We began Holy Week today with little ones waving palm branches as they made their way toward the altar, followed by 11 young men and women ready to make their confirmation vows to God—vows to follow Christ even unto death, to hear His Word regularly and to take His Supper faithfully. I was teary eyed from start to finish, listening to a group of young people articulate their faith with boldness and love.
75% of high school Christians leave the Church during college, a good many never to return. American Christianity seems to be failing at handing down the faith to the next generation. And by American Christianity, I mean you, me, our parents, our pastors, and our lay people. The statistics are startling and it seems that our answer to the growing mass exodus of our youth is to try to keep them around with activities, entertainment, music, and the like. In other words, we have often tried to keep them in the faith by serving up everything they can already get from the culture. Except that the culture does culture better than the Church.
What they really need from the Church are the things they can only get from the Church—confession and forgiveness, baptism, teaching, and the Lord’s Supper. In other words, they need Christ—His life, His death, and His resurrection delivered to them by the means of grace.
I didn’t grow up in a church that practiced confirmation, but I have been blown away by the commitment of our pastor and our church to hand down the faith of our fathers in a very ancient and intentional way. Our church describes it this way:
“Confirmation ministry is a pastoral and education ministry of the church which helps the baptized person through Word and Sacrament to identify more deeply with the Christian community and participate more fully in its mission.”
The girls’ confirmation class has been so good that I often stayed and listened in myself. There was no attempt to entertain and no attempt to make the class relevant or hip. It was a 2 hour class taught by our pastor for two years every other Sunday on all the major doctrines of the faith, extensive teaching on the small catechism, and a survey of every book of the Bible. The teaching was Christ-centered from start to finish.
He covered topics like the Trinity, the Atonement, Creation, the history of the ancient Israelites with all their wanderings and festivals, the events of Holy Week, the parts of the Divine Service, the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and their meanings, Law and Gospel, Confession and Absolution, Baptism, and Communion, and much more. The one thing my girls said yesterday after they were confirmed is that they are sad the class is over. Granted, our pastor is a gifted teacher and I could listen to him all day, but it never ceased to amaze me how much my girls, even at their ages, enjoyed and looked forward to the class.
I remember when our girls first started—I was secretly worried about the time commitment. We live an hour away from church and I knew that this would be quite an effort and sacrifice on our part. It meant that many Sundays we left home at 8 and got home at 3. It meant we had to say no to being in the Nutcracker one year. It meant we had to drive two cars to church sometimes. It meant that for those two years, this class was the priority and trumped everything else.
But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. And watching them make their vows to God and to the Church to continue in the faith, to hear God’s Word regularly and to take the Supper often was certainly one of the highlights of my life. In a world that shirks vows and profanes sacred things, it was one of those moments that touched heaven.
It felt like coming home—to the best things in life.
The Confirmation Blessing
O, Lord God and Father in heaven, I rejoice that through the waters of Baptism You made me Your own child and by Your grace You have raised me to faith in Christ Jesus. As I remember the day of my confirmation, I rejoice in Your gifts; You have made me Your own, You have made me a member of the Body of Christ, and by Your grace You have sustained me in the faith with Your Gospel and Sacraments. By Your grace I am able to profess this faith. I pray that You will keep me faithful to my vows to the Church and help me to stand strong in the faith.
Help me receive You gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation with humility and gratitude. Help me always rely on the words of Your beloved Son and on His body and blood to sustain me in the faith. All this, so that I may stand before Your throne on the Last Day, redeemed and sanctified, ready to feast forever at the foot of the Lamb.
Amen.
I highly recommend this podcast, called Giving Up Gimmicks and Reclaiming Youth Ministry from Entertainment Culture, for a different view of youth ministry and training.
I’d love to know what you think about the startling statistics of youth leaving church and how you think we can help stop the hemorrhage.
Did you grow up with systematic teaching something like a confirmation class? Do you think it was a turning point in your faith?
I would absolutely agree that many current churches try to serve The Gospel on a plate that is ‘appetizing.’
We are instructed in the book of life to boldly speak the truth…..that doesn’t mean it needs to be amplified, packaged, restructured in a safe non-confronting manner; it means to present the truth and Our Holy Father will open the ears and hearts of His people. The truth of Christ IS convicting and it IS all powerful!
Let’s let Him who is our redeemer rock the world…….not amplified, flashing antics of men. Whoa, I’m done for the day;)
Part of it may be a lack of faith in the life-creating power of the Word.
