Confirmation Ministry

Confirmation Leaders:
Pastor Lynn Ronsberg ++ Pastor Paul Leslie ++ Paula Ross

            7:00pm Small Group Time
            Youth will meet with their guide groups for weekly check in,
                   discussion of the learning event topic, and prayer.

            7:40 - 7:45pm Sending in Chapel
            Youth and guides gather again to close in prayer.

Confirmation Calendar

September
7th - Session with Parents, Students
14th - Communion
21st - Worship Assistant Training - (8th grade helps with meal)
28th - Saved By Grace

October
5th - Sharing Your Faith Story    (Parent's Gathering)
12th - How to Identify and Avoid Evil - (7th grade helps with meal)
19th - NO CONFIRMATION
26th -  Youth Group Service Event

November
2nd - Questions and Answers With Pastors    (Parent's Gathering)
9th - How to Memorize a Bible Verse - (6th grade helps with meal)
16th - The Theology of the Cross
23rd - NO CONFIRMATION
30th - Inviting Others

December
7th -  Advent Worship with Mentors
14th - Advent Worship with Mentors
21st - Advent Worship with Mentors
28th - NO CONFIRMATION

January
4th - The Lord's Prayer 1    (Parent's Gathering)
11th - The Lord's Prayer 2
18th - Youth Group Service Event
25th - How the Church is Organized

February
1st - Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura   (Parent's Gathering)
8th - Being Righteous
15th - Q and A with the Pastors
22nd - Ash Wednesday with Mentors
29th - Lenten Worship with Mentors

March
7th - Lenten Worship with Mentors
14th - Lenten Worship with Mentors
21st - Lenten Worship with Mentors
28th - Lenten Worship with Mentors

April
4th - Holy Week Worship Service
11th - The Good News
18th - How to Care for the Sick
25th - How to Avoid Gossip

May
2nd - Youth Group Service Event
9th - Sin and Forgiveness
16th - The Priesthood of All Believers
23rd - Last Day Party

Our confirmation curriculum is designed to blend and blur youth group and youth education to facilitate an integrated learning environment that lasts a lifetime.

OUR WEDNESDAY EVENINGS TOGETHER - 6th - 8th Grades

5:30 Dinner in the Christian Life Center - Each Wednesday Zion Lutheran hosts a meal for Zion members and the larger Grand Rapids community.  A $4 donation is suggested.

6:15 Ru'ah in the CLC - We begin our evening with music, prayer and scripture.

6:30-7:00  Large Group Gathering in the Chapel - We introduce the topic for the evening,

7:00 Small Group Time - The Confirmation students gather with their Guides in small groups for weekly check-in, discussion of the learning topic, and prayer.  The groups are same-gender and same-grade.  The Guide is a Zion adult who joins the students at the Gathering and leads the small group time.

7:40-7:45 Sending and Departure from Chapel - We close with prayers and a benediction.

Youth Group Service Events - Three times a year the Wednesday Confirmation session is devoted to doing service ministries, such as: doing programs as a local nursing home, helping at the local food shelf, and doing work projects around Zion Lutheran Church.

Advent and Lenten Worship - In December, and late spring, we host Wednesday evening worship services.  The Confirmation students choose an adult member of the congregation as a Mentor who sits with the student during the service and have a faith-centered conversation together afterwards.

Sunday Worship - Confirmation students are expected to join the Zion community for worship on Sunday mornings (8:30 or 11:00am).  See the next page regarding Sermon Notes and Service Points.

Sunday Morning - Middle School Mornings - (9:45-10:45am)
Middle School students join Nikki Rud in the Youth Room for Middle School Mornings.  She'll intrduce a topic or activity that will continue again that evening.

Bible Camp - During one of their Confirmation years, we expect each student to attend one week of Bible camp at a camp like Camp Hiawatha (north of Grand Rapids). Scholarship funds are available.

Volunteer Service - We encourage our youth to engage in various ministries as a part of their call to discipleship.

Expectations for the Students:

* Attend scheduled confirmation events.

* Bring their confirmation Bibles, catechisms, and journals to each learning event.

* Attend worship weekly.

* Be respectful of the leaders, mentors, and other students.

* Complete 10 sermon notes each year.
Sermon notes are a tool designed to help youth listen to, learn from, and apply worship to life. Sermon note forms are picked up and returned in the Narthex.

