This next Sunday I begin teaching my first Sunday School class as a solo teacher. My class will comprise about 6 7th and 8th graders. Now these are the kids who have begun confirmation classes this past fall on Wednesday nights. I realize that I will have some input as to what these kids learn about Jesus and God. I will also be able to share with them the importance of the Lutheran Confessions in their lives.
When I was going through confirmation some 30 years ago I vaguely remember going through the 10 commandments from Luther's Small Catechism. The Pastor and teacher of my confirmation class had typed up a study sheet for us so that we could learn them as well as some key bible verses that we needed to know. I am thinking that I will have them get to know their Catechism booklet a little more. It will be a good review for them when they get to their final year. By the way, catechesis is not just a 2 or 3 year program that the church sets up to graduate children. Catechism is a life-long learning experience that starts out with the parents teaching their children about God, Jesus and the word. Parents should teach their children about Baptism and the Sacrament of the Altar at a young age.
When I went through "confirmation" many of those who went through the class with me left the church afterwards and never returned. They treated it like graduation instead of just another step in understanding their relationship to a loving God. If we don't properly catechize our children they won't stick around afterwards. We need to begin a habit of going to church and sunday school on a regular basis teaching our children that there is no "choice" of going or not going to church. When on vacation we need to find a church to attend so that they will see how serious we need to be to go to church to receive God's blessings.
I hope that these students I have will walk away at the end of this season with a new understanding of what the liturgy is all about as well as a desire to read and get to know the Scriptures and how the Lutheran Confessions is scriptural.
With the help of God will I do this and nothing else.
Pax Christi
Scott
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Notes and thoughts about my life after seminary, as a Divorced father of two daughters, and other things that I want to write about.
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- Scott
- Married, Two Children. Currently attending Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana
5 comments:
I don't know that I agree 100 percent on whether they can handle abstract thinking or not. I would like to give them some credit for being smarter than they think they are.
But I will consider what you tell me
Thank you
Remember to never talk down to your students! Until they give you a reason, always treat them like young adults. You will find, that unlike adults they will not come with "agendas". And I don't care how young they are, they are ready for the Confessions! I met with resistence from adults when I taught the Augustana. I even heard that a layman should never teach such an important document. Of course eyes rolled when this person was reminded that a layman wrote the darned thing! And the kids responded great!
It sounds like your kids have a great teacher. Good luck!
When I was in 8th grade I went through my final year of catechism. It was supposed to be more theological then I remember it truly being, but we had to memorize the 10 commandments and I think the creed of course all the meanings from the Small Catechism as well. The problem was that while we had to memorize the stuff we didn't really learn what it all meant.
I didn't get the meaning of the Apostles Creed 3rd article until I was over 40 years of age.
Had we been properly catechized at an earlier age I might never have left the Lutheran Church, but then I might also never have met the woman I married either.
SO - how did it go?
Well, It went fairly well. I came up with a questionaire that asked them some pointed questions. I wanted to see how well they could answer them. I asked them, what they like about church and sunday school as well as their dislikes about both. I had 4 kids in attendance and for kids about 12-14 years of age they did pretty well with those. Then I asked them "Why do we go to church?"
That one made them think.
We discussed it for a few minutes that we had left before the end of the hour. I am hoping to get my materials tonight for the rest of the year.
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