We don’t have to anything but speak it and the Spirit does all the work.
Thanks, Colleen.
🙂
I love this Edie! I have long said that our culture should not be part of the Church. We need to come into a Holy and Sacramental space where we can retreat to the ancient like you stated.
The pop music needs to stay outside the walls of worship so that we may know the line of separation.
Thank you for stating this so well!
I’d be interested to see statistics from liturgical churches vs Evangelical, regarding the leaving of people between high school & college. Living in the Bible Belt I’ve noticed an exodus from churches that are not liturgical to churches that are. I think the believers are looking for substance and a faith that isn’t based on rule following or morality. For my husband and I we left our Baptist upbringing to become Presbyterians and we felt like we were finally home in a church. Our boys are small but we are thrilled at what the future looks like for them in our Presbyterian (PCA) church vs the Baptist churches we grew up in.
I’m so happy to read and see your faith being passed down to your children. Thank you for sharing.
I don’t know if there is such a statistic but I don’t even think it would be that different because I think many churches are (even historical) are caving to a more entertainment driven model for youth ministry. But, I think the teens want more substance than they’re getting.
Thanks so much, Rachel.
xo
My eyes are filled with tears at the beauty of this moment of your lives.
I live in Arizona, which statistically counts itself in the high 40’s among states with active churchgoers. We searched for over 4 years to find a church.
For us the blaring rock music, shorts and flip flops common in the Phoenix church just weren’t home.
Our church is quiet, conservative and dare I say….traditional.
We realize we are not the “norm” for this area. Our son’s Sunday school class has just 4 members and the vast majority of the congregation is over the age of 60.
But each visit we walk away filled with peace and so glad we did not give up in our search.
Thank you for the reassurance that tradition is a beautiful thing.
In the 41 years that I taught Confirmation Classes that the students whose parents were antagonistic towards the faith or very involved in growing in their faith were the ones that really enjoyed the classes and learning about the Lord and their relationship with Him and His people. the ones whose parents were members but not enthused about their faith at home were the ones who really didn’t want to be there. Parents are the essential teachers–by their attitude toward the Lord and their relationship with Him and His people.
One other thing, Christianity is always relevant to daily life. And, the teacher needs to indicate that–how it applies to our daily life. Otherwise, it is just another religion which is basic head knowledge. The methods and resources by which we teach are very important also. Christianity is relationships–first and foremost –with the Lord and others.
Well said, Pete. I completely agree. Parents are the key here. We need to make sure we include Christ in our everyday lives, not just on Sundays. As our boys are elementary school age, for us that means in more routine ways … saying prayers during our school commute and before bed, attending church faithfully, saying the blessing at meals, etc … but I also include Jesus in our conversation. I look for ways to encourage the boys to find someone to be nice to at school that day or someone they can make smile. As they get older (my oldest is almost 10), I’ve noticed that the routine is slowly being replaced with the “spontaneous” … my oldest loves reading his “Action Bible,” which is the Bible in graphic novel form. It may not be “traditional” but he reads it all the time and he’s taught me a few things. 🙂
When I was a teenager, my social and spiritual life was centered around my youth group. We had great youth leaders and I am still good friends with most of our group. I even met my hubby there. Kids need their parents to show them the way, and strong church leaders/mentors who are willing to get into the fray and help the kids make it through.
Interesting post, Edie. Thanks for sharing!
I can attest to going to confirmation classes for 2 years but not having the guidance to apply it at home, and treating it as just head knowledge I needed to know. The last time I opened my Small Catechism was in 7th grade, until this year as a sophomore in college I was brought back to reading both Scripture and doctrine. Being on your own in college can be intimidating but it can also be a time to grow as an individual and find faithful people to lean on, like the pastor at the church near my college as well as many others in the congregation.
I grew up in the Catholic Church, but did not make my confirmation because of a disagreement between my family and the pastor. It still saddens me that I didn’t do it. When I was a teenager I felt so lost and after not being allowed to make my confirmation, I searched aimlessly for some meaning–trying the different churches of my friends. None stuck or felt like home.
After I had my girls, I went back to the Catholic Church. I finally feel whole again. And I watch my two girls and sometimes when I think they’re bored they surprise me. They absorb it all. And they love the ritual of it all, as do I. My soul is being fed.
We’ve noticed many familys of young children coming back to the church in our community recently. But I have heard discussions on Catholic radio about the mass exodus of youth during college years.
