Confirmation

your faith during

As a 6th Grader, your first year in Ignite will be preparatory for your 7th and 8th grade years. As such there are less formal requirements this year than for those older than you. You will not be required to meet with a faith mentor, reflect on spiritual practices, or complete six community events this year.

We invite you to attend as many Ignite sessions as possible. We will begin as a whole middle school group together in the Chapel prior to moving into break out groups that are separated by Grade. If you are unable to attend a night of Ignite please send us an email! Ignite follows the Edina Public School’s (EPS) calendar. If EPS does not have school, or classes are cancelled, our schedule will follow accordingly. Our programming will be held on Wednesday nights from 6:45-7:45pm.

As a 7th and 8th grader, Ignite requires an additional level of commitment, as it is a preparatory time intentionally set aside for you and your spiritual discernment. As such, we ask that you make a commitment to attend 80% of confirmation classes. This works about to being about eight absences throughout the year. If you are unable to attend, we ask that you provide notice to us over email. Ignite meets weekly following the Edina Public School’s (EPS) calendar. If EPS does not have school, or classes are cancelled, our schedule will follow accordingly. These classes will be held on Wednesday nights from 6:45-7:45pm.

To accomplish our program goal of “Discern how God can be found and Christ can be proclaimed in love, learning, worship, and service” we ask that each confirmand make a yearly commitment to attend six (6) community events outside of regular programming. These events allow for Confirmands to build intergenerational relationships, participate in the mission of our congregation, and witness what is possible when we come together.

Eighth grade students will complete a Faith Embodied Project between the end of their eighth-grade year and before Confirmation Sunday. This project will be a physical representation of faith and can include: an art project, a writing sample, a liturgical dance, service project leadership or creation, etc. Further guidelines will be provided to eighth graders the January prior.

Meet monthly with your faith mentor! This is an adult member of the congregation who you’ve either selected or sought support to be matched with. Further guidance about this monthly meeting will be provided.

Write or speak a reflection on three (3) faith practices. During your two years of confirmation, you will be asked to either (a) write a reflection or (b) schedule thirty minutes with Jacob for a spoken reflection on three separate experiences of worship. Of these three reflections, one must be on a worship experience had here at Normandale, one must be of your experience at another ELCA congregation, and one must be of your experience of worship at another faith tradition other than the ELCA. This can include worship at other Protestant denominations, a Catholic Mass, a Quaker Gathering, a Shabbat Service, a B’nai Mitzvah celebration, or any other religious service.