To help parents keep the promises they made over their children at baptism, we mark certain significant events in our youths’ faith formation with Stepping stones.
Baptism: Called by name; infants, children, and adults are made children of God through this sacrament. In the waters of baptism our old sinful-self dies so that a new self, forgiven and saved by Christ, may live. All our Faith Stepping Stones flow from here.
3 Year Old Bible Presentation: Every fall we help parents keep the promise made in baptism of “placing in their hands the holy scriptures” by gifting each child with a picture bible during worship.
3rd Grader Bibles: Continuing to place in their hands the scriptures, when youth reach the 3rd grade they are given a Student Bible which they will use for the rest of their faith formation at Resurrection and beyond. After receiving their bibles during service, they are then invited to an “Introduction to the Bible” class with the pastor.
4th Grader Acolyte Instruction: As part of their faith formation, we train our youth to serve the church in the office of acolyte. In this office youth will learn about the service, the names of the spaces in the church and the liturgical furniture and fixtures. They will also learn how to light and extinguish candles and assist with offering and Holy Communion. Youth are invited to acolyte through their Confirmation in 9th grade.
5th Grade Holy Communion Instruction: In 5th grade we help parents fulfill the promise made in baptism to “bring their children to the Lord’s Supper” with first communion instruction. Over three classes during Lent our children learn about the history of the Passover, what sacraments mean to Lutherans, and the night that our Lord instituted Holy Communion. This stepping stone ends with the youth baking bread which will then be used for the congregation on their first communion day.
6th Grade Mentorship: 6th Grade is the beginning of the confirmation process. We invite the youth to pair up with a member of the church to act as a mentor and spend 10 weeks with them learning about one of the three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, or Luke). At the end of the year, the 6th graders will complete a “cross project” with their mentor and present it to the congregation. 6th graders are invited to join us for Confirmation Camp.
Confirmation: 7th and 8th graders are invited to join us for Confirmation classes on the Bible and Catechism. At the beginning of 9th grade, our confirmands participate in Underground until their Confirmation on Reformation Sunday. All middle schoolers are invited to join us for Confirmation Camp at Carol Joy Holling each summer.
12th Grade Quilt Blessing: As our youth have been cared for and nurtured in their faith by parents, Godparents, and Congregation, we send them into the world with a quilt to remember the security and comfort they have in God and the Resurrection family. To prepare the quilt, students will work with the quilting group and their parents during the spring semester and receive their finished quilt in May before graduation.