A Note from Pastor Shelly

October

We began the new year in confirmation class by giving the confirmation students a survey of general questions—questions geared to evaluate where the students are in their Biblical knowledge, theological understanding, and understanding of the church. Questions such as:

• “How many books in the Bible?”
• “What is the Reformation?” and
• “Can you explain the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament.”

The students’ answers to these questions help us plan the curriculum for the year. The surveys also help the students see their own progress when they can compare their answers later in the year with the ones they’ve given at the beginning.

The surveys, however, resulted in one outcome that we hadn’t predicted. Some of the students felt bad that they didn’t know more or all of the answers! First, that speaks to what a great group of young people are a part of this confirmation class. They truly care about what they are learning. Second, it brought up one of the matters that can be most tricky to convey in confirmation. Faith isn’t about obtaining a certain amount of knowledge; faith isn’t accomplished when one can recite the Apostle’s Creed or all of Luther’s Small Catechism by memory. Faith also isn’t acquired by dutifully sitting in confirmation class for several years.

But if faith isn’t obtained by those things, then why do we do them? That question of course pertains to all Christian education. And the answer is that we do these things because they enrich and enliven our faith. We continue learning and reading the Bible no matter how many times we’ve read it before because there is always more to discover. Our faith seeks understanding so we’re drawn further into the wonderful miracles and mysteries and truths of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. In a lifetime we couldn’t cover it all, so in several years of confirmation we just get a beginning. God is greater than our understanding, yet our relationship to God is enlivened and deepened by our seeking to know God more.

If you are looking for further ways to grow and learn in your faith, there are plenty of opportunities: Sunday morning Adult Sunday School, Midweek God Pause, Wednesday morning Bible Study, Christ Care small groups, W.E.L.C.A. Circle Groups, God’s Word in Everyday Life for 20’s and 30’s, and more. Many of you are also involved in Bible study and small groups in your neighborhoods and at work and in your families. It’s wonderful to be able to keep growing and learning together.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Shelly