This is very encouraging Edie. I have seven and nine year old daughters and we are currently looking for a church. Thanks for linking the podcast. Brian Cosby articulated many ideas that have been stirring in my soul. Unfortunately, I was not raised in a church, nor was my husband. I appreciate posts like these that help me to see that our goals for our children are worth seeking. I love the idea of the “Good Old Fashioned Church” being the solution. To me, this means leaving gimmicks behind and getting out of the way of the Holy Spirit. Hmm, not unlike banning abridged books and filling our home with the classics 😉 Praying you have a glorious Holy Week
Kelly, I literally had to do a double take on your name because you wrote nearly my exact situation and thoughts on it. My girls are 6 and 9 and I’ve been looking for a family church for ages. My husband was raised Catholic and considers himself agnostic now. We went to church when I was little and then in HS as my mom’s solution to keep us out of trouble. I have no real foundation to base what I’m looking for for both me and my girls.
I only recently stumbled back on Edie’s blog and am so interested in her church’s philosophy and this post really drove home what I’m looking for. I live in Seattle, the home of hipster churches, and its never felt right with me. We drive past one that brings in a bouncy house & coffee cart every Sunday morning. Friends love it and their kids have fun but I’ve never felt like we got to the meat of why we were there, like it got lost in the rah-rah. I crave tradition and holiness and cry every year at VBS when the children sing anything remotely traditional. That is what touches my soul, not guitar riffs and drum solos.
Thanks Edie for such a wonderful and thought provoking post. I’m taking the girls to visit a Lutheran church on Sunday (making me one of the holiday Christians but I don’t care this year.) I’m optimistic, from reading your posts, that this could be the fit I’ve been looking for.
I’m a member of the LCMS like Edie, and I know that Messiah Lutheran in Seattle is a good church. Pastor Lassmann is a wonderful pastor and very smart man. Hopefully that’s where you’re headed this Sunday! Blessings.
Yes, check out Messiah Lutheran! 🙂
Thank you so much, Lauren & Evie! I’m actually just outside of Seattle now, in Kirkland (so hard to give up the 206!) and we are visiting Holy Spirit. I love getting a personal recommendation though!!! That is awesome. 😀
Love your post! I found your blog on Pinterest. I was going to say stumbled upon but I don’t feel I found it by accident. I was meant to find it. More than one of your posts have brought tears to my eyes. It’s easy to get “stale” spiritually sometimes by the cares of life but I have found your posts refreshing. Like rain to a parched ground. Be blessed as you are a blessing to others.
This is a frequent matter of discussion in our home because my husband is a youth guy. There is a quote that we have been living by, “We need to get our kids in the path of the Divine.” (Michelle Anthony) From there, God does all the life giving work. Unfortunately, all the other stuff gets in the way and our kids can spend years in church without having stepped into that sacred space. Why wouldn’t they step away?
The state of the American church, especially as it relates to teenagers and young adults, saddens me. In my experience, the church is woefully ignorant about what young adults really want and need, which is *real* people, honest conversations and a pathway to adulthood that is more than just “don’t have sex,” “tithe” and “follow God’s will.” We all need Christ, we all need the Gospel, we all need Grace, we all need a deep-down understanding of who we are and whose we are. Everything else is just window dressing (coffee shops, Lock-ins, parties, etc.)and I wonder if, as I did, once teenagers realize that, they grieve the loss and seek God outside of church.
I grew up in the Lutheran church, and was confirmed. I don’t think I fully grasped what that meant though, until I was in college. I am extremely grateful for the memorization of Scripture, the studies of the Word and its meaning.
We are not in a liturgical church, but I do think that my teens are thankful for the children’s programs and youth groups they attend, but I also think as parents, we are the primary source for them to hear, see, learn and digest who God is and what His word says. The church should be a place of continued learning. It is disheartening to hear those statistics, and I pray continually for my girls that they will continue to grow in Christ.
For those who may not have a spiritual home, it does need to speak the truth, honestly and in love.
So sweet…thank you for sharing…we are Anglican…and our kids do confirmation in 8th grade…my kids are still babies but I know it will be a special day for them…I grew up Baptist and was baptized as a tween;) no matter the denomination/tradition, seeing kids profess their faith as Christians for a lifetime is about sweet and special as it gets;) Mandy
The culture does culture better than the church is profound statement! Great thoughts here.
