Last Sunday we celebrated Confirmation Sunday, the unique worship service where a milestone is reached – our youth affirm the faith of the church as their own!
Nineteen youth became professing members. Among their assertions…
They said, I do to:
- a rejection of all evil,
- regret for their sin,
- confession of Jesus Christ as their Savior.
And I will to:
- serving as Christ’s representative in the world,
- and faithfully participating in the ministries of the church.
How did they get to this milestone in their faith journey?
How did they come to this powerful, public pronouncement?
Was it the spent weeks in Confirmation class, learning everything there is to know about the Christian faith.
Well, I’m hoping that we didn’t pin all of our hopes on a few months of classes! Or even a few years of Sunday school. It takes more than that.
Their faith will stick won’t it?
Well we can’t be sure. It is between God and each individual, but you can up the odds.
Don’t do like I did. Don’t leave the religious teaching to the “experts” at church. Don’t be hampered by your own lack of understanding (who am I to teach??) Don’t wait for Confirmation class to start the journey.
Here are a few basic examples of what you can do for your kids now:
| Their age (roughly) | Your words | Your actions |
| Birth | “God loves you” | Your care provides a foundation for trust in God. |
| Toddler | “God created all things” | Point out all of God’s creation all around them. |
| Preschooler | “The Bible tells us about God and his son, Jesus Christ.” | Read Bible stories at home. |
| “We can talk to God whenever we want and he will listen.” | Model and teach about prayer. | |
| And the list goes on… | ||
Don’t wait for Confirmation class!
Photo credits:
Photo from Confirmation Sunday from my archives.
First graders are big kids, but the older kids can look bigger! To help out with this, the 1st graders gather in the hallway outside of the Sanctuary. This allows all of the older kids to 
– because they are a gift from the church. But that is only the top layer of paper! The first of five layers! After the presentation in church, the children gather together with their parents for a special class about their new Bible. They are told that each layer of paper has a special meaning and to unwrap one layer at a time. In the past some students have saved a piece of each layer and created a bookmark. 
Family Faith Companion 