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Welcome to the 2012-2013 year of Confirmation Class!

The Confirmation Class includes those 6-8th graders who are involved in a process of Bible

Study, Discipleship, and Service. At the end of these three years, the students decide for

themselves if they want to make a public AFFIRMATION of their BAPTISM. In other words, they

decide to take on their faith as their own and publicly state that they believe in Jesus Christ as

their Savior and Lord.

We have a ton of fun as we learn about the Bible, Luther's Small Catechism, and discipleship.

All students are expected to be at worship on a regular basis. All students are asked to acolyte

10 times in the next year during a mix of the 8 and 11 a.m. worship services.

In this packet you will find everything that you need for the year. Things are subject to change

but we hope to stick to this schedule as much as possible. The best way to stay up to date with

what’s happening with this program is to talk to your child(ren). Not all information that you

need may not always make it home . In that case, Pastor Aaron will update the church

website with the latest news and announcements. Please periodically check

www.stpaulwesterville.org, click the Education and Youth tab, and then click on Confirmation.

To contact Pastor Aaron directly, e-mail him at pastorlayne@gmail.com or call him in the office

at 614-882-7601, extension 2. Pastor Aaron’s office hours are Monday – Thursdays from 9:30

a.m. – 3:15 p.m. Pastor Aaron will be out of the office on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in

the fall as he will be teaching a class at Capital University on how to run effective youth groups.

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This Year’s Focus

This is what we call our "Discipleship" year, which means that this year we will be learning

about our faith and what it means to put it into action. I have been working since April to line

up opportunities for us to do things like tour 104.9 the River studios (and talk to an on air

personality and discuss what makes Christian music Christian), thinking globally with a

fundraiser called Nothing But Nets while thinking locally with an opportunity to help serve those

at Faith Mission. We will also have guest speakers that we hope will help our students grow in

what it means to live out the Christian faith.

It is with GREAT excitement that we enter this year and the service opportunities that we will

have. Please make every effort to have your student attend as many, if not all, of these

opportunities.

We meet every Sunday night from 6 - 8 p.m.

What do we do with those 2 hours???

From 6 - 6:30 p.m. we have a meal provided by parents of the group in the Fellowship Hall. There is a signup sheet on the Fellowship Hall Bulletin Board. Please sign up at least once. If there are blank spots left open once everyone has signed up, please prayerfully consider signing up again as you are able. During that time vital fellowship is experienced. It has been said that friends join friends, not organizations. No one reads the constitution of St. Paul Lutheran Church and says "I can't wait to join there!" Most join any church, community organization, etc. because someone invited them or they felt welcome. In order to aid in the formation of faith that we teach, it is vital for these students to have time for fellowship. It is certainly Biblical to have that time over a meal.

From 6:30 - 6:50 p.m. we play games with a purpose. We have fun playing games and then we relate those games to a Biblical story or truth. It is important to show that we Christians live with joy. Having fun through purposeful games helps to create an atmosphere that increases the bond between classmates and enhances the overall experience.

From 6:50 - 7 p.m. we have student lead devotions. The High School class will provide a short devotion for 6-12 graders. This helps the High School class to practice and get comfortable, through experience, with talking about their faith with others, while figuring out what they believe as well. The 6-8th graders see people just a little older than that are setting a positive example as well.

The time between 7 - 8 p.m. is our study time. The Confirmation Class stays with Pastor Aaron in the Fellowship Hall while the High School class goes to a different room for separate instructional time.

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The Cost

There are a few costs to fulfill what we have planned. The policy of St. Paul Lutheran

Church is that cost should NEVER be a reason why someone cannot participate. We have

the ability to cover the costs detailed below if your family is in need of assistance. Please

talk to Pastor Aaron and we can confidentially work something out.

The costs are detailed below:

Anti-Workbook – onetime cost of $22.50 per individual

The re:form Anti-Workbook provides individual and group activities to help youth engage the

tough faith questions presented in the re:form session videos.

This highly interactive workbook includes 192 pages of vivid illustrations and offers multiple

types of engagement activities including drawing, interviews, photo reports, scrapbooking, Web

searches, and an occasional thumb war.

Here We Stand Lutheran Study Bible – onetime Confirmation cost of $25

If you are a returning student, you already have one these. You don’t need another This

Bible features the NRSV translation as well as introductions, notes, and articles written by over

sixty Lutheran pastors and teaching theologians. This resource is designed to invite confirmation

students to experience the Bible and its message through solid background material, unique

Lutheran insights, and opportunities for faith reflection.

Winter Retreat – onetime cost of $94/2 = $47 per student!

