Grades 7 – 9
Our confirmation program begins the summer before 7th Grade with youth attending Confirmation Camp at Sugar Creek Bible Camp in Ferryville, WI. Classes begin in 7th Grade and focus on preparing students to affirm the promises that were made by their parents and sponsors when they were baptized. The Confirmation program is designed to create opportunities for interaction and fellowship as well as learning and service.
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- Courses focus on the foundations of the ELCA faith: the Bible; Luther’s Small Catechism; and worship and prayer.
- A capstone faith statement project, which allows the student to tell the story of his or her faith development, as well as his or her plans to continue to grow in faith in the future, is assembled by youth during the fall of 9th Grade.
- Periodic fellowship and service events at the church and off-site are an additional piece of the confirmation experience.
Confirmation classes for 7th and 8th grade youth typically meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30pm until 7:30pm from the first Wednesday after Sunday School starts until the end of May. Pastor Ellen leads the classes through the Bible and Luther’s Small Catechism.
Learning doesn’t end during the summer. The summer before 7th grade, youth are encouraged to attend Confirmation Camp at Sugar Creek Bible Camp in Ferryville, WI. Camperships are available to help offset the cost of camp if that is too much of a drain on family finances. The youth engage in all aspects of camp, including Bible Study.
During the summer between 9th and 10th grade, youth will meet with Pastor Ellen to work on their Faith Statement. This is a time when youth will be searching through family photographs for memories of baptism, communion, Sunday school, camp, volunteering at church, and any other moments that contributed to their faith formation. They also will choose a Bible verse that resonates with them. The writing component will consist of how they plan to keep the promises they will confirm at their Affirmation of Baptism:
live among God’s faithful people;
hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s Supper;
proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed;
serve all people following the example of Jesus; and
strive for justice and peace in all the earth.
Youth are confirmed in Fall of their 9th grade year.
If you are interested in being a part of the St. John’s Confirmation program, or for more information about confirmation and middle school programs, please send an email to Pastor Ellen or call the church office at 608-291-4311.