Confirmation

An Affirmation of Baptism

Confirmation is the process we use in the Lutheran church to instruct our youth in the basics of faith and move them toward full membership in the church. Since most of our kids are baptized as infants, confirmation is a chance for them to grow as Christians and claim for themselves the promises that were made for them by their parents and Godparents years earlier. That’s why it’s also called “Affirmation of Baptism.”

Christ Our Savior’s confirmation program runs falls–spring.  For the 2023-2024 season, our confirmands will gather on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month at month at 10:30am following the morning worship.  We have a 20 minute large group teaching session followed by lunch at 11am.  Small groups will take turns planning and preparing the simple meal. Small groups will sit together and have guided discussion over lunch.  Families depart following the meal. 

Over the course of the confirmation year, confirmands are expected to fill out 5 sermon notes and 5 service notes.  Youth are expected to participate in the Spring 2024 Youth Mission Day service event (typically held late April or early May) and youth would be strongly encouraged to attend confirmation camp .

Confirmands should keep in mind that at the end of their second year of confirmation, they will be asked to make a Faith Artifact as a tangible expression of the faith they have fostered at Christ Our Savior. 

 

Important Links

Affirmation of Baptism Forms for 2023

Confirmands Affirming their Baptism in the fall of 2023 should prepare the following materials.

1) Faith Artifact and Description
2) Submit the Confirmation Rite Information form (Link below)
3) Set up a chat with Pastor Joe for September (the link to the Ministry Action plan is a resource for reflection prior to our visit)

Confirmation Rite Information  –  Ministry Action Plan  

Faith Artifacts and Description

I would like each of our confirmands to create something that can be displayed in the church during our Affirmation of Baptism services.  If they like, they could certainly still write up a traditional Faith Statement, but they could also create a painting, or poetry, or perform some act of service and write up a scrap book entry with photos, or some other idea that helps them to give an outward presentation of the faith they have internalized during their time at Christ Our Savior.  Whatever the artifact they choose to create, I would like them to write a short paragraph to display with it for folks in the congregation to read about how the artifact connects to the confirmand’s faith.  

Chat with Pastor Joe

I would like to connect in September with each of our confirmands to briefly chat about their faith artifact, their selected Bible verse, and how they see their faith shaping their lives.  This conversation could be done with other members of their confirmation small group, on an individual phone call, in a group or individual Zoom, or in person.  Whatever is helpful for folks’ schedules and will make it comfortable to chat with the pastor.   Refer to the Ministry Action Plan link if you’d like to prepare for the kinds of questions I will be asking about.

Real-World Faith

At Christ Our Savior, our confirmation program runs through 7th and 8th grades.  We recognize the confirmands becoming full members of the congregation on the Reformation Sunday of their freshman year.  We use interactive videos, games, and even humor as we look at topics such as the Bible, Sacraments, and the Lord’s Prayer. We aren’t about just making kids memorize facts. The goal is for them to apply faith to their daily lives. Our youth talk about what the things we learn really mean and why those things are important. They are even encouraged to ask tough questions of the pastors.

Learning and Fellowship Events

Faith is caught more than it is taught, but there are generally four elements that frame out how we seek to foster faith formation: Worship, Outreach, Learning, and Fellowship. 

For our confirmation program, we gather to learn more about the Bible and our distinct Lutheran witness in the broad stream of Christianity.  We also create regular opportunities for our confirmands to build relationships with one another and experience loving community. 

 

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