Confirmation at Manchester United Methodist Church 2014/2015
Is this course for me? Confirmation is a course established in many churches, which leads to membership in the local congregation. At Manchester United Methodist Church, this course is offered to students in Grades 7 and 8 who have not yet completed it. This is the earliest possible time for someone to become a member of our local church. We feel that, during this time, students are finally ready to honestly and responsibly make their baptismal and membership vows. Confirmation should also be a time of commitment to the church by the student s family, which will be supporting the student in their ongoing fulfillment of their membership vows. During this course, we set our minds on three big milestones for our students:
Confirmation Events Making your baptismal vows on January 11, 2015 at The Pointe at Ballwin Commons. Claiming the Christian faith as your own on Sunday, March 15 at Youth Group. Making your church membership vows and becoming a member on Saturday, April 18 in the MUMC Sanctuary. Opening Overnight Our students will receive their orientation to the course on an overnight November 22-23. Faith Exploration Weekend We take a tour of other local places of worship on March 6 and 7, and we compare them with our traditions. Service Day We complete community service on Saturday, December 6 at Kingdom House, helping with their Christmas outreach, 9-1. Confirmation Retreat We are currently developing a retreat experience for United Methodist study in early April. Save the date-april 3-5.
Course Expectations Students MUST attend all milestone events (January 11, March 15, April 18) and the Confirmation Retreat on April 3-5. There are no alternatives for these experiences, and students who miss any of these experiences may not be able to complete the course. Parents are encouraged to attend our milestone events, as well. Students unable to attend any regular course sessions will be required to complete and turn in outside work. Students unable to attend the service day or Faith Exploration Weekend will be required to complete a comparable service or research paper. Students will be completing Family Sessions with their parents during the first part of the course. Parental signatures certifying completion of these sessions will be due at certain times during the course. This is a significant change in the course from previous years. Students will be expected to attend worship at Manchester United Methodist Church each week. Please sign the attendance pads so that we can certify that you have been in worship. Attendance at Youth Group does count as worship attendance, as we do worship together. Students will complete a Promise Statement at the end of the retreat stating how they will fulfill their vows to Manchester United Methodist Church through prayer, presence, gifts, service, and witness. The course fee is $100 and is due prior to the opening overnight on November 22 and 23. This covers all event fees and costs of materials, such as copyright fees and Confirmation stoles. Checks can be written to MUMC, and this payment should be included with the attached signup form, dropped in the Youth Dropbox outside of the Youth Director s Office. Sponsorship is available for students. Please contact Ryan Langeland, if you are in need of assistance. Both students and parents should clearly understand that students are EXPECTED to be involved in the congregational life of Manchester United Methodist Church during AND AFTER the course. Students and parents should expect to be held accountable to the vows they make before God. Parents who are not members of MUMC are encouraged to attend membership classes that will be held during this course. It is our hope that both confirmands and parents will become members in the new year. Confirmation students will need to work well with others and be respectful of adult leaders and volunteers. Parents are needed to assist as Confirmation Group Leaders. For more information, please contact Ryan Langeland at ryan.langeland@manchesterumc.org Parents should check their e-mail accounts regularly for course updates. The e-mail account listed on your application must be reliable.
Calendar (Confirmation Groups meet 6:15-7:30 p.m.) Saturday, Nov. 22-Sunday, Nov. 23 Saturday, Dec. 6 Sunday, Dec. 7 Sunday, Dec. 14 Sunday, Dec. 21 Confirmation Overnight, 8:00 p.m.-noon Kingdom House Work Day, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Worship, Confirmation Group #1, Family Lesson #1 due Worship, Confirmation Group #2, Family Lesson #2 due Worship, Confirmation Group #3, Family Lesson #3 due Sunday, Jan. 11 Baptism at The Pointe, 7:00-9:00 p.m., arrive 6:30 *New member class offered for parents Sunday, Jan. 18 Worship, Confirmation Group #4 Sunday, Jan. 25 Worship, Confirmation Group #5 Sunday, Feb. 8 Worship, Confirmation Group #6 Sunday, Feb. 15 Worship, Confirmation Group #7 Sunday, Feb. 22 Worship, Confirmation Group #8 Sunday, March 1 Worship, Confirmation Group #9 Friday, March 6-Saturday, March 7 Sunday, March 8 Faith Exploration Weekend Worship, no Confirmation Groups *New member class offered for parents Sunday, March 15 Worship, Affirmation of Faith, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 22 Worship, Confirmation Group #10/Tour rotation 1 Sunday, Mar. 29 Worship, Confirmation Group #10/Tour rotation 2 Friday, Apr. 3-Sunday, Apr. 5 Confirmation Retreat Saturday, Apr. 18 Confirmation Worship/Membership Vows, 11:00 a.m.-noon, arrive 10:00 a.m. at Chapel
Other Program Features/ Mentoring Program Preparation We are committed to developing mentoring relationships that are meaningful and lasting for our Confirmation students. This year, our MUMY high school students will be assigned as mentors to our Confirmation students and will be asked to serve at many of the course events as examples of church leadership. Preparation It is expected that families attend worship regularly at MUMC in preparation for the Confirmation course. Regular attendance at worship both during and after the course is expected of members. Seventh Graders are currently in pre-confirmation classes during Youth Group on Sunday evenings-join us to be fully prepared for this course. Students not regularly attending worship and our Seventh Grade Discussion Group must contact Ryan.Langeland@manchesterumc.org prior to signing up for this course. Concurrent Membership Class for Parents PARENTS who have not yet become members of Manchester United Methodist Church are strongly encouraged to attend Pre-Member Classes and to become members themselves, prior to our Confirmation students doing the same. The Pre-Member Courses are offered on Jan 11 or March 8, Noon to 1:30 p.m., and parents will become members on the following Sundays. This is hugely important, as students will need the support of their parents as they live out their membership vows. Contact Kristie.Whitney@manchesterumc.org to sign up.
CONFIRMATION SIGN-UP Please complete and deposit this form, along with the course fee of $100 to the metal dropbox outside of the Youth Office. NAME SCHOOL BIRTHDAY GRADE MAILING ADDRESS E-MAIL ADDRESS (This is where all course-related info. is sent) PARENTS NAMES BROTHERS/SISTERS NAMES AND AGES T-SHIRT SIZE HAVE YOU BEEN BAPTIZED (Here or elsewhere)? WOULD ONE OF YOUR PARENTS LIKE TO BE A CONFIRMATION LEADER ON SUNDAY EVENING? IF SO, PROVIDE NAME: HOBBIES AND INTERESTS What has been your favorite memory of Manchester UMC, up to this point?