Vision for Middle School Ministry
To provide students with the knowledge needed to “grow up” into their faith by learning why we believe what we believe. This is engaged through study, conversation, and asking important questions so they can have the tools needed to begin engaging their faith in the world and be prepared to participate as adult members of the congregation.
Confirmation Classes: Grades 6 – 8
At St. Andrew, we believe that Confirmation is an opportunity for the church and the family to support students as they learn about our faith tradition and take greater ownership of their own spiritual journeys. We strive for a developmentally appropriate program that teaches the important stories/traditions of our faith, demonstrates a way of living a life modelled after Jesus, and encourages questions that explore the wonder and mystery of the divine.
What is the Rite of Confirmation?
At the end of the Confirmation program, students have the opportunity to participate in the Rite of Confirmation, also known as Affirmation of Baptism. In this ritual, the student affirms their desire to continue participating in the life and work of the church, including becoming fully-fledged, voting members of the congregation. This choice includes their desire to continue being surrounded, influenced, and guided by their church community, and it calls on that community to respond accordingly.
The Rite of Confirmation is NOT a point of completion. Neuroscience teaches us that adolescent brains are more than a decade still from being fully developed, so why would we expect a finished version of their faith? Instead, Confirmation is an important step along the journey of spiritual growth, discovery, and agency that leaves space for additional change, maturity, and development in the future.
How do we get there?
Our program teaches students about the core of our faith tradition by exploring the key stories, themes, and narrative arcs of the Bible, as well as excursions into specifically Lutheran perspectives on beliefs and practices. Everything is filtered through the unique lens of our values at St. Andrew, which features our five core relationships: with God, with Earth, with Community, with Neighbor, and with Ourselves. Our exploration of scripture focuses on themes that match our values, such as a liberative perspective on the Gospel and Jesus’ instructions to care for the most vulnerable people in society.
Our Confirmation program is NOT about brainwashing–it is about brains developing. We encourage students to ask questions, whether they are deep or silly. Our teachers do not clutch their pearls, but instead wade with students into the waters of curiosity. We do not fear wandering or wondering, but instead believe both to be important pieces of a spiritual journey, at all stages of life.
Whose choice is it?
The decision for a student to participate in Confirmation classes is often determined by the family, as parents seek to continue the faith development of their kids. For many families, Confirmation is seen as a right of passage—an important family ritual that has been part of life for multiple generations. We seek to partner with parents/families in this endeavor by creating a program that is safe, welcoming, meaningful, and fun for the students that participate.
Participating in the Rite of Confirmation, however, is a choice that can only be faithfully made by the student themself. We understand that this decision can feel very important to parents and loved ones, but we also recognize that everyone’s spiritual journey is unique. We strongly encourage parents not to force students into being confirmed against their will, as we believe this often does more harm than good for their faith development. In faith, we trust that the seeds of love planted in them as youth will bear fruit in time.
Students are welcome to join us at any point along the way. We strive for an interactive, lively conversation. Please feel free to come and try out a class. Contact one of our teachers for more information: Pat Christiansen, Allison Katsufrakis, Lynn Santelmann, or Randy Sinn.