March 15, 2017

Letter Topic: Upcoming Dates/Information for 8th Grade Confirmand Families

Summary of Dates:
Wednesday, March 29, 2017: $22 for Confirmation Robe/Stole & SIZING Due
Wednesday, April 26, 2017: Affirming Faith Project, Confirmation Verse, &
Assessment Due
Wednesday, May 3, 2017: Confirmation Pictures taken at 5 p.m. in St. Johns
From Pastor Sanctuary, with Confirmation Rehearsal to follow until done
Sunday, May 7, 2017: Confirmation Sunday. Special Fellowship Coffee & Cake at
Justin Wiese 9:45 a.m., Robing at 10:30 a.m., Worship at 11 a.m.
OFFICE
1300 W Benjamin Ave This letter is being sent to St. Johns families whose students are on track to celebrate
Norfolk, NE 68701
an Affirmation of their Baptism on Confirmation Sunday, May 7, 2017, at the 11 a.m.
CHURCHS WEBSITE
www.stjohnsnorfolk.com worship service. These ten students are:
PHONE Amanda Brasch Haley Juracek
402.379.7805
Gabryel Dahlkoetter Jaden Rastede
EMAIL
jwiese@frontrowlutheran.com Adam Echtenkamp Grace Schavee
FACEBOOK Justin Johnson Haley Sterud
facebook.com/frontrowlutheran Colton Juracek Brenden Waugh

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, March 29, 2017, by 5 p.m. to report
your height (from the following choices) and to pay for confirmation robes and stoles. Please give
your information and money to Office Manager Gail Ermels. The cost will be $22 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. Please choose from the following heights:

49 -411 50 - 52 53-55 56-58 59-511 60-62 63-65

Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 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. If they do
NOT like what they are doing, they are doing it wrong. They should have fun coming up with their
project. Please see your Parent/Student Packet from the fall or ask Pr. Justin if you have questions.
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 26 so it can be ready for presentation on Confirmation Sunday.
The third item requested to be handed in by Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at 5 p.m., is a completed
St. Johns Confirmation Milestones Assessment 2017, 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 26, 2017.

The long standing tradition of taking professional photographs of the St. Johns confirmands continues
this year. Kyle Miller from Regency Portraits will be our photographer. He will take group and
individual pictures on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 5 p.m. The proofs of these pictures (as well as a
composite) will be available to view online after the session to order if you wish. 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. 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., 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 encouraged to join us on this
Wednesday if your schedule allows.

Confirmation Sunday is a morning filled with a variety of celebrations at St. Johns. Confirmation
Sunday is May 7, 2017. 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 2017

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 2017

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: