Confirmation 2008 -2009

In the Rite of Baptism in the Lutheran Church, we are asked as parents and sponsors if we will support these children to be baptized with faithful attendance at church, reading of scripture, and “instruction in the Christian faith.” The Confirmation program at Emmanuel is our effort to teach our youth our Biblical heritage and to guide them in faith as they prepare for adult challenges.

Confirmation will begin Sunday, September 21, 2008 after the 11 AM service with a luncheon for parents, godparents, and confirmands. We will be sharing the schedule and expectations for this year’s program. We are embarking on a shared journey, one in which the confirmands, parents, sponsors and the pastors each have an important role. We are planning to use the same schedule as last year that enables us to teach both first and second year confirmands at the same time. Both classes will meet from 4:30 to 5:45 PM on Mondays when Montgomery County Schools are in session.

The first year of the program is a study of the Bible and will be led by Pastor Robert Lewis. The second year class will be led by Pastor Lookingbill and will examine church doctrine, church history, the Lutheran church, and Martin Luther’s Small Catechism.

Our first day of Confirmation classes will be Monday, October 6, 2008 at 4:30. This first meeting will be unusual in the sense that the confirmands will help prepare and deliver meals to the Community Based Shelter (CBS) in Rockville. We will need a few drivers to get the youth to and from CBS. We will return to the church around 8:30 PM.

When we meet on October 13, 2008 for our second Confirmation class, our regular schedule will be observed starting at 4:30 p.m. and ending at 5:45 p.m. Each confirmand is asked to bring a Bible, a notebook and a pen. The Bible should be one in which notes can be written. If a Bible is needed for this purpose, please contact Pastor Lewis.

In the Links on the right you will find the confirmation registration form for 2008-2009 is enclosed. We would like all confirmands, with the help of their parents, to fill in this form and include their full name, as it should appear on the confirmation certificate, even if you completed a form last year. Baptismal dates have been something that families have had to look up in the past and this is the reason for sending this form out in advance instead of having to complete it at the first meeting. Please bring the completed form with you to the luncheon on September 21, 2008.

Participation in Sunday School, as well as Confirmation Classes, is given high priority at Emmanuel. Therefore, we are stressing the attendance of each youth in Sunday School and Church worship. Confirmands will also help lead worship services as acolytes. Confirmands will be expected to use an English translation Bible (one in which you can write), Luther’s Small Catechism, journal and pen. Emmanuel will provide the Catechism.

In addition to weekly class, there will be retreats, trips, and surprises. There will be three retreats each year. Two of these retreats will be with Emmanuel’s confirmation classes in November (7 - 9) and January (18 - 19). The last retreat is the Metro D.C. Synod’s Shekinah retreat for 7th and 8th graders (March 20 - 22).

On Reformation Sunday, October 26, the confirmands will be presented to the congregation at the 11:00 a.m. worship service. As this is an important aspect of our Christian life, we want to include the whole congregation in the beginning of this year’s program.

This year we will ask each family to sign up to provide snacks for the confirmation classes. With the expected numbers of confirmands, each family will not have to sign up for more than three different weeks.

Traditionally we confirm the youth on Pentecost Sunday, which is May 31, 2009, the Sunday after Memorial Day.

We look forward to seeing all of you on September 21, 2008 and answering any further questions about our program and how your family can participate.

For more information, contact the Church office at 301 - 365 - 5733.