Importance: 10%
The Big Idea
notes copied from presentation on confirmation.
Ownership of Faith
- The Confirmand’s Baptismal Identity is Central to their Vocation and has A Liturgical Focus:
Quote
“First, a confirmand needs to learn the foundational tenets of the Christian faith and Lutheran tradition in order to understand the full meaning of baptism and baptismal gifts. In addition to fostering the intellectual dimension of faith, a confirmand’s faith is exercised and strengthened by regular attention to the Gospel and God’s preached Word, as well as by sharing the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist. Teaching the vocational goal of ownership requires that confirmands participate in worship regularly, because a believer’s ownership of faith is contingent upon the proclaimed Word in preaching and sacraments” (79, emphasis added). 3. Additionally, “confirmation ministry must implement the practices of humility such as confession, family rituals of forgiveness and reflective journaling” (79-80). 4. Practicing hospitality in the congregation (i.e., personally acknowledging the youth and knowing their names as they enter the corporate body of worship). 5. Allowing them to participate in worship (e.g., ushering, acolytes, etc.).
Membership in Christ’s Body
a. This means “that one is nurtured in belonging, loving, and caring for one’s family, church or community… Families and congregations help create the sense of membership with their young members by socializing them into the lifestyle that is centered around the Word” (80), i.e., intergenerational relationships. i. How might we build this sort of culture within our congregations?
b. Parents modeling the Christian faith is integral. i. How might we as pastors hold parents accountable to being good Christian models for their children?
c. Ministry of Presence: “The art of being there means that if we want our youth to know, to experience and to understand what membership in the Christ’s body means, we need to offer our presence and commitment to them both inside and outside times of formal catechetical instruction” (80).
Service and Stewardship
a. Cultivating in catechumens “the sense of care and stewardship for God’s creation and one’s neighbor” (81). i. Service projects, volunteer opportunities.
b. “The sense of care and stewardship is best inculcated in youth when we help them discern their gifts and career choices”!!!!!!!!!!! (81). i. Connecting youth with other adults in the congregation whose vocation is one that interests the youth.
- The Function of Confirmation: “The vocational model renders the understanding of confirmation as the practice through which a confirmand responds to a word of new beginning given to him or her at baptism, by confirming (responding to) the call of God’s grace through the works of one’s faith. Confirmands are challenged by the vocational model of confirmation to: (1) understand and profess their baptismal faith, and (2) take up their profession of baptismal faith through the ministry of active witness in the congregation and the world” (70).
- Goals of the Vocational Model: “…commissioning confirmands (1) to take ownership of their faith, in order (2) to become full members of Christ’s body, and (3) citizens of God’s global community” (70).
Important Things to Remember when Considering Methodology
- “At the socio-cultural level, young people’s lives are impacted by their relationships with their families, peers and religion” (72). Thus, we cannot ignore the world that youth bring into the classroom.
- “First, young people seem to prefer a spirituality that is a combination of eastern religions, new age beliefs and Christian mysticism [pluralism]. In the opinion of young people, faith and the contemplation of god belong exclusively to the private sphere of an individual’s life [secularism]. Second, postmodern youth reject the idea of absolute truth; instead, they prefer thinking about religion as a matter of personal choice” (72).
- “Those young people who are churched emphasize the need for a personal relationship with their pastor and “the need to have a congregation as a place for love, a place where they can belong unconditionally and need not fear judgment” (73).