Affirmation Day

I realize that lately my blog has been quiet other than sermons and Monday Morning Church and while I could go back and post about some of my October adventures - Bishop's convocation, Blessing of the Animals, etc.  I won't cause well I'm just not that type of person.  But I can't let a week go by without writing about this past Sunday.

This last week we celebrated Reformation Day (the anniversary of the day that Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door of Wittenburg Chapel which is seen as the "official" starting day of the Protestant Reformation) and Confirmation of two of Bethlehem's young people.

Confirmation historically has been a period of time when teenagers study biblical stories, worship practices, and theology and at the end of a set period of time (normally between 1 and 3 years) affirm their baptism and take on for themselves the promises that their parents and sponsors made for them at their baptism.

For Bethlehem's two youth - Ryan and Tori.  They attended classes on Sunday mornings for about a year before I arrived as the pastor and this past school year we meet twice a month on Saturdays.  Our topics of conversation were everything from creation to afterlife, what are things called that are in the church to sex.

While the past two years have been wonderful, I wanted to share some of the things that we did during our worship service to make the day a little more special.

The confirmands came forward with their parents and their mentors (adult members of the congregation who the confirmation students picked last year that they have spent some time with and gotten to know).  After they affirmed their baptism, we had the entire congregation come forward so that we were all laying on hands while they were each individually blessed.

After the laying on of hands, everyone returned to their seats and Ryan and Tori faced the congregation and their mentors faced them and signed them with the cross with this saying:

Receive the + cross on your forehead, a sign of God’s endless love and mercy for you. Learn to know and to follow Christ.

Receive the + cross on your ears, that you may hear the gospel of Christ, the word of life.

Receive the + cross on your eyes, that you may see the light of Christ, illumination for your way.

Receive the + cross on your lips, that you may sing the praise of Christ, the joy of the church.

Receive the + cross on your heart, that God may dwell there by faith.

Receive the + cross on your shoulders, that you may bear the gentle yoke of Christ.

Receive the + cross on your hands, that God’s mercy may be known in your work.

Receive the + cross on your feet, that you may walk in the way of Christ. 

(From the Renewing Worship materials of the ELCA)

We then presented them each with a bible that their mentors, parents and myself highlighted with some of our favorite bible verses and individual notes written in the front covers.  

After this we then presented the new class of confirmation students and formally welcomed them into the confirmation experience (though they have already have had a few meetings).

It was such a wonderful worship experience.  And in one of those touches that happens at small churches and make things just a little more meaningful, both Ryan and Tori were baptized at Bethlehem and both of their moms were baptized here as well.