Confirmation Ministry St. Mark s Lutheran Church Write these commandments that I've given you today on your

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1 9 th Grade Mentoring Program Confirmation Ministry St. Mark s Lutheran Church Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates. Deuteronomy 6:7-9 Bringing Jesus to People and People to Jesus

2 What is Confirmation? Confirmation is based on our Baptismal Promises: Through Confirmation, the promises made by your parents when you were baptized are fulfilled by taking up the promises for ourselves. The promises we make during the confirmation service, otherwise known as the Affirmation of Baptism, are these: o To live among God s faithful people; o To hear the word of God and share in the Lord s supper; o To proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed; o To serve all people, following the example of Jesus; and o To strive for justice and peace in all the earth. During your Confirmation experience we will focus on these promises using faith practices such as prayer, service, scripture reading, worship and story telling, so that when we come to this part of the Confirmation Service, each young person can respond with sincerity: I do and ask God to help and guide me. Confirmation is about: Spiritual Growth It is a time for students to discern who Jesus is in their life and to experience what living out the gospel looks like. Confirmation helps prepare and support us for life s journey as adults, Christians saved by Grace. 6-8 graders learn the hallmarks of our faith using the small catechism (Lord s Prayer, Apostles Creed, Ten Commandments, Sacraments and Bible) while the 9 th graders explore how these fit into their everyday lives while in one-on-one conversation with an adult faith mentor. Relationships It is a time to experience God s love by building caring connections with parents, mentors, and peers. It is a commitment of the whole family to grow together, support one another and encourage one another to find our trust in a God who loves us, cares for and forgives us. Taking Responsibility for your own discipleship It is a time in the student s faith journey to be nurtured in the faith, a time of preparation leading to public profession of Christian faith and for youth to confirm their intention to live as a Child of God in the covenant of Baptism. a Step on the Life-Long Journey It is not a journey towards a graduation, but another step on the life long journey of faith that extends from birth to death, which is why we call this faith formation.

3 St. Mark s Confirmation Program: 9 th Grade Mentoring Basics Confirmation is a learning experience meant to deepen your understanding of faith while continuing to grow in your relationship with God and with one another. The mentoring piece of confirmation offers opportunities for our 9th graders to intentionally explore what faith looks like in their lives and grow from the foundational pieces and experiences from their 6th-8th grade confirmation experience while having intentional conversation with an adult mentor of their choosing. 9 th graders and their mentors meet on Sunday mornings September through January, from 11:30-12:30, beginning Sunday September 23, We encourage you and your mentor to attend worship at 10:15 prior to our weekly gatherings. In these gatherings, we explore the baptismal promises that were made on their behalf which they will be taking up for themselves when they affirm their faith in the Confirmation Service on January 20, Activities and experiences during the mentoring year include: Conversation with peers & mentor Exploring faith in everyday life Deeping faith practices of prayer, Bible reading, worship, service and stewardship of our gifts Expressing own faith through creative ways by creating a stole and faith project Meeting with pastoral staff for informal conversation on faith with parents & mentor in early December Check List of Projects for Mentoring Choose an adult mentor to walk with you and invite them to be your mentor (please complete this by our first gathering if you have a problem finding a mentor, let Pastor Ivy know and she ll help you find one). Attend all gathering and participate in all activities. Attend worship as often as possible. Create a stole which you will wear during the confirmation service. Participate in Confirmation Conversations with one of the pastoral staff. Create Faith Project (See attached sheet for details). Complete any outstanding sermon notes from your 6-8 th grade Confirmation years. Fees for the Mentor Program The fee for the 9 th grade mentor program is $ This fee covers the cost of the program, cost of the confirmation stoles and materials, robes and confirmation photographs. It is St. Mark s policy that no student will be denied access to any St. Mark s program due to financial hardship. Please see Pastor Ivy about Confirmation scholarships.

4 Project Framework The purpose of this FAITH PROJECT is for you to reflect upon your faith journey. How have you grown and changed since the start of Confirmation? Since this is a personal journey and God has created you in a unique way, there are many different ways to complete this task. Remember, the purpose is not just to make something, but to also create something that has spiritual meaning to you. Don t just make something because you have to do this for yourself! Here are a few ideas but don t let this list stop you from being creative; your project can be anything that represents and reflects your faith journey. Scrapbook including birth, baptism, communion, retreats, and other faith based events Personal narrative highlighting your confirmation journey Video interview of family/friends about faith Video about your own faith journey Create a symbol of your faith and write an explanation; this could be done in wood, plaster, clay, fabric, etc. Find a Bible passage that you like and explain what it means to you Poetry: share a piece of original poetry and explain how it reflects your faith journey Share a piece of music that inspires your faith Photo album of places you ve seen God at work around and through you Collage of pictures that highlights how faith changes the way you view the world Power Point presentation about your faith journey Letter to Jesus highlighting what you learned through Confirmation Insert your idea here You may work with a partner if you would like. If you choose this option, please talk to Pastor Ivy. You will be sharing these projects with your peers and families and they will be on display in Rees Hall for the congregation to see. Please be ready to explain your project and how it reflects your faith journey. Each time we gather for the Mentoring, we will be exploring these ideas; the pulling together of the project and its completion will be done on your own time. Your FAITH PROJECT is due Into the church office By Wednesday, January 2, 2013!

5 Youth/ Parent/ Mentor Covenant Confirmation Mentoring Program, We have read the Confirmation information for and agree with the following expectations: Youth Parent(s) Mentor Be an example of Christ not only at St. Mark s but also in the community. Be respectful of adults, peers, and the church building or wherever the program is taking place. Attend all scheduled events, ready to participate. Bring your Bible with you! Attend worship services as often as possible. Chose an adult mentor to walk with you. Create stole for use during Confirmation Service. Participate in Confirmation Conversation with one of the Create Faith Project which reflects your personality and your faith journey. Complete any out-standing sermon notes from your 6 th -8 th grade confirmation years. Support and encourage your student at home in their faith journey. Help them to be here each week, engaged and prepared. Worship with your student on a regular basis. Participate with your child in completing any remaining Sermon Note forms from previous years. Pray with your student. Attend the scheduled parent participation events. Participate in Confirmation Conversation with student, mentor, and Attend all scheduled events, ready to participate. Pray with your student. Encourage the student to learn about who God created them to be and help them explore their faith through various activities Maintain contact with student s parents, creating a community of believers for the student. Participate in Confirmation Conversation with student, parents, and To help us be the best possible partner with you in this covenant and your child s faith journey, please keep us apprised of any special needs, circumstances, or concerns that might arise. Youth name (please print) Youth Signature Parent(s) Signature Date Mentor Signature Mentor Phone number/