
FaithWalk
WHAT IS FaithWalk? FaithWalk is our ministry for middle school youth and their parents.
Beginning in 6th grade, youth are invited to remember that they have been baptized and that through that baptism, God has signed and sealed to them promises that will never, ever be broken. Those promises include...
What does THAT mean?
Well, when most (but by no means ALL) of our FaithWalk participants were baptized as infants, their parents were asked to make the following promises in response to the great promises God makes to us:
"As you bring your children to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities:
to live with them among God's faithful people, to bring them to the word of God and the holy supper;
to teach them the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments;
to place in their hands the holy scriptures;
and to nurture them in faith and prayer,
so that your children may learn to trust God;
to proclaim Christ through word and deed;
to care for others and the world God made;
and to work for justice and peace.
Do you promise to help your children grow in the Christian faith and life?"
FaithWalk IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE AND CLAIM FOR THEMSELVES THE FAITH AND ACCOMPANYING PRACTICES THAT GO WITH OUR FAITH, CULMINATING WITH AFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM (Confirmation).
If you would like to participate in FaithWalk along with your 6th, 7th, or 8th Grader, please read on!
If you have more questions--about Baptism; about following Jesus in the Lutheran way; about God's promises to us; about FaithWalk itself--please CLICK HERE contact one of the pastors!
WHAT IS FaithWalk? FaithWalk is our ministry for middle school youth and their parents.
Beginning in 6th grade, youth are invited to remember that they have been baptized and that through that baptism, God has signed and sealed to them promises that will never, ever be broken. Those promises include...
- Forgiveness--When we confess that we have not lived as God has created to live by loving God and loving others, God has promised to forgive us and give us a new start.
- We will never be abandoned--God has promised to us that we will NEVER, EVER be without the loving, grace-filled, and merciful presence of God, no matter what, even when it feels like we have been abandoned. This means that faith and our faith practices (worship, service, prayer, etc.) aren't just about "someday getting to heaven." Every moment of our lives are filled with God's presence.
- Our lives have purpose and meaning--Indeed, every human life is valuable and filled with purpose and meaning, simply because very human life has been created by God. For followers of Jesus, we also believe that such as we seek to live lives that "rhyme" with Christ's, we can discover that purpose and meaning in our daily lives, especially as we seek to serve God by serving other human beings.
- We belong--When we are baptized, we are baptized into a particular congregation. That is, "those people" become "my people." We are united by Christ through the Holy Spirit to all claim Jesus as Lord. But we experience that belonging most keenly in our local congregation.
- Death is not the final word for us--This works on two levels. First, even when it feels like something has "died" in our lives (a relationship; something at which we have failed; a humiliation; etc.), that will not be the final word in our lives. We are NOT our last, worst moment! Second, even in the face of our own literal deaths, God has promised there is more! It's not just that we believe that JESUS was raised from the dead. We also believe that God will someday raise US from the dead too!
What does THAT mean?
Well, when most (but by no means ALL) of our FaithWalk participants were baptized as infants, their parents were asked to make the following promises in response to the great promises God makes to us:
"As you bring your children to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities:
to live with them among God's faithful people, to bring them to the word of God and the holy supper;
to teach them the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments;
to place in their hands the holy scriptures;
and to nurture them in faith and prayer,
so that your children may learn to trust God;
to proclaim Christ through word and deed;
to care for others and the world God made;
and to work for justice and peace.
Do you promise to help your children grow in the Christian faith and life?"
FaithWalk IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE AND CLAIM FOR THEMSELVES THE FAITH AND ACCOMPANYING PRACTICES THAT GO WITH OUR FAITH, CULMINATING WITH AFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM (Confirmation).
If you would like to participate in FaithWalk along with your 6th, 7th, or 8th Grader, please read on!
If you have more questions--about Baptism; about following Jesus in the Lutheran way; about God's promises to us; about FaithWalk itself--please CLICK HERE contact one of the pastors!