Confirmation Invitation

2017-2018

Confirmation Invitation

Burke UMC invites all students 7th-12th grades to participate in confirmation when they are ready and interested in being part of this deliberate time of faith preparation.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

– John 14:6

What is Confirmation?

Confirmation refers to the decision a person makes to respond to God's grace with intentional commitment, publicly reaffirming his or her baptismal vows before the congregation and becoming members of the church.

The confirmation ceremony occurs on Palm Sunday. It is the first public affirmation of the grace of God in one’s baptism and the acknowledgement of one’s acceptance of that grace by faith. In other words, the confirmand is taking responsibility for living as a member of the body of Christ and for fulfilling God’s purposes in his/her life.

Confirmation Calendar

October

29, 11:30AM-1:00PMMandatory Kick-off Meeting for Confirmands, Parents, & Mentors

November

5, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class with Mentors
12, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class
19, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class

December

3, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class
10, 10:30AM-12:30PMConfirmation Class

January

7, 1:30PM-7:00PMFaith Community Visit to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the

Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC

14, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class
21,10:15AM-2:00PM Faith Community Visit to Greater Little Zion Baptist Church, Fairfax
28, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class

February

2-3,4:30PM Fri-5:30PM SatDistrict Retreat @ Camp Highroad
9, 6:30PM-10:00 PMFaith Community Visit to Temple B’nai Shalom, Fairfax Station
11, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class
18, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class
25, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class

March

4, 10:30AM-12:00PMConfirmation Class
9-10, 5:00PM (9th) – 5:00PM (10th) Spring Retreat @ Burke UMC

11,10:30AM-12:00PM**Faith Community Visit to Ezher Bloom Mosque (**time to be confirmed)
11, 5-7:00PMConfirmation Dinner Event for Confirmands, Parents, & Mentors
18-24 Confirmation Interviews w/Pastor Jason (schedule w/Confirmand/Mentor)
25, 9:00AMPalm Sunday - Confirmation Sunday!

Requirements

We recognize that the calendar and requirements for confirmation are rigorous. We believe this process is worthy of attention, effort, and commitment. Every class and both retreats are required. If it is imperative that a student misses a class (illness, etc,), a make-up lesson will be available with a written assignment to be turned in the following class. We encourage parent participation with any make-up lessons. No more than 2 classes may be missed.

First Steps

Registration

Students in 7th – 12th grades who would like to participate in confirmation must sign up in the entryway by October 20 and fill out a Student Registration sheet. (Completed registrations may be placed in the “Confirmation” mailbox outside of Katie Webster’s office.) They will be contacted by the Confirmation Coordinator with additional information.

Following registration, they must identify and ask a mentor to join them for the confirmation process and plan to attend (with parent and mentor) the meeting on Sunday, October 29 from 11:30-1:00PM.

Note 1: All students must be baptized before being confirmed. This can occur the day of confirmation during the service, or prior.

Note 2: Please ensure Sunday School registration is also completed

Identify and ask a Mentor to join you for the confirmation process

A word of encouragement about finding a mentor:

Sometimes parents are hesitant to ask someone to serve as their child’s mentor once they see how much time and effort is required of the mentor. Please take a leap of faith and ask someone anyway! Let the person know upfront how much is being asked of them, and then trust that he or she will be honest about whether or not he/she can follow through. Experience has proven that the mentors often get as much out of the experience as the confirmands, and it is an honor to be asked.

It is also tempting to pick a family member to serve as your child’s mentor. We discourage this because it is important that your child establish meaningful Christian relationships outside his/her family. Our desire is for you to ask someone in the church whom you admire – whether you already have a relationship with that person or not.

If you have tried, but are unsuccessful in selecting a mentor, please contact the Confirmation Coordinator.

Mandatory Kickoff Meeting

Students, parents, and mentors must attend the kickoff lunch meeting on Sunday, October 29 from 11:30AM-1:00PM. Details of the program will be reviewed – and students, along with their parents and mentors, will have an opportunity to ask questions. Pizza lunch will be provided.

There are 7 Components of the Confirmation Process

11 Confirmation Classes

Students must participate in these 11 weekly classes on Sunday mornings from November 6 to March 11. Each class covers a specific theme and lesson specific topics. Class teachers will include the Pastors, Dir. of Youth Ministries, and Confirmation Coordinatoramong others.

Confirmation Retreats

Two retreats are scheduled, and students are expected to attend both retreats (winter retreat and spring lock-in) in their entirety. The total cost for both retreats is $150. Scholarships are available for those who have a need. You may pay the $150 fee at the beginning of the Confirmation process, or at any time.

Weekly Small Group Meetings

Students participating in confirmation must participate in at least one small group at Burke UMC each week. These opportunities are Sunday School/Confirmation classes (Sundays @ 10:30AM) and Youth Fellowship (Sundays 5- 7PM). We will periodically ask the confirmands to share their small group experiences.

United Methodism essentially began with a few young college men who started the first small group. Commonly known as the Holy Club, the concept of personal holiness and social holiness caught fire. The holiness of life was attained through these small groups that were called class meetings. Small groups of people would gather for prayer, study, and accountability. Small groups are an essential vehicle for discipleship – and participation in a small group begins a pattern that can be continued for a lifetime.

Worship

We have two expectations for worship participation:

Students participating in confirmation should be attending worship weekly. A notebook in the Narthex will allow confirmands to register their attendance and hold themselves accountable to regular attendance.
Students should choose one aspect of worship leadership to participate in between November and April. They can be an usher, greeter, lay reader, acolyte, etc. Students should contact the following coordinators to schedule:

Ushers - Bruce Tiso

Greeters – Rich & Susan Kapuscinski

Lay readers - Margaret Yowell

Acolytes - Erica Dahlin

John Wesley taught and practiced accountable discipleship. He knew what we deep down know today--we can't keep on the path with Christ without the help and support of other Christians. Without hearing the Word

read and preached, without gathering with other Christians around the table to share and feast upon Christ who is host and sacrifice for us, and without becoming part of the fire of the Spirit, we are like embers of a fire separated from the community of grace. We grow cold and the fire and flame of love grow cold and we die spiritually. We may still believe, but we stand outside the covenant in our practice.

--Rev. Dan Benedict, General Board of Discipleship.

Faith Community Visits

Students participating in confirmation will be required to visit 4 other faith communities. These visits will be coordinated by BUMC. We are visitors in other places of worship, please dress appropriately - no jeans or shorts.

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC, is the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States and North America. It is a place of worship, pilgrimage, evangelization, and reconciliation on behalf of the Catholic Church. We will have a guided tour of the Basilica and attend mass.
Greater Little Zion Baptist Church is a neighbor in Fairfax that has welcomed us for worship over many, many years. Out of the Baptist tradition, Greater Little Zion emphasizes that they are a church of “TLC: Touching, Loving, and Caring.” They embody that through vibrant worship, community engagement, learning, and fellowship.
Ezher Bloom and the Institute of Islamic and Turkish Studies was founded in 2007 in Fairfax, VA. In addition to being a house of worship, Ezher Bloom has a mission to be a resource to those who are interested in learning about Islam and to support interfaith dialogue. Burke UMC has partnered with Ezher Bloom for several years – hosting events for one another and building deep and important friendships.
Temple B’nai Shalom is a reform Jewish Synagogue in Fairfax Station led by Rabbi Amy Perlin. Guided by the Torah, they are dedicated to nurturing and sustaining a congregation of life-long learning, prayer, and social responsibility. Confirmands have connected with Temple B’nai Shalom for many years and we are grateful to partner with them in the community and in the work of loving God and loving neighbor.

Service

Service to others is an important part of faithful life. There will be a service component built into the Spring Retreat. Each confirmand is encouraged to participate in other service opportunities throughout the year; such as Second Sunday Youth Program, Middle school munchies, etc. There are plenty of opportunities - check the weekly bulletin for service opportunities. We ask that mentors participate with their confirmand; parents are also encouraged to participate! We will periodically ask the confirmands to share about their service opportunities.

United Methodists have believed, from the beginning, that each of us is called to participate in the outreaching ministry of Jesus Christ. John Wesley described this work in simple, practical terms: "Do all the good you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can." Putting our faith into action is at the very heart of our Christian calling.

Meeting with Mentors

Participate in 5 guided conversations with an adult mentor (detailed description below).