The church that I attended with my parents in my growing up years had a confirmation class. Yet, that is not where I learned about atonement, the wandering a of the Israelites, and all that you mentioned. I have learned about all of those elements through means other than a confirmation class. Yet, the similarity was likely that they didn’t strive to entertain but to give life through the ministry of the Word.
I love that you say that we need to give the world what they need, which is Christ. I love that you wanted to stay for the classes and that the girls didn’t want it to end.
So very true. While I do not attend a church that offers confirmation I can see the value of intensive discipling at a crucial time in our children’s lives. Unfortunately, youth ministry is geared toward large numbers & lots of fun. Too bad they’ve decided Jesus needs a gimmick.
I was so blessed to grow up Lutheran and be confirmed the spring before I started high school. I took the three year program – ha! – because of a move midway through. I remember A LOT of memorization – and because the pastor that ended up confirming me was old school, it was all done in the KJV while the other half was NIV. I never know what Lord’s Prayer to say! Trespasses or Sins? Who knows?!
The benefit I personally saw with having confirmation at this point in my life wasn’t so much being able to apply it right away, but having all this knowledge and Scripture written in my memory for those ah-hah moments throughout my life. I am extremely grateful for this!
My almost 14 year old son will be confirmed next month. He’s been primarily taught by my pastor husband. Along with all the points you listed that my husbands teaches his classes year after year, he’s added some creationism. On the cusp of high school and adulthood, Darwinism will be used by Satan in an attempt to break unsuspecting young believers. If they are not equipped for this fight with the truth of Scripture and a trusted place to go for answers when (not if) they fight this battle, we as a church risk their souls.
I did not grow up in church but when I turned 12 I was dropped off at confirmation class for two years and now that I am active and raising my kids in the church, I wish I would have appreciated it more. Our church struggles with keeping young people after they graduate confirmation class or high school or college and I agree it doesn’t mean we make the church service more of a video and less liturgical to bring young people in and to retain them. I think we live in a culture where parents do not emphasis church attendance for mainstream church denominations and it’s a shame.
Amen, sister, Amen. Our oldest son is a junior in high school beginning the college search. Every time he mentions a particular college, I get online to check out the churches around the college as well as the on campus religious life. So many colleges don’t even have a religious life office anymore! Part of him finding the “right fit” definitely means having the opportunity to worship and participate in a solid confessional church. If there isn’t one near a college he’s interested in, I’m not above throwing that college’s info in the trash. It’s that important to us that he be supported spiritually while at college. It’s a crazy world out there! 🙂
Thanks for these insightful comments on the importance of training the next generation of believers. As a Christian working with science majors at a large state university, I am sometimes amazed at the number of students who come to me with issues of a spiritual nature. I stay in close touch with the various denominational organizations and our local churches near campus so that I can point students toward the ones where they might best find a good fit. To think that I nearly declined this job opportunity over fifteen years ago because I was worried about working with “a bunch of atheist scientists!” As my Bible study leader said at the time, “Maybe God needs someone on the inside.” I try daily to be that person, and I am encouraged at the number of students who are seeking a relationship with God, even in their tumultuous college years. I know that my own daughter benefited tremendously from the campus ministry she attended for five years as a student, and a sixth year after she graduated. As a gainfully employed adult, she now provides financial support so that today’s students might be served in the way she was. Hold your ground on this one – keeping them involved through college is a challenge, but it will make all the difference!
So glad you’re there on the inside!
I just came back from a homeschool conference where they addressed this from a unique perspective. Basically, they said that a significant reason for people leaving the church is often based on creation vs. evolution. Kids are being taught one thing by their parents- divine creation, and then are being indoctrinated by another at school- evolution. And that kids are struggling with what they are being told by two different sources that are supposed to both be trustworthy. Two very different opinions are being offered and they do not match. Because kids are not given a solid foundation in creation science with things like carbon and collage decay rates, etc., they have no way to rebuff evolutionists, and thus slowly lose their face in the Bible and what they believe. Because if part of it is wrong, how can you trust any of it?
It was quite interesting, I have to admit.
Loved reading your post today. I was raised in a very charismatic, evangelical tradition but now that my husband is an Army Chaplain, we (as a family) are being exposed to a much more ecumenical view of Protestantism. It has been very refreshing and enlightening to experience both low-church and high-church traditions. One God, one family of Believers. As our children are moving from children to tweens/teens my husband and I have had such a heart to make sure they are in love with Jesus, not an experience at church. We want them to know the doctrines and truths of our faith, not (as the podcast suggests) gimmicks.
