Confirmation

Confirmation is a time for a student to confirm the faith that was given to him/her in his/her baptism and that has been passed down to him/her from his/her parents.

When Martin Luther wrote the Small Catechism, he wrote it for parents as a tool to teach their children. At the beginning of almost every section, he reminds us by writing: “As the head of the family should teach them in a simple way to his household.”

More than that, this is God’s plan for passing down faith (Deuteronomy 6): “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Equipping parents to pass down their faith also something that the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has asked churches to focus on.

We use a flipped classroom model, where each lesson has some pre-work, which is usually a video to watch and questions to start thinking through.

Then, during the class time, a Question and Response session allows for parents and students to reflect on the information.

Then families get into small groups with 2-3 other families and brainstorm ways that they can take what they have learned and reflected on and apply it to their daily lives.

Every family is different with different make-ups and needs. We will work with any family to find what is best.

By the way, when the term ‘family’ is used, it refers to a group of people who are living life together. That might mean ‘dad, mom, and 1.7 kids’ but that’s not the only reference. Your family may or may not be biologically related or share the same household.

The six chief parts of Martin Luther’s Catechism: The Ten Commandments, The Apostles’ Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, Confession, and The Lord’s Supper.

Understanding the Bible: Jesus & the Gospels, Old Testament Overview, New Testament Overview, Biblical Themes

Godly Living: Godly Stewardship, Godly Relationships, Worship Engagement

Families can begin their Confirmation instruction as early as 6^th grade but can start any time after that.

Parents and students are expected to attend the sessions and families are expected to worship together.

The Confirmation Curriculum at Trinity is broken down into 13 Modules. A student is eligible to be confirmed once his/her family has successfully completed all 13 Modules. The Confirmation Modules may be completed in any order (i.e. you don’t need to complete Module 1 to take Module 2).

Successful completion of a Confirmation Module requires attendance at all sessions for that Confirmation Module. If you miss a session, you will not receive credit for successfully completing that Module. Please do not expect your instructor to hold make-up sessions.

The Confirmation Module number corresponds to the numbered tab in your Confirmation binder. Keeping your lessons in that binder will help your know which Modules have been completed and which Modules you have remaining.

Each lesson has 3 components. See “How does the class flow” above. The success of these lessons and discussions in the faith formation of the students is very dependent upon the time that the parent chooses to invest with the student.

Confirmation Modules will be offered throughout the year and you are able to work through them at a pace that is helpful to your family.

Module 13 (Worship Engagement) encourages the worship life of your family. A student will successfully complete Module 13 when 21 Worship Reports have been completed, signed off by a parent, and turned in.

As soon as a family has successfully completed all 13 Confirmation Modules, the student will schedule a Confirmation Interview with one of the Pastors and an Elder.

After the Confirmation Interview, the student is ready to be Confirmed!

There will be two Confirmation Sundays scheduled each year, depending on need