At the conclusion of these 7 steps, each confirmand and his/her mentor will be required to “interview” with Pastor Jason between our Spring Retreat dinner and Confirmation Sunday. A schedule of interview timeslots will be made available. Each confirmand needs to sign up for one. This interview is really just an opportunity for the confirmand to discuss their thoughts about faith and church membership – and to communicate their desire to be (or not be) confirmed.

Who’s Who

Parent Responsibilities

Assist confirmand in inviting a mentor to join them for this process.
Attend October 29 meeting with confirmand & mentor
Commit to pray for confirmand & mentor throughout process.
Read all information in this packet – and stay informed as to what discussions your confirmand is having with their mentor and in their confirmation classes. (While their conversation with their mentor deserves appropriate respect and privacy, you can follow-up with conversation starters that support the work that is happening in class and in conversation with mentors.)
Communications regarding Confirmation are done via email. Respond promptly to email queries and requests from Confirmation Coordinator.
Assist your confirmand in ensuring all the program component requirements are being accomplished.
Participate in family devotion. Invite all members of your family to a season of deliberate devotion using the prompts we have provided – or by discovering your own!
Attend dinner March 17, 2018 from 6-8PM.
Faith Community Visits are open to mentors & parents; join us!

Parent/Family Participation

We know that you are the primary spiritual leaders in your child’s life. Our goal in Christian Education at Burke UMC is to come alongside you and equip both you and your child in the process of spiritual growth.

We encourage you during this confirmation time to sit down as a family and engage scripture together. The SOAP method of Bible study is a version of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) where you move through a piece of scripture considering it different ways. We hope you will choose to sit down with your confirmand, or with your entire family, and engage this process several times in the course of the confirmation journey.

S: Scripture

-Write out the scripture verse. Read it aloud 2x (perhaps have different people read), and read it to yourself.

O: Observation

-What was interesting to you about this passage? Are there any words or phrases that stood out? Why?

A: Application

-How can you apply this scripture to your life? How will you let it change you?

P: Prayer

-Respond to God in prayer using the scripture and your discussion as a guide. Ask God to help you meditate and apply the scripture to your life.

While you can use any scripture references, here is a list of recommended ideas:

- Joshua 1:9

- Psalm 103:2

- Jeremiah 29:11

- 1 Timothy 2:22

- 1 Corinthians 1:25

Mentor Responsibilities

A mentor is an adult who is a guide to a confirmand:

someone of mature faith who can serve as a guide and companion on this important part of their journey of faith.
not “perfect” – but has a desire and a witness of living a life of faithful discipleship of Jesus Christ.
interested in encouraging a young person to express his or her faith and questions openly.
someone who can listen and recognize that he or she is still growing in faith, rather than an “I have all the answers” kind of adult.
the same sex as the confirmand.
a member of Burke UMC who is a dynamic Christian. (We require mentors to be members because they will share in vows of commitment to watch over the student in the life of the church.)
someone who can lead 5 required conversations (information on those supplied to mentor) on their own time with the confirmand, attend the interest meeting & spring dinner, join the confirmand for their first class on November 5, attend the confirmand interview with Pastor Jason, stand with the confirmand on Confirmation Sunday, and do their best to engage at other times in the course of the Confirmation process.
An unrelated adult. We discourage family members as mentors because it is important that your child establish meaningful Christian relationships outside his/her family.

As a safety precaution, we ask mentors to agree to the following:

never meet with confirmand alone behind closed doors.
never drive the confirmand anywhere unless another adult is in the car.
Always copy confirmand’s parents or the Confirmation Coordinator on any e-mail messages or messages sent through social networking sites.

If exceptions to those rules need to be made, please contact the Confirmation Coordinator to discuss.

Confirmation Coordinator

The Confirmation Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the administrative functions of the confirmation process. While this person may teach or lead at times, the primary function is to serve as the key bridge between parents, confirmands, mentors, and the church. If you have any questions, concerns, thoughts, or areas of this process that could use some additional thoughts, ideas, encouragement, etc. - the Coordinator is the first step.

Director of Youth Ministries

The Dir. of Youth Ministries will be doing some teaching, but serves primarily as a coordinator of the overall youth program. They are a resource for confirmands and an encourager of the process. They also work with the Confirmation Coordinator, and Pastors to design the confirmation process.