I did find it humorous/ironic that the background music to the Issues Podcast is (what sounds like) Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.” Not very liturgical or traditional, huh? Long live life =)
Edie, I’m a longtime reader of yours. Loved that you threw down the statistic about young Christians leaving faith in college. I’m a missionary with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: the university is our field! God moves in incredible ways when He calls His beloved during college. You may want to connect with a local chapter (http://intervarsity.org/chapters) I think you’d be an excellent mentor on campus! It’s a very rewarding time to enter into someone’s life.
Edie ~ What a very sweet day for your beautiful daughters and your family.
One of the things I love about your blog is that it is complex. You ask tough questions and you’re not afraid to speak on sensitive topics. These questions are complex with no one size fits all answer. I served in College Ministry (the forgotten ones in “the” church). I believe many people leave the church over pride and hypocrisy. Sometimes it’s the churches and sometimes it’s theirs. Our culture is pulling our young people away. I think the family has more responsibility here than the church. The church is to gather round us. We are all seeking different things, whether we realize it or not and no matter our age. What feeds one may not feed another. God speaks to each of us in unique ways that we will hear. And let us not forget that God loves all forms of worship. Anything done with a pure heart glorifies him. I attend an RCA church that still has a traditional service along with 3 contemporary. It has been a journey…yet we all love and serve Christ.
I was not raised in church so I have no experience with catechism class. I do know that any instruction is subjective because we all teach and learn uniquely. And that’s as nice as I can put that. =)
My kids are still young, my oldest is 6, but I hope that it helps that we do catechesis at home each night along with a devotion. We have the kids make the sign of the cross to remember their baptisms, say the Apostle’s Creed (which even the 2yo can do), the Lord’s Prayer, Luther’s Evening Prayer, and also do some memory work (like a commandment and its meaning or what confession means). I hope that by memorizing these things and why they are important as young kids they know where to turn and what the answers are when they are older. I grew up LCMS, but was never catechized at my church. Sure, I was confirmed, but I never memorized anything, and I don’t even remember opening my Bible in my classes. I was in my 20s when my husband finally realized that I didn’t know that my baptism saves me. I think that teaching our kids at home will make a big impact on how they see church and what they think the role of church should be when they are older.
I grew up going to church, a small LCA church, then went to a Presbyterian senior high youth group, fell far away from church in college, went to an Episcopalian church (I still have the sermon memorized) after marriage and after we had kids we wanted a church with a great youth program. Never did these churches encourage reading the Bible and studying God’s word or about the relationship God wants with each and every one of us. I joined a women’s Bible study in 2001 at age 37 that I discovered who Jesus was. I am not knocking any of these churches, but I never got it. I don’t think it matters what church you go to, but that you are given a Biblically based message, that encourages you to know God through his word. (We found one of those large rock n roll churches, which isn’t for everyone.). My daughters go to a large university (in a pretty dark town), and their Sundays start with going to church, spending time in Bible study and small groups, in which the students support and encourage each other in their faith. I wish I would have done college like they are.
God Bless your lovely daughters on their confirmation. We are all (5 of us) confirmed Lutherans in our family. I loved my confirmation class and the day of confirmation. I believe I came to know Christ way back in nursery school sunday school, but affirmed my faith, some might say “born again” in Confirmation class. It was huge. I haven’t thought of the entertainment factor in youth ministry, but it is alive and prevalent, and I think you just might be right. Real faith is born in fundamental, dedicated learning about our Lord and building a relationship. BIG food for thought. So blessed by your commitment to your faith. Bless you.
Love this post. I am so thankful for your ability to share the Faith with such clarity and grace.
I have been in church my whole life. Growing, teaching, worshipping, learning. A couple of years ago I took notice of the fact that college age youth were leaving and never returning. It broke my heart. These are the kids that so much had been given to. I believe that we gave them so much in the form of entertainment, pizza parties, we separated them from the “grown up” church that they were let down when the over stimulation ended.
We left out the most important part…DISCIPLESHIP. We made them consumers instead of servants. It’s about what church could give them and not about knowing Jesus…real relationship. My heart breaks over this. All is not lost though. We are seeing a return to the church. They can only be entertained for so long. After too much cake, you need meat. That’s where the historical churches have it in spades over the others. I am Pentecostal in every sense of the word. But our church has a strong historical grounding. I am not saying that the other churches are bad. They are doing a good work and they love Jesus. We are in this together. We all work within the knowledge and understanding that we have been given.
