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Confirmation
Confirmation is a two-year process when 7th and 8th
grade students begin to truly understand their faith and
take responsibility for it. They learn about the history
and traditions of both Christianity as a whole and the
United Methodist Church. The journey culminates with
students becoming full-fledged members of the FUMC
Palatine congregation.
Why is Confirmation a two-year
process?
Seventh grade focuses on getting students to
start thinking about their faith as their own in whatever
form that takes. They are also encouraged to get involved
with the church as much as possible, in youth ministry and
beyond.
Eighth grade sees the students work toward the
ultimate goal of becoming a full church member at the end of
the school year. Each student is paired with a mentor who
acts as a one-on-one guide throughout the year. In addition,
each youth will have a “secret pal” who provides support and
encouragement via notes, small gifts and other tokens. Extra
classes are added as well as trips to various places of
worship and opportunities to serve outside the church. Click here for important dates to remember.
What kind of time commitment is
there for Confirmation?
Both grades have Sunday School every week at 9:00 am in
their respective rooms in the youth hallway. For 8th grade,
there are additional afternoon sessions once a month as well
as monthly one-on-one meetings with your mentor. In
addition, both grades are required to attend two youth group
events per month. Finally, 8th grade is required to attend
several off-site activities including weekend retreats,
service trips and visits to places of worship. While some
absences are expected, a student missing more than 25% of a
given month’s sessions or activities will result in a
follow-up phone call.
Who leads the students through
Confirmation?
The entire Confirmation program is overseen by Nancy Nelson,
Coordinator of Jr. High Ministry. Seventh grade Sunday
School is taught by Jeff Peterson and Reta Evenson, while the eighth grade class is led by Nancy
Nelson and Amy Timonen. Because of the youth group
attendance requirement, students will also interact with
other youth leaders regularly.
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