confirmation at wplc
Does your child have big questions about faith, such as “how do I know if I really believe in God, or if it’s just what my family believes?” Do you want to ensure that the promises your made at baptism to expose your child to the Christian faith and life are fulfilled?
If so, Wicker Park Lutheran Church’s Confirmation classes are the perfect place to live out that commitment and explore these questions! At WPLC, we use the “Colaborate” series to explore the richness of Lutheran history and living, the Small Catechism, and the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures.
What is confirmation?
Confirmation is the culmination of a process by which individuals (usually in their teenage years) come to learn more about the faith of the church and make public profession of their faith. It is the process where those baptized as a child are exposed to the Christian faith and get a chance to discern if it is their faith.
What do Confirmation Classes Look Like?
At Wicker Park Lutheran Church, students will complete four units on the following topics:
- Hebrew Scriptures
- Christian Scriptures
- Lutheran History & Catechism
- Lutheran Living.
Additionally, each unit will include an interfaith component or a service project to deepen understanding.
Units will be offered on a rotating basis twice a year in four-month blocks (February-May and September-December). If taken consecutively, it will take students two years to complete the four units, but students may choose to take longer and/or complete the units in any order. (For example, one student might start with Unit 1, and then take Units 2, 3, and 4 consecutively in following semesters. Another student might start with Unit 3, and then take Units 4, 1, and 2 consecutively in following semesters.) The google sheet linked here provides an overview of the scope and sequence of the “Colaborate” curriculum.
After students have successfully completed all four units in the “Colaborate” series, they can choose whether or not they’d like to pursue confirmation. Those who want to get confirmed will take a few additional preparation classes. Students who attend the classes do not need to be confirmed.
What does it mean to “successfully complete” a unit?
Students must attend at least 75% of the classes in a unit in order to have “successfully” completed it. With weekly meetings, this looks like attending 12 out of the 16 sessions, and with biweekly meetings this looks like attending 6 out of the 8 sessions in a given unit.
What does a typical session look like?
Each “Colaborate” lesson focuses on three key elements:
- Framing the Problem
- Teaching and Learning
- Project and Closing.
If we meet for weekly, 50-minute sessions, each session will include just one “Colaborate” lesson/topic. If we meet for biweekly, 1.5 hour sessions, each session will include two “Colaborate” lessons/topics.
what’s an appropriate age to begin classes?
Students typically begin confirmation studies between 7th and 9th grades, although students are welcome to begin earlier or later depending on interest level and availability. A sign that your child is ready is if they have begun pre-algebra and are doing well; pre-algebra requires abstract thinking, just like much of our Christian faith. So too, if your child is starting to ask complex and reflective questions about faith, it might be a sign to consider confirmation classes! If you’re still feeling unsure, you can always check with Pastor Jason (pastor@wickerparklutheran.org).
how do i get started?
If your child is ready to embark on this incredible, interactive study of the Scriptures, the Lutheran faith, and Christianity, please indicate your interest through completing this form.
still have questions?
Please reach out to Vicar Sarah (vicar@wickerparklutheran.org) or Pastor Jason (pastor@wickerparklutheran.org) with any additional questions.
We will also be hosting an info session for interested families prior to the start of our first unit. The date and time are TBA and will depend on the results of our confirmation survey, so stay tuned!