Confirmation Sessions

Date / Theme / Specific Confirm Lessons
Session 1
November 5 / Our Journey / Getting to Know You
Traveling Together – 10
Session 2
November 12 / Our Journey / Loving Together – 27
Belonging Together – 32
Session 3
November 19 / Our Beliefs / The Bible-135, 141
Session 4
December 3 / Our Journey
Our History/Heritage / Living Together - 18
The Faith of Jesus-42
The Early Church-50
Session 5
December 10 / Our Beliefs / Experiencing God-129
Session 6
January 14 / Our Beliefs / Faith & Trust-122
Session 7
January 28 / Our Beliefs / The Holy Trinity-150
Session 8
February 11 / Our Beliefs / Prayer-162, 168
Session 9
February 18 / Our Faith & Calling / A Spirit to Find – 248
Spiritual Gifts Workshop
Session 10
February 25 / Our Theology / Imago Dei-176
Life After Death-208
Session 11
March 4 / Our Faith & Calling / A Faith to Decide-220
A Faith to Confirm-227
Winter Retreat
February 2-3 / Bi-District Retreat Camp Highroad / Our History/Heritage
Grace
Spring Retreat
March 16-17 / Our Life Together
Our Faith & Calling
Our Beliefs / Worship
Music & Lyrics-94
A Story to Tell-258
A Journey to Continue
Who is God-156

Mentor Discussions

The model for the time with the confirmand (1 Hour each session) is:

-Welcome/How was your week?

-Share with the confirmand as described in the grid below. Each session, this is your opportunity to share honestly about your faith story. Remember that this is not about you having all the answers or doing everything “right” – but instead sharing from a place that allows the confirmand to learn how to tell their own story, share their own doubts, ask questions, and grow in the JOURNEY of discipleship!

Please share in an age appropriate way. The “Share with confirmand” piece should take no longer than 10-minutes, be honest – but also take into account that this is not a peer listening to your story, but a child who is considering their own relationship with God, the church, and the larger community of believers

-Ask questions and listen for answers. Don’t be afraid of silence. This is a chance for the confirmand to share bits of their story – or their questions. Allow this time to unfold – as guided by the questions and the Holy Spirit!

-Learn together by opening the Bible and considering what scripture has to say about this particular aspect of discipleship.

-Pray. Always close in prayer – sharing any joys & concerns and inviting the confirmand to share what they have coming up in their lives. As it becomes more comfortable, invite the confirmand to lead the prayer – or for you each to pray for the other.

Completed By Date / Share with confirmand
Answer the question below by sharing part of your faith story. / Ask & Listen
Now ask the same question you just answered to your confirmand. / Learn Together
Read the scripture together and discuss what, if anything, this has to do with our stories we have shared and the way God wants to grow us as disciples. A supplemental package for mentors will be provided.
November 15, 2017 / Who has influenced you the most in your faith?
What about them or their life inspired you? / Who has influenced you the most in your faith?
What about them or their life inspired you? / -Read Philippians 3:17 & 4:9
-Proverbs 9:9
-2 Timothy 2:2
December 15, 2017 / Describe turning points in your life and relationship with God or seasons when you have especially grow in your faith. How did you know what to do? / Describe turning points in your life and relationship with God or seasons when you have especially grow in your faith. How did you know what to do? / -Proverbs 2:6 & 3:5-6
-James 1:5, 4:7
-Isaiah 30:21
January 15, 2018 / What part of liturgy and worship do you connect with most?
What does receiving communion mean to you?
What does baptism mean to you? / What part of liturgy and worship do you connect with most?
What does receiving communion mean to you?
What does baptism mean to you? / -1 Chronicles 16:23-31
-Psalm 29
February 15, 2018 / What does it look like to be a faithful witness of Jesus Christ?
How is your faith part of your daily activities, relationships, & choices? / What does it look like to be a faithful witness of Jesus Christ?
How is your faith part of your daily activities, relationships, & choices? / -Hebrews 11
March 15, 2018 / Describe a moment or experience when you’ve felt God was present with you. How do you tend to encounter God? / Describe a moment or experience when you’ve felt God was present with you. How do you tend to encounter God? / -Isaiah 41:10
-Romans 8:38-39