Confirmation

Confirmation 2013-14

We begin our year on Wednesday, September 11 with our Orientation Night for parents, students and those volunteering within the confirmation ministry.  Orientation sessions will be held at both 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm, coordinating with your child's small group session.  We will meet in the Worship Center to talk about the schedule, expectations, and celebrate the beginning of the year.   Small group assignments, Bibles for 6th grade, and classroom assignments will be available on the 4th.  Please make plans to attend with your child!

Our confirmation small groups begin their normal schedule on Wednesday, September 18, with sessions at 4:30 and 6:30 pm. 

Still need to register?  You may complete the confirmation registration online here.  If you have other questions, please contact Amanda Berger, Pastoral Associate for Middle School Ministry at 763-475-7139 or aberger@spdlc.org

SPARK is the acronym of our faith formation program at St. Philip the Deacon. We believe that faith formation is equal parts Service, Prayer, Accountability, Relationships and Knowledge. We seek to create a holistic experience for the whole family that integrates faith into our everyday lives. Our three-year faith formation program is designed so that students will be nurtured spiritually, emotionally, physically, and socially as they grow in faith. At the end of this time of learning, students will experience the Rite of Confirmation, during which they will stand before the faith community of St. Philip the Deacon and profess their desire to continue in relationship with God as faithful members of our congregation. Our goal is to provide students with the tools and resources that they will need to learn and grow in faith for a lifetime.

Confirmation at St. Philip meets during the school year at two times on Wednesday evenings -- 4:30-5:30 pm, or 6:30-7:30. Pizza is served in the Center for Faith and Life from 5:30-6:15 p.m. providing a chance for students to hang out with friends and relax.

Curriculum Outlines

• 6th Grade
  Sixth grade begins with learning the basics of the Bible, which is the story of God’s interaction with His people from Creation through the death and resurrection of Christ.  Students have the opportunity to learn about their place in God’s story and foundational pieces of Lutheran doctrine.  They will learn about the Ten Commandments, The Apostles Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, and the Lord’s Supper.  Special emphasis is placed on understanding the person of Jesus.
   
• 7th Grade
  Building on the 6th grade curriculum, 7th graders delve even more deeply into the New Testament, beginning with Acts and continuing through Revelation.  They learn about the Apostle Paul and the marks of Christian discipleship.   Lutheran study also continues with Baptism, understanding the Holy Spirit, and the beginnings of the church.
   
• 8th Grade

Equal parts small group and large group learning, eighth graders have the opportunity to begin to put what they have learned in 6th and 7th grades into practice.  Eighth grade focuses on issues of relationships with friend, dating, big questions about God, and  understanding their unique gifts and talents, and various other topical session.

• Small Groups
  The basis of our confirmation program is in small groups.  These groups of 8-12 students have been randomly selected.  Each group has 1-2 small group leaders who have volunteered to give their time, energy and creativity to leading their small group of students.

There is a $135 annual registration fee for confirmation, which covers materials, curriculum, as well as an annual retreat.

If you'd like to request a need-based scholarship to offset this cost, please contact Pastor David Hoffman at 763-475-7127 or Pastor Tim Westermeyer at 763-475-7136.

To receive a copy of the Confirmation Handbook, contact Amanda Berger, Pastoral Associate for Middle School Ministry at 763-475-7139.