On January 25-27 we will be camping (in cabins) at Lutheran Memorial Camp (LMC) for a Winter

Retreat! With chaperones from SPLC (including PAL & Lee) we will enjoy programming from the

LMC staff that will lead us in Bible Study, games, and prayer!

The $94 cost is split between the camper and the church, as St. Paul pays for half of camping

costs. This money is due around the first of December. This split is also in effect for our summer

camp as well!

Summer Confirmation Camp – onetime cost of $385/2 = $192.5/student for the week!

On June 23-30 we will be camping (in cabins) at LMC for Summer Confirmation Camp! With

chaperones from SPLC (including PAL & Lee) we will be diving in to a experiential encounter with

the Reformation. Campers will be transported back in time to 1517 to learn about the

Reformation in a wonderful way!

The $192.50 cost is split between the camper and the church, as St. Paul pays for half of

camping costs. This money and registration materials are the first of March.

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Worship and Acolyte

The most important thing a community of faith does is worship. Worship defines who

we are as Christians and it helps to shape our faith. It is where we gather to hear God’s

Word, celebrate the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, learn about God

and how God is in and working in our lives, and enjoy fellowship with other Christians.

That is why we expect all students and families to be in worship on a regular basis, that

is, to be in worship more than they are not.

As worship is no little matter, for the assembly to worship well the competent exercise

of various leadership roles is crucial. Acolytes are, first of all, members of the assembly.

But they are member of the assembly who have been entrusted with various tasks that

include lighting and extinguishing the candles, helping with the offering plates, assisting

in the distribution of Holy Communion, carrying the cross down for the processionals

and recessionals on festival Sundays, and other special duties on any given Sunday.

As this is a role of leadership, we are asking students to “dress up” for their time of

service. As a sign of respect for the leadership role they are fulfilling in the worship

service, we ask that the level of dress be at business casual or above. Please no tennis

shoes.

Each student is required to sign up to serve in the acolyte position 10 TIMES in the

next year (August 2012 – August 2013): 5 times at the 8 a.m. service and 5 times at the

11 a.m. worship time. Acolytes are not utilized regularly during the 9:30 a.m. service.

Certainly things come up, illness occurs, etc. If you need to switch your acolyte sign up

date, please do so by contacting another member of the Confirmation class and notify

the church office (614-882-7601) of the change.

While we will train on a Sunday night, you can also look at the video made by PAL on

how to Acolyte by going to https://vimeo.com/47955619.

During the times that the students serve this important ministry, they will be asked to

fill out Worship notes that are located in the front pew of the section nearest to the

choir. These sheets may be turned in on the table just outside of the Sanctuary.

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CONFIRMATION COVENANTS

“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as

an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.”

~Galatians 5:13

Confirmation is the affirmation of one’s baptism. During the confirmation years,

students will prepare themselves to make the following promises to God:

To continue the covenant God made in Holy baptism (discipleship)

To live among God’s faithful people (fellowship)

To hear his word and share in his supper (worship)

To proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed (evangelism)

To serve all people following the example of our Lord Jesus. (ministry)

CONFIRMATION COVENANT for CONFIRMANDS

I commit to deepen my faith through Bible study, worship, fellowship, prayer and

service in the upcoming year.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, I commit to:

o Glorify God with my life

o Pray in Jesus' name on a regular basis

o Respect, honor and grow with those in my community of faith

o Participate in this community of faith at St. Paul Lutheran Church by asking

questions & actively listening to others

o Attend class weekly

o Worship regularly with my family

o Honor my parents and communicate with them throughout this process

o Acolyte my fair share of times (see sign up on Sunday nights)

o Each time I Acolyte I will “dress up” knowing that how I dress in leading worship

reflects respect for what I am doing and who I am serving

o Each time I Acolyte I will fill out Confirmation Worship Service notes

o Attend Confirmation Winter Retreat and Confirmation Summer Camp at least

ONCE

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CONFIRMATION COVENANT for PARENTS

I commit to deepen my own faith through Bible study, worship, fellowship, prayer and service in

the upcoming year.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, I commit to nurturing my Confirmand's spiritual growth by:

o Glorifying God with my life

o Creating a home where it is okay to ask questions and share our faith

o Upholding Confirmation as a priority

o Worshiping regularly as a family

o Ensuring he/she Acolyte’s as scheduled. If that schedule needs to be changed, I as

parent(s) will make sure coverage is arranged and the church office notified.

o Ensuring he/she attends class weekly AND service project trips whenever possible

o Ensuring he/she attends Confirmation Winter Retreat and Confirmation Summer Camp

at least ONCE.

o Share in providing meals to whole group— will schedule soon

o I will pray consistently for our confirmation leaders and for my Confirmand.