* Complete 10 Service Points each year.
Service Points are given for volunteer service within the church and the wider church mission. These service opportunities are designed to help youth discover their gifts and call as disciples within the church. Three per year in worship, such as: acolyting, nursery help, special music or lay reading. Service points are also given for participating in Youth Group Service Events. A separate flyer will explain more about service points Service points must be turned in to confirmation leader.

* Bringing your child to church every Wednesday night (with Bibles, assigned materials and meal money) and to Sunday worship.

* Attend the Confirmation Parent Sessions on the first Wednesday  of every month.  Join everyone at 6:15pm for Ru'ah, attend the opening session with the students and then have a session with the other parents from 7:00 - 7:40pm

* Support and nurture their students as he/she grows in faith.

* Pray for and with your child.

* Discuss and sign service points and sermon notes.

When children are baptized, the parents, sponsors, and entire congregation promises to help raise this child to become a person of faith.  So, over the years, parents and the congregation provide age-appropriate opportunities for young people to grow in their faith.  We start with Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and devotions at home.  Then we provide opportunities during the Confirmation years for study, conversation, service, and have lots of fun together.  When we include retreats, weeks at summer camp, Synod Youth Gatherings, and regular weekly youth group activities, a young person can blossom as a child of God.  The Confirmation Service in the 10th grade is not a "graduation" from this faith development.  High school students continue in Zion's youth group, continue to go to camp, and become full partners in the ministry at Zion.  Being a child of God is a life-long joy.  The Confirmation years are a special time of personal and spiritual growth.  It is a wonderful journey we all share together.

Behavioral Expectations

We expect that students will be respectful of the leaders and other students.  Disrespectful behavior is contrary to the life we share in Christ, and interferes with the dynamics of our journey together.  Should behavior become a problem, students will receive one warning about their behavior.  If the behavior continues, parents will be contacted, and possibly be asked to attend confirmation with their son/daughter.  A behavior contract must be signed by each student and a parent.

9th Grade Confirmation at Zion

Theme: Growing in Faith Together

After three years of Wednesday evening Confirmation classes, the 9th grade year is a transition in to the Senior High Youth Group as well as entering the full life and ministry of Zion Lutheran Church.

Our expectation for the 9th grade Confirmation students is that the students will:

- Be active in the Senior High Youth Group,
- Worship regularly and assist on Sunday mornings,
- Participate in various ministries at Zion,
- Attend one or both of the 9th grade retreats,
- And attend the 9th grade Service Retreat to Duluth.

Wednesday Evening Senior High Youth Group - 6:15-7:45pm.  The Senior High youth begins in the CLC with Ru'ah - a time for songs, prayers and scripture.  We then go with Nikki to the Youth Room for a time of fun and conversation.

Sunday Worship Assistants - 8:30 or 11:00am service.  We look forward to having you  worship with us on a regular basis.  We also need many hands each week.  We will give you opportunities to sign up to serve as:

Ushers
Nursery Attendants
Band Members
Reading the Lessons (Lectors)
Prayer Leaders
Greeters

Advent and Lenten Services - 6:15pm Wednesday Advent services before Christmas and Lenten services before Easter.  After each service the Senior High Youth Groups gathers until 7:45pm.

Help with Zion's many ministries, such as --
The Crop Walk.
Serving meals on Wednesday night.
Raising funds for Zion's youth group trip to the 2012 National Youth Gathering in New Orleans.
Helping with GRACE House's annual rummage sale.

Attend one (or both) of the two 9th Grade Retreats scheduled for this school year, plus attend the 9th Grade Service Retreat to Duluth.

- Retreat #1 - 10:30am - 1:00pm on Saturday, November 5
     (after the Applebee's Senior High fund-raising breakfast)
- Retreat #2 - 10:30am - 1:00pm on Saturday, January 7
- Service Retreat - Friday -Saturday, March 30-31

We ENCOURAGE you to also participate in these areas:

Attend the Synod's High School Cardia Deo retreat March 2-4 at Big Sandy.

Go to a week of summer Bible Camp at Camp Hiawatha!.

Go on the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans next summer.

Over the course of the year you will be reminded and encouraged to fully participate in the life of Zion Lutheran Church.  You have gifts to share, and this is a place where you can be blessed for your daily journey.  Confirmation is a time to grow, explore, stretch, learn, have fun, and be a blessing to others.  We hope this will be a great year for you!