchin. Gatherings include worship, prayers, a learning presentation, activities, games and skits. The last part of each gathering (approximately 40 minutes) consists of time for small groups to meet with their adult guide for conversation, additional learning, activity planning, and prayer. ServiceAs our Lord has called us
all to serve others, service is a vital part of confirmation life. Confirmands serve in worship, usually as acolytes (attendants for the traditional liturgy) but also in other ways. (Training for acolytes will be scheduled in
late September and early October.) In addition, small groups engage in service to
others (preferably those in the community outside of Redeemer). Occasionally, groups will be asked to help
serve in other ways, such as serving food at Lenten suppers, pack food baskets,
set-up for the interfaith shelter for the homeless, etc. FellowshipAs Christians we are certainly called to do; but sometimes we are simply called to be. Alpha League is the companion piece to the Confirmation program. In Alpha League, 7th and 8th graders are given opportunities to have fun and serve others. Events will be planned periodically. Within the Confirmation program itself, there will be plenty of opportunities for group fellowship and service. In the past these have included pizza and movie nights, miniature golf, bowling—many of these events are planned by the groups themselves. Please note that additional fellowship events may be added to the calendar. Home Church
The most important role-models and teachers of faith in a young person’s life are not pastors or lay leaders in the Church; they are YOU, parents and guardians! With this in mind, we hope to do more this year to support parents and guardians in the fulfilling of their baptismal promises. Several confirmation gatherings will be designed for confirmands and parents. Please note these events on the schedule. Additional Activities/Projects
Opportunities for additional learning come up form time to time, and so additional events may be added to the schedule. We will do our best to provide ample advance notice of these events, as well as other changes to the schedule. The Texts We will be using Here We Stand Confirmation curriculum published by Augsburg Fortress. Each confirmand will be given a copy of the Here We Stand student book. Confirmands are REQUIRED to bring their student books, as well as a Bible (preferably NRSV) with them for Wednesday night gatherings. Learning GoalsWhat will confirmands be learning in confirmation? The basic learning material consists of the following:1. Confirmands will know verbatim and from memory these basic texts: Ten Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. 2. Confirmands will have a basic understanding of these texts based on Luther’s explanations in the Small Catechism and be able to summarize them. 3. Confirmands will have a basic understanding of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, based upon the corresponding chapters in the Small Catechism. 4. Confirmands will have a basic understanding of the salvation story from the Bible, and they will be able to locate in Scripture the more important parts of the story. In
addition, confirmands will regularly practice the discipline of theological
conversation as they begin to wrestle with issues, problems, and the complexities
of faith in our world. ExpectationsThe policies outlined here express our expectations of the young people and parents in the confirmation program. These expectations are a reflection of our commitment to prepare young people for much more than a ritual. Confirmation is a life of continual growth, continual baptismal remembrance, continual dying to sin and being raised to new life in Christ. Regular attendance is paramount. We seek not to merely provide information about God; we seek to experience life in Christ together in community. Therefore, it is vital that confirmands be present for all scheduled gatherings and participate in all small group activities. Community is the thing, as Paul says in Ephesians: “You [plural] are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.” We can’t be built together if we are scattered! 1. Attendance is expected at all events. In the event that a confirmand must miss a class due to illness or emergency, a note from the parents indicating the reason for the absence is requested. 2. For much of what we do together there is NO good or easy substitute. When a confirmand is absent routinely, the young person and the group miss out. Should a confirmand miss more than 2 events some provision for make-up work will be sought. Persistent absence displays a lack of commitment to, or readiness for, the program, and (at the discretion of the pastor) confirmation may be delayed. 3. Gatherings at Redeemer will begin promptly at 7:30 PM. Please be on time, since we have many things to cover and there is never enough time. Please enter through the multi-purpose room doors. Doors will open for basketball, etc. at 7:15, so plan to be here early and beat the rush. 4. It is expected that Confirmation—indeed the whole Christian life!—will be a priority for both the confirmands and their parents. Therefore, absences or tardiness due to other activities are generally not acceptable. In the event that a special event poses a conflict, please consult with Pastor Kildea as soon as possible. 5. Participation in extra activities is expected of all confirmands, although the inevitability of conflicts is acknowledged. Those who have a serious conflict and are unable to attend must consult with Pastor Kildea; they will be asked to do appropriate make-up activity. 6. Confirmands and their families are expected to worship together as often as possible. In addition to regular Sunday services, they are especially encouraged to worship at special times in the church year, such as Advent, Lent and Holy Week. 7. Confirmands are expected to attend Sunday School. The Sunday lessons are meant to provide reinforcement for the catechism material covered during the Wednesday evening sessions. 8. Confirmands will be available to serve as acolytes during the 8:30 AM service, or to serve in worship in other ways that are deemed appropriate.
Those who fail to meet these expectations and also fail to provide reasonable make up and/or substitute work display questionable readiness for the Rite of Affirmation, and—at the pastor’s discretion—may not be confirmed. |