Confirmation Program
2007-2008
 

Orientation and Registration is Wednesday, September 5, 6:30pm

A Family Commitment
Confirmation is a major event in our Journey of Faith.
At Fish Lake Lutheran we want the confirmation experience to be a meaningful, exciting, and fun experience.  It is a three-year program, beginning in 6th grade and completed in the Spring of 8th grade. The goal of the program is to allow Christian young people the privilege of getting better acquainted with Jesus Christ and his teachings. Our intention is to do that in a setting which will not only challenge their minds and hearts; but also surround them with adult role-models, their pastor, and fellow students who can help them continue to live their Christian lives in earnest.

The decision to participate affects not only the student involved, but the entire family as well. Please carefully, and prayerfully, examine the expectations. 

The following details both the requirements and expectations of those involved in confirmation at Fish Lake. Discuss as a family whether you are willing to make this kind of commitment. Please know that we place a high value on confirmation and are very serious about the guidelines contained within the program.

Confirmation is a voluntary program. It is not a sacrament in the Christian community and is simply available for those who wish to learn more about their faith and their church. What is essential is that students get involved! We encourage our students to participate in discussions, think, ask questions, share ideas, pray, play, and complete memory work. It is also essential that parents are involved in their child's confirmation experience. Please monitor their weekly progress at completing the required components of the program.

Program Explanation
The foundation of the Confirmation program at Fish Lake Lutheran is based on a relational model of learning.  Relationships are the core of the program. It is our hope and prayer that positive, Christian relationships will be formed for the students, as well as relationships with their pastor and other adults in the congregation. But most importantly, that a relationship with their Lord Jesus Christ is formed and nurtured. That is what we strive for. Without a living relationship with the living Christ, no amount of information or facts given them will matter. All that we do in this program will revolve around our individual relationship with Jesus Christ.

Topics studied will include:
The Ten Commandments, The Lord's Prayer, The Apostles' Creed, Holy Communion, Baptism, Lutheran Doctrine, both Old and New Testaments, and selected Biblical stories.

With Jesus as our focus, all the rest will come!
We function in this program as a family-the family of God.
In that family we strive to treat each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Small group relationship building happens in several ways throughout the year, which is further described as you read on.

The program is designed for 6th, 7th, and 8th, graders.
Students are confirmed in the Spring of their 8th grade year.

Expectations
There are four basic components to our Confirmation program. These are all
required in order to be confirmed. They are:
Attendance at Wednesday Evening Classes
Attendance at scheduled Servant Events
Acolyte as scheduled
Completion of 20 Sermon Notes by the end of April
Attendance at Lenten Mid-Week Worship Services
Wednesday Night Meetings

The students will meet and discuss the lesson of the night, share each other's highs and lows of the week, and pray together. Trusting relationships are intended to be formed in this small group that will enable the students to open up and share concerns, questions, and thoughts about their faith and their church. Every attempt is made to help this small group be a place of trust, growth, and learning.

The guidelines for small group are simple, basic, and fair.
Students are expected to be on time, cooperate with the pastor, and listen when someone else is talking.

Scheduled Servant Events
These events serve as a bonding experience between the pastor and members of their small group. The goal of these events is to build trust, care, friendship, unity and healthy relationships through time spent together in fun, fellowship, and Christian service. These special events will create common memories and positive feelings which in turn will allow for greater depth of sharing in the small group discussion time as students begin to know their pastor both as teacher and friend.

Acolyting
Students are expected to acolyte as scheduled.
The purpose of acolyting is to learn what it means to serve the Church as a
member of the church.  Church service is a key element of our life as a Christian. It's important for students to learn that they are important and that they serve an important role in worship leadership when they serve as an acolyte.  Acolyte Training will take place during orientation/registration.   The purpose of the training is to teach the importance of the acolyte, why we have acolytes, and what responsibilities will be expected.  Attendance at the training/orientation/registration is expected by all students and their parents.

Sermon Notes
A sermon note is a summary of the sermon.
Each student is expected to attend Sunday morning worship on a regular basis. Not only are they expected to attend, but we want them to pay attention to the sermon. It is listening to God's Word that will strengthen their faith and reinforce the lessons that are being taught in Confirmation. It is for that reason, that we expect that all students complete 20 sermon notes throughout the year.

Sermon note forms are located on the table in the Narthex. The students are responsible for filling out the forms and turning them in to the pastor. Completed forms can be placed in the pastor's mail box in the hallway or in his office on his desk.

A sermon note can be taken from any church. If you know that your child will be attending a different church, have them take some blank sermon note forms with them, complete it, and turn that in. The Sunday bulletin from the
church visited should be stapled to the sermon note.

Retreat
We will have an overnight retreat at a date/location to be announced.   Retreats are times when the group has the chance to bond, grow, and develop stronger relationships between one another and other adult leaders in a relaxed setting.   The topic for this year's retreat is yet to be determined. Other activities will include games, singing, free time, group time, quiet time, and worship. 

A retreat is a valuable experience for your child and is often the highlight of their confirmation year.

Attendance Policy
Attendance every week is expected in order to complete the expectations of the program.  If you know your child will be absent please let the pastor know ahead of time.

Behavior/Discipline Problems
The students are expected to participate, to ask questions, to cooperate with their pastor, and listen when someone else is talking. If any behavior problems should arise, the pastor will first discuss the issues with the student. If problems continue, the parent(s) will be called to inform them of the behavioral issue. Remember - Confirmation is a voluntary program.  Parents are asked to discuss these expectations with their child prior to enrolling.