9/26 - What We Believe in the Apostle's Creed
Our first Confirmation Class last night went well. I hope to get in the pattern of sending an email recap each week that we have class in order to allow parents to stay informed and to catch any of the students up to speed who were late or missed class. I will also be posting these recaps here as a blog post.
Our lesson began with an activity in which students had to rate how much they agreed with different statements (using candy), beginning with an assortment of shower thoughts and moving into a survey of the Apostle’s Creed. Overall, I saw a group that thinks deeply and believes the basics of our Faith, but is also honest enough to admit that some of the things we affirm in the creed are confusing and will need to be explored. As we mentioned last night, everything in that creed will be discussed over the course of this class.
I also praised the kids who were there because they are embarking on what I see as a step into discipleship. To use the words of Bonhoeffer, they are putting themselves in a position where faith is possible. If we try to know Jesus but live the same way we’ve always lived, the same way everyone around us lives, it is hard to ever fully believe Him. Jesus’ first followers paid a high cost to follow him (leaving behind everything to go with him), but in a sense, once they made this choice to leave their lives behind, following Jesus became simpler than ever. Now that we’ve decided to attend this class twice a month, we’re in a place where exploring belief is far easier than usual. These acts of following are what we call discipleship and it is what we will continue to explore together.
We also hope to make it the start of something lasting. Emily, my co-teacher, shared her testimony last night and reflected on how Confirmation classes can often load you up with information and then leave you on your own. When this information doesn’t match with the darkness of reality it can be soul crushing. We do not want this to be a class that has all the answers, but a class that can introduce our students into the mature life of faith which wrestles with questions together.
It is important to note that the result of this class for anyone who is seeking it is full membership at ERC. Either way, this class will culminate with all students composing personal statements of faith expressing what they believe.
- Jashton