The Stillness

10 My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. 11 I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. 12 When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. 13 Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. (Proverbs 4:10-13, NLT)

Think back to when you went to Confirmation. What was it like? For me, it was a six-week course (give or take). It mainly consisted of memorizing the books of the Bible. I can’t say that it stuck. Hopefully, most of you had better experiences than that. The program I “inherited” here is certainly a vast improvement from what I’ve seen at churches I’ve been at in the past. This charge’s commitment to youth ministry is something to be proud of, and it comes out in things like our commitment to a three-year confirmation program. It has been such a blessing to be part of such a developed and involved program as we have here.

Another year of Confirmation draws to a close. This has been my first year teaching Confirmation, and I have to admit that it has been quite an experience for me. I tended to walk away from class feeling more than a little surprised about the direction the discussion went, or the reaction I got on a topic.

I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has contributed their time and gifts to make this year’s class happen. Thanks also to the kids, for bearing with me as I figured out what I was doing. I certainly learned a lot. Hopefully, the kids got something out of it as well. We certainly tried to teach them “wisdom’s ways.” Presumably a little of it stuck.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:3, NRSV)