March 21, 2016

Letter Topic: Upcoming Dates/Information for Confirmand Families

From Pastor
Justin Wiese
OFFICE

1300 W Benjamin Ave

Norfolk, NE 68701
CHURCHS WEBSITE

www.stjohnsnorfolk.com
PHONE

402.379.7805
EMAIL

jwiese@frontrowlutheran.com
FACEBOOK

facebook.com/frontrowlutheran

Wednesday, April 6, 2016: $21 for Confirmation Robe/Stole Due

Wednesday, April 20, 2016: Affirming Faith Project, Confirmation Verse, &
Assessment Due
Wednesday, April 27, 2016: Confirmation Pictures taken at 5 p.m. in St. Johns
Sanctuary, with Confirmation Rehearsal to follow until done
Sunday, May 1, 2016: Confirmation Sunday. Special Fellowship Coffee & Cake at
9:45 a.m., Robing at 10:30 a.m., Worship at 11 a.m.
This letter is being sent to St. Johns families whose students are on track to celebrate
an Affirmation of their Baptism on Confirmation Sunday, May 1, 2016, at the 11 a.m.
worship service. These students are:
Emily Ames
Ellie Boyer
Berkly Brummond
Rachel Carhart
Aaron Dittmer
Abigail Dittmer
Rylie Krueger

Kealan Kucera
Josie Miller
Morgan Murren
Seth Sanders
Cameron Sothan
Claire Thompson

Please know that there are a variety of things which will need to happen between now and then to
conclude their confirmation class studies, continue the traditions of St. Johns, and celebrate their
Confirmation Day.
All students must stop into the church office before Wednesday, April 6, 2016, by 5 p.m. to report
your height and to pay for confirmation robes and stoles. Please give your information and money to
Office Manager Gail Ermels. The cost will be $21 this year, and both robe & stole may be kept by the
students after confirmation. If you can stop into the church office before this date with your payment
(cash or check made payable to St. Johns), please do so, so that we can get everything ordered in a
timely manner. Feel free to call Gail at 402-371-1985 with any additional questions.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016, by 5 p.m. is a final due date for three items. Hopefully confirmands are
nearing the final stages of completing their Affirming Faith Project. An Affirming Faith Project
should incorporate what the students have learned over their years of confirmation, and should
ultimately present what their faith means to them at the present time. The objective of the Affirming
Faith Project is to help confirmands express their faith in our Triune God in a creative way which
excites the confirmation student and can be easily presented to and understood by others. Confirmands
are also to choose a Confirmation Bible Verse that will be shared with the congregation on
Confirmation Sunday. This selection from Scripture should speak words of comfort, strength,
meaning, etc. to the confirmand. You may search a concordance or the Internet for Confirmation Bible
Verse ideas, or visit with Pastor Justin. You will need to present a typed/written copy of your Bible
verse with translation version by April 20 so it can be ready for presentation on Confirmation Sunday.
The third item requested to be handed in by Wednesday, April 20, 2016, at 5 p.m., is a completed

St. Johns Confirmation Milestones Assessment 2016, which is enclosed in this envelope. This
assessment is an effort to assess a confirmands thoughts & feelings on the milestones of St. Johns
faith-formation confirmation curriculum, which spans multiple years (3rd through 8th grade) and
topics. A confirmands Affirming Faith Project, Confirmation Bible Verse, and Milestones
Assessment are all due on or before Wednesday, April 20, 2016.
A long standing St. Johns tradition of Van Allen Classic Portraits taking pictures of St. Johns
confirmands the Wednesday before Confirmation Sunday continues this year. In the coming days, an
envelope order form with the variety of portrait options will be available at church. Please make your
order decisions ahead of time, and bring the envelope and payment with you the day of the pictures,
which is Wednesday, April 27, at 5 p.m. in the sanctuary. Please dress nicely (shoes are seen in the
pictures), as a class photo will be included in the St. Johns Confirmation Wall Album in the Nazareth
Room for years to come. Note: you do not need to purchase pictures if you do not want to, but it is
nice to do so, as Van does not charge St. Johns a sitting fee. Following our portrait setting, we will
do a rehearsal/run-through of how Confirmation Sunday will go. While we intend to be done with
rehearsal by 6 p.m. on April 27, students will need to stay as long as necessary to ensure everyone
knows how Confirmation Sunday will flow, where to stand, where to sit, etc. Parents are welcome to
join us on this Wednesday if you so desire.
Confirmation Sunday is a morning filled with a variety of celebrations at St. Johns. Confirmation
Sunday is May 1, 2016. Please invite all of your family, friends, and baptismal sponsors to come and
join you all morning for this special day! Confirmands are asked to join the congregation in the
fellowship hall at 9:45 a.m. for coffee, donuts, and a special cake, so that St. Johns members can greet
and celebrate with the confirmands. At 10:30 a.m., confirmands will be asked to gather in the Heritage
Lounge to dress in their robes & stoles, and have parents & others make sure everyone is looking
good. At the beginning of the 11 a.m. worship service, the confirmands will process in from the
narthex and sit together as a group in the front of the worship space for the duration of the service. In
the midst of the Rite of Affirmation of Baptism, parents, sponsors, and other family will be invited to
come forward and lay hands on their confirmand as we ask Gods blessing upon each of them.
Concluding the worship service, confirmands are welcome to take informal pictures in and around the
church as they so desire. Pictures & video during the service are also fine: just be sure to have your
flash turned off! You are welcome to take your robe & stole home to keep: if youd rather donate your
robe to St. Johns, you are welcome to do that as well.
Please contact me if you have any questions between now and Confirmation Sunday. All of us at St.
Johns look forward to celebrating with your confirmands and welcoming them as voting members of
our congregation!
Gods blessings!
Rev. Justin Wiese
Assistant Pastor of St. Johns Lutheran Church

Name_____________________________________________St. Johns Confirmation Milestones Assessment 2016

What I know about & what I think is important about the Bible:

What I know about & what I think is important about Baptism:

What I know about & what I think is important about Holy Communion:

What I know about & what I think is important about The Ten Commandments:

Name_____________________________________________St. Johns Confirmation Milestones Assessment 2016

What I know about & what I think is important about the Creeds of the Church:

What I know about & what I think is important about Stewardship:

What I know about & what I think is important about Prayer & The Lords Prayer:

What I know about & what I think is important about Evangelical Lutheran Worship/the hymnal: