tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post36672481765772948..comments2024-03-29T04:31:15.219-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: Why do we confirm? What are the goals of the catechism instruction of the youth?Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-40034345832769684772011-08-25T00:18:58.273-05:002011-08-25T00:18:58.273-05:00This could not have come at more opportune time fo...This could not have come at more opportune time for me. Some people at my church do not approve of my 5th grader starting confirmation this year because their kids were not ready at his age.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05805071098838461003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-22394506896898472572011-08-24T21:05:11.939-05:002011-08-24T21:05:11.939-05:00Some years back the LCMS did a study
about the chu...Some years back the LCMS did a study<br />about the church activity of high<br />school students in our parishes.<br /><br />They found that the a teenager's <br />activity in church worship is in<br />exact ratio to their parent's <br />worship habits. Bottom line: If<br />parents are not in worship during <br />their teenagers high school years<br />do not expect their children to be<br />there either.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-90357058424480270392011-08-24T20:25:50.826-05:002011-08-24T20:25:50.826-05:00True - children are given a relationship with Chri...True - children are given a relationship with Christ in Baptism as a gift of God.<br /><br />Unfortunately parents fail to nurture that faith. Then they dump them on the church to fix things. No wonder you don't see them again after confirmation until they want to get married to another pagan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-80152211778991989822011-08-24T20:19:34.223-05:002011-08-24T20:19:34.223-05:00My LCMS Church puts together their own booklet and...My LCMS Church puts together their own booklet and CD for the parents to teach their children at home. They do have some group interaction with the youth director but the emphasis is on the parents teaching their children. Good news bad news, a lot of the families come from Catholic, Baptist, Non-denominational backgrounds. I believe that the youth director has a meeting with the parents prior to the start of Confirmation to familiarize them with the materials.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-10983162180798144292011-08-24T13:03:34.532-05:002011-08-24T13:03:34.532-05:00If you want to find the weakness of
the current LC...If you want to find the weakness of<br />the current LCMS, then look no <br />further than our confirmation classes<br /><br />Too many pastors have given this<br />teaching task of our youth to other<br />people like a layman, or the DCE.<br /><br />Too many pastors do not want anything<br />to do with teaching confirmation<br />classes for our youth.<br /><br />Until this sad trend is reversed<br />the Missouri Synod will continue<br />to have no impact on the next<br />generation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-25811104151774202782011-08-24T12:12:42.467-05:002011-08-24T12:12:42.467-05:00Oh my goodness! I just totally LOVE that photo. I...Oh my goodness! I just totally LOVE that photo. It reminds me of my first Holy Communion day lined up in the gangway between the church and the rectory before going in for the Mass at St. Joseph Croatian Church with one of boys tormenting us girls. AND my favorite irreverant Catholic blogger, the Crescat, has it in a prominant position on her blog page, too.Dixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08511317203353075644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-90769934151736157612011-08-24T09:59:38.388-05:002011-08-24T09:59:38.388-05:00I well recall a Roman Priest who told me "Giv...<i>I well recall a Roman Priest who told me "Give me a child until he is 10 years old and he will be a Catholic his whole life..."</i><br /><br />Oh yeah, that was a very popular saying prior to Vatican II.<br /><br />Now, with the U.S. population of lapsed Catholics at around 15 million, the collapse of Catholicism in Europe (witness the cultural Catholicism of Spain and France where people may still identify as Catholics but rarely go to mass), I'm not so sure any priest could honestly make that statement today.<br /><br />Catholics have just as poor and maybe even worse a record of losing kids after Confirmation as Lutherans.<br /><br />There is also the problem of our contemporary culture and educational system. One of my Lutheran nieces attended a private womens' college that focused heavily on global issues and diversity.<br /><br />By the time she graduated she was challenging everything she had been taught in Confirmation class.<br /><br />ChristineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-42059129502134850752011-08-24T09:41:58.408-05:002011-08-24T09:41:58.408-05:00Okay, first of all, love the picture on this post....Okay, first of all, love the picture on this post...LOVE IT! <br /><br />Secondly, our parish's Confirmation program is inter-generational, meaning we instruct the Confirmation-age youth with adults in a Monday evening class. The purpose behind this is to show youth that Christian education is meant for life, not just for Confirmation. Additionally, bonds are formed between the youth and the adults, adults who they see continually in worship and service around the church and community for years to come. It is for the adults a yearly review of the Catechism, and those who participate have never once complained of getting "bored," or desiring something "new." The discussion that arises from both the adults and youth converge as a wonderful testimony to God's activity in each one of their lives in spite of their being at different places because of age and experience. The added bonus to all of this, of course, is that the parents of the Confirmation-age youth are not only invited and encouraged to attend, they usually do, thus effectively reducing the "drop off" Christian education mentality (drop 'em off and pick'em up later!).Irenaeusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-27494831046031804442011-08-24T09:06:43.243-05:002011-08-24T09:06:43.243-05:00I was asked by the secretary of another congregati...I was asked by the secretary of another congregation what materials I used for Confirmation classes. I said, "The Catechism".<br /><br />But often Catechism class is a matter of sadness to me -- I love teaching it -- I love showing the reality of life. But... well, the ones who seem to remain in the Church are the ones who were brought to Church all the time by their parents before. I end up hoping that maybe my scant 60 hours with them over two years might plant some seeds.<br /><br />But really, that's peanuts compared to the influence parents, grandparents, or even the kindly neighbor who brings the neighbor's kids to Church.Rev. Eric J Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17747919365522145094noreply@blogger.com