Sorry for taking up so much space. Thank you for sharing your heart. Be Blessed.
I was raised Southern Baptist, attending church from the time I was 2 weeks old (if not sooner), in a family full of ministers, missionaries and lay people that were actively involved in their churches and communities. I was fortunate to have excellent teachers, preachers and a youth minister who led by example on how to live out my faith. Of course the most obvious examples were those that I lived with day to day, my parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles. As the wife of a youth minister I see all too often parents who simply drop off their teens at church and expect their needs to be met solely by the ministers and volunteers and don’t take any responsibility in their children’s spiritual growth. Parents play the most important role in shaping their kids, not only morally but also spiritually. Not just telling them what you believe but getting into the Word and providing examples of why you believe what you believe. With regards to churches and the many different styles that are out there now, I don’t think one is necessarily more “spirit filled” than another. As long as the leaders are seeking to truly honor God and not there to perform and put on a show, I think there is room for both traditional and contemporary.
I would agree that the study of God’s word is invaluable. As well as how to dig deep and apply it personally. Our family has been attending Bible Study Fellowship (bsfinternational.org) with our children who are 14, 11, and 9. It has been amazing. They study at their level and since we are all studying the same passage, spontanious discussions with application from scripture happen naturally as we go about our days.
Since I came to faith in my 20’s, not having grown up in church, and my children are not yet college age, I can’t speak to the effect it will have on them in that way. But for our family today; it has been the best tool ever for all of us in knowing Christ and His word.
As a mother of 2 teens in an LCMS church I can see how easy it is to decide that we need to have a “youth program” full of activities and fun. I do see the need for some fellowship, I think, but really isn’t the church just the picture of the body of Christ? Shouldn’t we be encouraging our youth to be the hands, feet, or any other part of the body-not their own group? Our culture is so youth centered and it is spilling over into our churches. Maybe the phrase “ask not what your church can do for you, but what can you do for your church” (i.e. neighbor) would be a better approach to keeping youth in the family. Let them feel like a valued member of the whole body by serving and maybe they won’t be so quick to leave? Just thinkin’ out loud this morning-have a blessed day!
Hi Edie
I agree with the post. We catechize our children using the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and I study and use the Westminster Larger Catechism.
G J Vos Commentary on the Westminster Larger Catechism is a goldmine.
I think that it’s important above all to have children begin as early as possible to attend the worship service in it’s entirety. They need to be filled daily with God’s word so that they become more and more able to drawn into the preached word, which we agree is the primary means communicates with his children.
What we are seeing is the culture of daycare and parental abdication of training and teaching their own children, creep and steal into the church by means of “children’s church” and “cartoon images.”
Jesus rebuked the disciples themselves when he said “let the little children come,” and he place upon his very lap and put his hands upon them. ”
It saddens me to see parents that are not taught that the most important hour and half in the entire week is sitting with the saints in the presence of the King on Sunday mornings. If he bids them come, and his grace is sufficient, then who am I to decline the invitation on their behalf.
What if the president of the US sent your children an invitation to visit him to a family dinner in his personal residence? Would you say even think to say No? Absolutely no, you talk endlessly with your children about the visit, and how important it is, and explain everything you could to them as best as you could for their level to prepare them, and you would assist them.
The very best catechism is caught not taught. What every children see is truly important in the lives of their parents they will be trained by it. Whether it is for good or bad they will be trained by it.
May it be that our children grow up knowing that their parents truly love God, his law and his gospel and his son Jesus Christ, who is Alive and gives grace to us so that me may have faith in Him, believe in him and be saved.
Happy Easter, Christ is Risen,
Ginger
we have confirmation sunday coming in 2 weeks… and it is sad to know that some refer to is as sunday school graduation. i have been thankful that my kids have never fought me about going… might be because i have been their sunday school teacher! but my oldest is now off to college… and yes, those statistics scare me! when we moved our girl up to college, we sought out a church. we met the choir director and exchanged emails. i’m not sure if she would have ever gone if he had not emailed her, but he did. and the church has embraced her- i am so thankful! they even have a college ministry… after late service there is a college lunch made by the families in the church, and they send the kids home with leftovers. right now they are planning a mission trip…
sometimes i think it is expected that the church part of a teens life will fall away during college, but i think it is my girl’s home away from home. a place she knows she is loved, safe… and she can be her true self.
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