Lighthouse Confirmation at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church

15600 OLD ROCKFORD RD., PLYMOUTH, MN 55446 • MAP • E-MAIL • CHURCH: (763) 553-1239 • SBCA: (763) 553-3083

Grades 3-5, Wednesdays 4:00 - 5:45 pm

Lighthouse Confirmation consists of a number of regular activities:

Small Group Time
We begin with a nutritious snack, which is the setting for small group time. Kids eat with the same group of 5-7 students and their leader each week. This gives every child the opportunity to get to know a few friends well. The snack served each week costs $1.00 ($30/year). Parent volunteers prepare and serve the food. Contact Rose Umland if you wish to help.

Worship & Music
This is not a choir rehearsal. The goal of this activity is to help prepare children for worship by teaching them the liturgies and hymns of the church. Part of the focus is on preparing for the worship service on the upcoming weekend. Children may learn a hymn or part of the liturgy which will be used.

Beyond this, we're laying a foundation for the children to be life-long worshipers. Almost half of a worship service is set to music; instruction in this music makes those parts more meaningful to worshipers. This is not an extra or an option - it's an integral part of our lighthouse instruction.

Story, Art & Activities
We begin with the presentation of the upcoming weekend's Gospel story. Lessons are lectionary-based - which means that the activities are drawn from the Bible lessons read that weekend in worship. children become familiar with looking up verses in the Bible and take turns reading from the text.

We also focus on prayer and service. We share prayer concerns for ourselves and our community.

The children create artistic projects inspired from the concepts of the Biblical story. They're encouraged to be expressive of their own visual images, thoughts and feelings.

Bible (at home with parents)
All Lighthouse Confirmation students are asked to read the main stories of the Bible at home - either on their own, or with parents. Third-graders are given a Bible storybook, One Hundred Bible Stories, as a gift from the congregation.

Community Meal
Every Wednesday there will be a simple meal for the students and their families from 5:30 - 6:00 pm. Cost is $3 each (maximum of $10/family).

Carpool
St. Barnabas volunteer drivers pick up children from schools and carpool to church. Ask Rose Umland for further information.

Sit in the front so children can see, and so youth and adults can fully participate, rather than spectate.
Prepare an outline of the worship service for your children - or show them an outline - and point out where you are at each point. Teach them the meaning of the various parts of worship.
Teach your children how to use a hymnal, bulletin and Bible. Before worship begins, help them find the scripture lessons in the bible (page numbers are listed in the bulletin), and encourage them to follow along as the lector reads the lessons.
Sing the hymns with your children. teach them faith songs, hymns and prayers at home.
Use the ride home to talk about what was experienced at worship.

This article appeared in the September, 1998 edition of the Metro Lutheran newspaper.