CONFIRMATION COVENANT for LEADERS

I commit to deepen my own faith through Bible study, worship, fellowship, prayer and service in

the upcoming year.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, I commit to:

o Glorify God with my life

o Pray consistently for our class and parents

o Love and edify this class and seek Christ in each individual

o Prepare for each class through Bible study, prayer, and the Lutheran Confessions fully

knowing that what I teach is of faithful importance.

o Employ, to the best of my ability, techniques of Education Psychology and Multiple

Intelligence theories, all the while taking into account the appropriate stages of the

student’s development.

This a place of grace and forgiveness, love, understanding, growing in faith and fun.

We are looking to empower students for a lifelong commitment and discipleship of Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:2 says it best, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by

the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his

good, pleasing and perfect will."

If students and parents have both looked over this covenant, are willing to make this

commitment, and hold fast to the covenant with St. Paul Lutheran Church, please digitally sign

below.

DAY DATE TIME TOPIC LOCATION SCRIPTURE NOTES

Sunday 9/9/2012 6-8 p.m. Why should I follow Jesus;

can’t I just say I believe in HIm?

Fellowship Hall Matthew 4:18-20

John 3:16

Sign up for Hog Roast coverage

Sunday 9/16/2012 4-7 p.m. Serving at Hog Roast Fellowship Hall Mark 9:35

James 2:14-26

Follow sign up times

Sunday 9/23/2012 6-8 p.m. Why should I pray when God doesn’t answer

all my prayers?

Fellowship Hall 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Homework: Wordless prayer pg. 79

Sunday 9/30/2012 6-8 p.m. Why should I pray the Lord’s Prayer when it

feels like I’m just going through the motions?

Fellowship Hall Matthew 6:9-13

Matthew 6:7

Talk about how it felt to serve at Hog

Roast

Small group work on pg. 85

Sunday 10/7/2012 6-8 p.m. Can someone lose their salvation? Fellowship Hall Romans 8:38-39

Sunday 10/14/2012 6-8 p.m. Can I be a Christian without going to church? Fellowship Hall Acts 2:43-47 Remember to meet this Friday for 104.9

the River Day!

Friday 10/19/2012 10 a.m. -

12:30 p.m.

What makes Christian music, Christian?

What makes a person who is a Christian a

Christian person?

104.9 the River

Studios

Book of Psalms

Ephesians 5:15-20

Those who wish to car pool will meet at

the church at 10 a.m. Our tour of the

104.9 studios (881 E. Johnstown Rd.

Gahanna, Ohio. 43230-1851) will begin

at 10:30 a.m. and will include going in

the On-Air booth with on air talent and

music director, Eric Faulds. Jet Pizza

will be provided for lunch. If you can

send a couple of dollars to help defer

the cost of pizza, that would be great.

Sunday 10/21/2012 6-8 p.m. Why are there so many different religions? Fellowship Hall Leviticus 19:9-10

Romans 12:13

Sunday 10/28/2012 6-8 p.m. How can Lutherans believe in “grace alone” if

we also believe in “faith alone” and “Scripture

alone”?

Fellowship Hall

Sunday 11/4/2012 6-8 p.m. What’s a synod and why are there so many

different ones?

Fellowship Hall

Sunday 11/11/2012 6-8 p.m. Why do Christians believe Christianity is the

best religion?

Fellowship Hall 1 Corinthians 15:13-14

Philippians 2:5-11

Sunday 11/18/2012 6-8 p.m. Why are there so many different Christian

churches?

Fellowship Hall Acts 2:43-47

John 17:20-23

Sunday 11/25/2012 6-8 p.m. NO CLASS - Thanksgiving Break Fellowship Hall

Sunday 12/2/2012 6-8 p.m. Am I supposed to believe that Mary was a

virgin?

Fellowship Hall Isaiah 7:14

Things listed below are subject to change. Stay up to date via the confrimation page on stpaulwesterville.org

St. Paul Lutheran Church Confirmation | 2012 - 2013 schedule

Sunday 12/9/2012 6-8 p.m. Live Nativity Fellowship Hall All students are STRONGLY

encouraged to be a part of our annual

LIVE NATIVITY. You can be a

character or a behind the scenes

person--just come and be a part of it!

Sunday 12/16/2012 6-8 p.m. Singing to Shut-ins - NO Class, just singing :) Fellowship Hall Be sure to turn in all paperwork and

money for the upcoming Confirmation

Retreat

Sunday 12/23/2012 6-8 p.m. NO CLASS - Christmas Break Fellowship Hall

Sunday 12/30/2012 6-8 p.m. NO CLASS - Christmas Break Fellowship Hall

Sunday 1/6/2013 6-8 p.m. How do I stop doing things I know I shouldn’t

do?

Fellowship Hall Luke 4:1-2a

Romans 7:15-20

Sunday 1/13/2013 6-8 p.m. What if my friends aren’t Christian? Fellowship Hall Galatians 3:28

Sunday 1/20/2013 6-8 p.m. Did God create the devil? Fellowship Hall Luke 10:7-20

Friday -

Saturday

1/25-26/13 TBA Confirmation Class Winter Retreat Lutheran

Memorial Camp

TBA

Sunday 1/27/2013 6-8 p.m. NO CLASS - Winter Retreat Fellowship Hall

Sunday 2/3/2013 6-8 p.m. Why does God let bad things happen? Fellowship Hall Romans 8:28

Sunday 2/10/2013 6-8 p.m. Can I do something bad enough to make God

stop loving me?

Fellowship Hall Luke 15:20

Psalm 136:1-3

Sunday 2/17/2013 6-8 p.m. Mentor Meeting Fellowship Hall Confirmands provide food & drink

Thursday 2/21/2013 Afternoon Serving at Faith Mission...kind of SPLC Kitchen Matthew 25:31-46 Due to age restrictions, many of those

in the Confirmation program cannot

actually serve in the kitchen at Faith

Mission. However, you can apply for

an excused absence from school (if

parents find it to be good to do so) and

help in the SPLC kitchen to prepare the

food for some homeless residents of

Columbus.

Sunday 2/24/2013 6-8 p.m. Can you accept the theory of evolution and

still be a Christian?

Fellowship Hall Psalm 19-1-4 Look to Nothing But Nets week (3/17).

Sunday 3/3/2013 6-8 p.m. Does Revelation really describe how the

world will end?

Fellowship Hall Revelation 1:8 Look to Nothing But Nets week (3/17).

Sunday 3/10/2013 6-8 p.m. Was Jesus of Nazareth God? Fellowship Hall John 14:7

Colossians 1:15a

Look to Nothing But Nets week (3/17).

Sunday 3/17/2013 all morning Nothing But Nets Discipleship Fellowship Hall In the spirit of March Madness, we are

doing a campaign call Nothing But

Nets.

Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots

campaign to raise awareness and

funding to fight malaria, a leading

cause of death among children in

Africa. Nothing But Nets provides

everyone – students to CEOs, bishops

to basketball players – the opportunity

to join the fight against malaria by

giving $10 to send a net and save a life.

Youth, for one month prior, will take

pledge forms and ask for donations to a

free throw competition. For every free

throw that each youth makes in ONE

minute, people are asked to make

pledged donation for every shot that

they make. Of course, the real winners

are those whose lives are saved from

the nets we are funding.

Sunday 3/24/2013 6-8 p.m. If Jesus was God why did he have to die? Fellowship Hall Philippians 2:5-11

Romans 8:10-11

Remember it is Holy Week. Maundy

Thursday & Good Friday services are at

7:30 p.m. Remember the Flowering of

the Cross is on Easter.Sunday 3/31/2013 6-8 p.m. EASTER - NO CLASS Fellowship Hall

Sunday 4/7/2013 6-8 p.m. Did Jesus know he was God? Fellowship Hall Matthew 4:1; Colossians

2:9; 1 Corinthians 8:6

Sunday 4/14/2013 6-8 p.m. Mentor Meeting Fellowship Hall Mentors provide food & drink

Sunday 4/21/2013 6-8 p.m. Discipleship Event - TBA Fellowship Hall

Sunday 4/28/2013 6-8 p.m. Is believing in Jesus really the only way to get

to heaven?

Fellowship Hall John 3:5-6, 16-17

John 14:6

Romans 10:9Sunday 5/5/2013 6-8 p.m. Mentor Meeting Fellowship Hall Picnic - Mentors provide main dish, 6th

graders table settings, 7th graders side

dishes, 8th graders desserts

Sunday 5/12/2013 6-8 p.m. NO CLASS - Mother’s Day Fellowship Hall

Wednesday 5/15/2013 6-8 p.m. Confirmation Rehearsal & Dinner Sanctuary &

Fellowship Hall

6th & 7th Grade students and parents

organize and throw a dinner for the 8th

grade students to celebrate their

upcoming confirmation. Rehearsal for

this upcoming Sunday is from 6-7 with

the dinner beginning at 7.

Sunday 5/19/2013 6-8 p.m. Confirmation Day! Fellowship Hall

Sunday -

Saturday

6/23-29/13 All week Confirmation Camp Lutheran

Memorial Camp

The Reformation will be the subject of

this immersive camp experience.