Pastor Erin's Monthly Message
Pastor Erin's November Message
Dear members and friends of St. John’s,
Last month, our Confirmation students began a new curriculum, called “Chosen Together.” They are part of a pilot program run by Pastor Natalie Hall which seeks to help smaller Confirmation programs be meaningful and help shape young people ready to take on the promises made for them in their baptisms. They will have their regular class time, online discussions with students from other churches, and more interaction with you, the congregation members who also made promises to them.
On each person’s baptism day, God’s people gather to add their “yes!” to God’s “yes!” This means that if you are a baptized Christian and part of a congregation, you have promised to receive other baptized people as wanted, loved, forgiven, and chosen people. Furthermore, you have made promises to be in relationship together with God’s people as they develop in Christian faith and life.
These (or similar) are among the promises of baptism made by parents, sponsors, and the congregation:
Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in Holy Baptism:
…to live with them among God’s faithful people, This is your call to be at worship and to participate in education, fellowship, and service with your church. Young people need to see how a great diversity of people engage the world around them in faith, and you are part of that plan.
…to bring them to the word of God and the holy supper, All baptized people need to regularly hear God’s Word (see the Third Commandment!) and receive God’s promises in Holy Communion. It is both for you and so that those you are with can see what God’s gifts means for you.
…teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments, place in their hands the holy scriptures, and nurture them in faith and prayer,
These are the tools of the church that help us put our faith into context and action.
…so that your children may learn to trust God, proclaim Christ through word and deed, God calls us to talk about faith and why it matters using both our words and actions. By speaking about and acting on your faith, you help others learn how they can do likewise.
…care for others and the world God made, You serve God at home with the people you call family, at work with your colleagues, at school with your peers, while having fun with friends, and beyond. By wondering aloud about and sharing examples of the way you seek to serve others because of faith in Jesus Christ, you give others a broader imagination about ways they can care for God’s people.
…and work for justice and peace.
Sometimes striving for justice and peace is as simple as offering words of comfort or a meal. Other times it is developing a larger project and action plan. No matter what, you are called to show up and thereby help others recognize their part in bringing God’s justice and peace to bear right in your own community.
In this congregation, we are eager and hopeful that you will regularly be available for those in confirmation to observe, ask questions, and engage in conversation about Christian faith and life. We believe you are among the best examples of Christian faith and life available to our growing young people!
Throughout Chosen Together confirmation, you may have confirmands approach you with questions or reflections they are considering in class. We invite you to respond in the following ways:
• Introduce yourself. Some activities ask confirmands to approach a church member they have not met before
• Answer questions from your own perspective. Some activities have confirmands asking questions about your own faith experiences or about life in the church. There is no specific right or wrong answer to the questions confirmands may ask. Instead, the questions are to help with faith exploration and community building. You are already fully equipped and qualified for any conversation a confirmand may bring your way.
• Be honest. If you do not wish to have a conversation with a confirmand (for example, you have an appointment elsewhere or are not able to share your answer), simply offer your appreciation that the confirmand approached you and ask that they find someone else to speak with that day
Confirmation is a “team sport,” meaning that confirmation is only ever as strong as the surrounding community. By being a member at St. John’s, you are committed by baptism to engage others in Christian faith and life through words and actions.
Thank you for your present and ongoing support of our confirmands!
In Christ’s peace,
Pastor Erin Jones
Last month, our Confirmation students began a new curriculum, called “Chosen Together.” They are part of a pilot program run by Pastor Natalie Hall which seeks to help smaller Confirmation programs be meaningful and help shape young people ready to take on the promises made for them in their baptisms. They will have their regular class time, online discussions with students from other churches, and more interaction with you, the congregation members who also made promises to them.
On each person’s baptism day, God’s people gather to add their “yes!” to God’s “yes!” This means that if you are a baptized Christian and part of a congregation, you have promised to receive other baptized people as wanted, loved, forgiven, and chosen people. Furthermore, you have made promises to be in relationship together with God’s people as they develop in Christian faith and life.
These (or similar) are among the promises of baptism made by parents, sponsors, and the congregation:
Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in Holy Baptism:
…to live with them among God’s faithful people, This is your call to be at worship and to participate in education, fellowship, and service with your church. Young people need to see how a great diversity of people engage the world around them in faith, and you are part of that plan.
…to bring them to the word of God and the holy supper, All baptized people need to regularly hear God’s Word (see the Third Commandment!) and receive God’s promises in Holy Communion. It is both for you and so that those you are with can see what God’s gifts means for you.
…teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments, place in their hands the holy scriptures, and nurture them in faith and prayer,
These are the tools of the church that help us put our faith into context and action.
…so that your children may learn to trust God, proclaim Christ through word and deed, God calls us to talk about faith and why it matters using both our words and actions. By speaking about and acting on your faith, you help others learn how they can do likewise.
…care for others and the world God made, You serve God at home with the people you call family, at work with your colleagues, at school with your peers, while having fun with friends, and beyond. By wondering aloud about and sharing examples of the way you seek to serve others because of faith in Jesus Christ, you give others a broader imagination about ways they can care for God’s people.
…and work for justice and peace.
Sometimes striving for justice and peace is as simple as offering words of comfort or a meal. Other times it is developing a larger project and action plan. No matter what, you are called to show up and thereby help others recognize their part in bringing God’s justice and peace to bear right in your own community.
In this congregation, we are eager and hopeful that you will regularly be available for those in confirmation to observe, ask questions, and engage in conversation about Christian faith and life. We believe you are among the best examples of Christian faith and life available to our growing young people!
Throughout Chosen Together confirmation, you may have confirmands approach you with questions or reflections they are considering in class. We invite you to respond in the following ways:
• Introduce yourself. Some activities ask confirmands to approach a church member they have not met before
• Answer questions from your own perspective. Some activities have confirmands asking questions about your own faith experiences or about life in the church. There is no specific right or wrong answer to the questions confirmands may ask. Instead, the questions are to help with faith exploration and community building. You are already fully equipped and qualified for any conversation a confirmand may bring your way.
• Be honest. If you do not wish to have a conversation with a confirmand (for example, you have an appointment elsewhere or are not able to share your answer), simply offer your appreciation that the confirmand approached you and ask that they find someone else to speak with that day
Confirmation is a “team sport,” meaning that confirmation is only ever as strong as the surrounding community. By being a member at St. John’s, you are committed by baptism to engage others in Christian faith and life through words and actions.
Thank you for your present and ongoing support of our confirmands!
In Christ’s peace,
Pastor Erin Jones
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St. John's Lutheran
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