From the
Desk of Pastor Larry Van Slambrook
Lifewalk – Faith for Life
“Lifewalk—Faith for Life” has been the theme for our Confirmation Class
which began in October of 2011 and will conclude on Confirmation Sunday, May
20. It has been a wonderful journey with our four Confirmands as we have
focused on helping them mature in their faith and grow deeper in their
understanding and commitment to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
The Confirmands are Amanda Breuninger, Deiontae Doser, Tyler Even and
Katelyn Van Slambrook. Through this past year they have memorized several
passages of Scripture, read their Bibles and prayed on a daily basis and
learned about the Bible as the true Word of God. The several aspects of the
balanced Christian life using the Navigator Wheel have been focused upon and
discussed. Our confirmands have also learned about the formation and
history of the Christian Church and specifically St. Andrew’s. The seasons
of our church year (Advent, Lent) have been explained to them as well.
Our confirmands have had the opportunity to dialogue with missionaries who
have travelled to Uganda and Kenya. They have had a missions experience
through involvement with Feed My Starving Children. In addition, our
confirmands have interviewed long-term members of St. Andrew’s as well as
others using questions having to do with various aspects of our faith.
In our classes we have discussed questions raised by our confirmands as they
have sought to grow in their understanding of the Bible and matters of our
faith. It has been a blessing to hear the questions, thoughts and insights
of these bright young people!!
It has been truly amazing to see the spiritual growth in our confirmands
through this year. I rejoice in sharing with you the fact that each of them
has made a deep commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!
As Joanne Arft and I have walked together in leading our confirmands
through this past year it has been our overarching goal to help them move
forward in their faith journeys in a way that will be lifelong, thus the
theme “Lifewalk—faith for life!! We have sought to give them the kind of
foundation upon which they can build for the remainder of their earthly
lives!
As I look at each of our confirmands I see the future of our church! These
are the ones to whom we will pass the mantles of responsibility for
leadership in the future! It is exciting to think how God may use them to
further the cause of His Kingdom in the world. Is there a future minister
among them? A future president of the congregation? A Sunday School
teacher? The Chairperson of some committee? A missionary? It is and will
continue to be important that we keep these precious confirmands, as well as
all of our children and youth, in our prayers as they mature in the faith
and move forward with God’s guiding hand.
We should also recognize the key role that parents and grandparents fulfill
in the spiritual growth of their children and youth. The nurturing that
goes on in the home provides a solid foundation for what is learned and
experienced in the life of the church. There is a spiritual legacy that is
passed on from one generation to another. In Paul’s second letter to
Timothy (1:5) he acknowledged this very truth when he wrote “I have been
reminded of your sincere faith which first lived in your grandmother Lois
and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” Paul
saw in Timothy a kind of faith that had been passed down to him from
previous generations.
Paul then encouraged Timothy with these words as recorded in 2 Timothy
1:6-7 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,
which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” As part of the
Confirmation service on May 20 we will lay hands on each of our confirmands
and pray that God will so move in them that they will fan into flame the
gifts He has given them to His glory and honor!
Confirmation
Sunday will be a very special day, not only for our confirmands and their
families, but for all of us as their church family!
Yours
in Christ,
Pastor Larry
