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Board
of
Christian Education
Confirmation Class
Outline 2007-2008
Confirmation
2007-2008: Rivers of Paradise
Confirmation is a faith exploration process that
takes
dedication and commitment. A confirmand must be committed not
only to his/her own journey, but also to the journey of the whole
class. No matter what the decision about membership at the
end of
the class, every young adult should spend time thinking about how they
want religion to be a part of their lives. Confirmation is
that
opportunity at Westmoreland. Confirmation will be exciting
and
fun, but it will also be challenging and even difficult. We
ask
that you and your families honor the requirements below if you decide
to take confirmation. We will have a covenant for both
parents
and confirmands to sign before the class starts.
Course Requirements:
- Attendance:
Participants must attend all confirmation classes. Each
confirmand will be allowed two absences; only one of these may be a
retreat. If a confirmand misses more than two classes, he or
she
will have to arrange make-up work with the facilitators in order to be
confirmed.
- Worship
Leadership: Each confirmand must participate in worship
leadership
at Westmoreland twice during the year. This means they must
have
some leadership role (scripture reading, prayer, music, choir, etc) in
a worship service (Sunday morning, Sunday evening or special service
like Ash Wednesday) during this year.
- Community
Participation: During the year, each confirmand
will attend
at least one youth group activity and one Westmoreland community
activity outside of Sunday morning worship.
- Prayer
composition: Each confirmand will compose their own prayer
(at
least five lines) to share with the class on Dec 16.
- Bible Study:
Each confirmand will present Bible study questions with a partner for
the class. We will have one pair’s Bible discussion in most
classes.
- Sermon Notes:
Each student will take sermon notes on a prepared worksheet for two
sermons during the year.
- Faith
Statement: Participants will each compose a
two-part faith
statement. The first part will be their written beliefs about
God
and religion. The second part will be an artistic
representation
of their faith (drawing, song, dance, sculpture, etc). They
should be prepared to share both with the class on May 4.
- Mentors: Each
confirmand will be paired with a church
member to be their mentor. They must meet together at least
three
times during the year: once for a Bible study discussion, once for a
service project, and once for a fun activity.
- Service:
while further service projects are not required for confirmation, we
strongly suggest that confirmands do social service and reflect upon
their faith while doing so.
Schedule
Sept 28-30: Opening Retreat (in conjunction with
all-church retreat) Faith, trust, covenant; Bible: languages, origins,
etc. Introduce Theme, Make Confirmation Notebooks
Oct 14: Creation and Science
Oct 28: Exodus and Ten Commandments
Nov 4: Psalms, Proverbs,
Wisdom, and Prayer
Nov 18: Stewardship/Fruits of the
Spirit, Possible
Spiritual Disciplines
Dec 2: Christmas (Who is Jesus and why did he
come?),
Christology (humanity and divinity)
Dec 16: Beatitudes and Lord’s Prayer
Jan 6: Parables and Religious Symbols
Jan 27: How culture shapes our understanding of
Jesus,
Sermon on the Mount
Feb 10: Sacraments, Rites, Worship,
Liturgy
Feb 24: Service, Justice, and Advocacy
(Faith in
the public square) Matt 28:20
Mar 9: Easter (Why did Jesus have to
die?) Sin,
Salvation, and Afterlife, Lent and sacrifice
Mar 30: Paul’s work and Today’s Church
Missions,
Living out faith in daily life
Apr 13: Church Governance, structure of
the UCC,
Westmoreland history and uniqueness, God is Still Speaking
Apr 25-27 (retreat): Religious tolerance
and
religious conflict/violence, Faith vs. Relativism (Post-modernism),
Creeds, Confessions, and Statements of Faith
May 4: Follow up on faith statements, plan
Confirmation
service
May 11: Confirmation Service
Leaders
Rick Alfonso and Stacey Fannon, Lay Leaders
Jessica Petersen, Director of Children’s and Youth
Ministries
Rev. Rich Smith, Senior Minister
Rev. Robert Maddox, Minister of Discipleship
Last updated Wednesday,
February 20, 2008.
1
Westmoreland Circle
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-229-7766
Email the church office: churchinfo@westmorelanducc.org
www.westmorelanducc.org
An
Open and Affirming Congregation
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