Confirmation @ Grace

Confirmation? What is that? The Latin confirmo can mean confirm but also strengthen and it refers to your baptism. Most people are baptized as infants, at an age where they are not really able to make decisions on their own. Their parents decided to have them baptized. That is why we have the ritual of confirmation at an age where you are able, allowed, and expected to speak for yourself and your faith. Faith is something that develops and shapes throughout our whole life. It's a continual process. The questions we have regarding our lives and choices change over time - and therefore it is good to be met where you are with your questions, with your experiences, doubts, challenges, hopes, and expectations - especially when you are a teen.
 
 
www.mtcross.orgTypically a confirmand begins in 6th grade and is confirmed at the end of 8th grade. (We are happy to discuss other timelines, if needed.)
  • Our program has a three-year cycle with all grades in class together.
  • One hour classes meet on Wednesdays at 4:30 (on zoom) and 7pm (on campus). Choose the time that works best for you on a weekly basis.
  • 30 Wednesday classes through the school year. (There is no Confirmation Class during 11/22 (Thanksgiving Week), 12/27 (Christmas), 1/3 (New Year), 2/14 (Ash Wednesday), 3/27 (Holy Week), 4/3 (Spring Break).)
  • Monthly Middle School Events with our Youth Director Elizabeth Hood.
  • Our confirmands serve as acolytes in worship on Sundays. You choose the dates that work for you.
  • Monthly Confirmation Mentor Program that meets between services during the Sunday School hour on campus.
    This is, in all seriousness, the best thing we do as a congregation.
  • Retreats at our local camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Mt Cross Lutheran Camp. The next Middle School Retreat is scheduled for November 10-12, 2023.
In addition to these elements we have fun outings and activities for people of all ages on Wednesdays—in particular, High School youth group, Adult vocal choir, Adult bible study group – and a cooked meal in Brown Hall, our Fellowship Hall at 6:15pm. Also, as far as our High School youth are concerned, there are a number of weekly activities that take place as well as retreats, school lunches, and preparation for Summer 2024 and the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans!

For our German friends, please note that Grace Lutheran Church is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which, through the Lutheran World Federation is the sister church in the United States of the Lutheran churches in Germany. With our Associate Pastor, Friederike Wekel, who runs the confirmation program, we have a German pastor from the Nordkirche on staff at Grace.