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Journey to the Cross
Confirmation Program
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The goal of this ministry is to lead young people into a personal, living and growing relationships with Jesus Christ through:
C onnecting students to God and others
R eaching everyone with God’s love.
O penness to following God’s will and way.
S upporting students and families.
S erving each other, the community and the world.
Journey of the Cross 2010-2011 Handbook
or print out the 2010-2011 Registration Form
6th Graders - Cross Winds
CrossWinds meets Wednesday evenings from 6:45 to 8 p.m. in the Great Hall.The program runs from September to May.
New This Year:
Lenten Mentoring- We know that youth who have 3 or more Christian Adults in their lives are more likely to live out their faith as an adult. We also know that our culture has done a great job of isolating our youth and adults and this has not benefited any generation. We want to provide a time and a space for our adults and kids to connect to one another around matters of life and faith.
During the season of Lent (March 9– April 13) all 6th grade youth will be paired with an adult to talk together about our faith in Jesus Christ. Youth and adults will meet one-on-one and go through a guided devotion so that they can share their faith. This time will bookend around the Lenten Services so people can meet before or after and all material will be provided. Mentors will be committing to share their faith for five weeks.
We know that youth are more likely to talk to someone who they know, or are interested in knowing. For this reason we are asking that youth find their own mentor. Some ideas might be: an aunt or uncle, a friend’s parent, a grandparent, a member in the congregation that is a family friend. We also will be soliciting the congregation for people who are not currently connected to youth. If you are stuck and need some suggestions we might have some.
The criteria is:
*An adult, at least 18 years of age (unless otherwise approved by youth staff)
*Someone who is not your parent.
*An individual who is a good example of the Christian faith.
*Someone you feel comfortable talking to.
*A person who is local enough to attend the events.
7th & 8th graders - Cross Power
Village System of Learning
The program focuses heavily on small group interaction, with half of the session time spent with a Pastor teaching a Village (5-6 small groups) and the other half with a small group. Villages will have the opportunity to learn, grow and interact with a Pastor as well as deepen relationships with other students and their group leaders. Village options include:
Sundays, 1 to 2:15 p.m.
Sundays, 4 to 5:15 p.m.
Wednesdays, 4:30– to 5:45 p.m. Wednesdays, 7 to 8:15 p.m.
CrossPower runs from September to May. CrossPower also includes 4 Family Blasts We will take a family focus during Lent in order to give families time to worship together.
NewThis Year:
Serving in Small Groups- We know part of our call as Christians is to be in service. Jesus calls us many times in scripture to help others. The Good Samaritan is a great example of this call. We also know when we serve with others it is a lot more fun and can bring people together. We want to provide opportunities for our small groups to serve with each other. Taking into consideration the many challenges that our society faces in regards to time and transportation we want to have this done during the regular Wednesday nights.
Villages, usually once a month, will meet as a village and then after prayer and a faith story, will be dismissed into small groups to serve on campus. They will be making blankets to keep people warm, decorating placemats for the Salvation Army to cheer up people’s sprits, and build prayer stools to help the smallest of God’s children find Sabbath time.
These projects will facilitate a way for our youth to use their gifts to serve others, alleviate the heavy load of needs people have and bond our small groups together in an active way. (These opportunities are not included in the 24 hours of Christian Service and/or fellowship)
Memory Work -When learning any subject, it is important and expected that you learn the basics and fundamentals. When you practice a sport, if you don’t have the fundamentals down, you can’t expect to progress and get deeper skills. Our faith life is no different.
When we are struggling, when we are at a loss for words, when we are searching for something that we know will remain constant in our lives, we need God’s words and teachings in our hearts and minds.
Youth will be expected, by the end of their Confirmation Experience to have memorized:
Apostle’s Creed 10 Commandments Lord’s Prayer
6 Bible verses (longer than 2 words - Youth team will provide options)
Know which books are in the New and Old Testament, but not in order
Youth will have 2 years to work on this memory work.
Youth will be tested on this material in the fall of their freshmen year.
If youth or families are stressed regarding this expectation, due to learning challenges, or memorizing difficulties arrangements can be made with the Team Lead or Youth Pastor.
9th graders - Cross Roads
Sunday Afternoons: Sept 19, 26 and Oct 3, 10
With the new worship times, and the changing of the High School Ministry we will be moving our Confirmation time to Sunday Mornings. At 11 a.m. all Youth and Parents will be in the Great Hall for a large group and announcements. At 11:15 a.m. youth will be dismissed to small groups and parents can stay in the Great Hall for a class aimed at parenting teenagers. Our time will end at 12:15 p.m.
Families Involved and Invested:
This journey has not been done in isolation. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other adults have driven car pools, attended meetings, sat through performances, volunteered and taught the youth and others. This last part of the journey also involves the family. We will have 2 different opportunities to interact together in a large group.
Sunday BLAST Family Nights– Four times within the year we will gather all our youth and their families from 6th-12th grade for a time of music and powerful speakers. We will be bringing in people and musicians from various places to help inspire families to live out their faith in daily life. Freshmen are asked to attend Sept. 12 and have an option to attend others.
Parent Teaching Times- On the afternoons when youth are in small groups, after worship, we will have a parent teaching time. We will be covering topics that are relevant to raising youth in today’s world such as: Facebook, MySpace and other internet places kids hang out now-a-days, what it means to be a Lutheran in today’s world, how to continue to raise a family of faith, and the struggles and joys of adolescence.
