ST JOHNS LUTHERAN CHURCH

1300 West Benjamin Ave. Telephone (402) 371-1985 Norfolk, NE 68701-2621 Fax (402) 379-0327
The Rev. David E. Cox, Interim Senior Pastor The Rev. Justin R. Wiese, Assistant Pastor & NeLCM Pastor Jolene Ziebell, Coordinator of Youth Ministries Jacquie Samway, Coordinator of Congregational Care

Dear 7th & 8th grade conrmation families: Upcoming Dates Sun, April 20, 8:30 & 11a Easter Sunday Worship Wed, April 23, 5-6p Conrmation Class for 7th & 8th graders. 8th Grade Afrming Faith Projects Due. Please bring & share with class. Wed, April 30, 5-6p 8th Graders come to St. John!s sanctuary dressed appropriately for pictures, which will be taken by Van Allen. Also, a walk through rehearsal for Conrmation Sunday. Sunday, May 4, 9:30am 8th graders Conrmation Reception during fellowship hour in Fellowship Hall. Friends & Family invited to attend. Sunday, May 4, 11am Conrmation Sunday Worship Service during 11am worship service for 8th graders. Parents, godparents, & family encouraged to attend to lay hands on conrmands. I want to thank you for making Christian education and faith formation an important part in the lives of our 7th & 8th graders here at St. John!s, particularly over the past 8 months as we have met on Wednesday afternoons from 5-6 p.m. to discuss all sorts of topics surrounding Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Luther!s Small Catechism, and the concerns and delights of the students each week. It has been a fun & fast year! Here!s a schedule of what!s coming up in the next few weeks as our conrmation class time & celebration of our 8th graders! afrmation of baptisms culminate. All 7th & 8th grade students and their parents are encouraged to participate in the Holy Week Worship services that are being offered Thursday, April 17, through Easter Sunday, April 20. Worship times are listed online at stjohnsnorfolk.com & on St. John!s facebook page. Our nal class for 7th & 8th graders will be held Wednesday, April 23, 2014, from 5-6 p.m., during which time the 8th graders should have their afrming faith projects completed (to the best of their ability) to share with their classmates. This will be the last time that our 7th graders will have conrmation class for this spring. We will also enjoy the left over rootbeer & ice cream from our Lenten midweek meal. On Wednesday, April 30, only the 8th graders will gather from 5-6p.m. to take pictures with Van Allen and walk through the afrmation of baptism part of the conrmation worship service the upcoming Sunday. Please make sure your student is dressed & groomed appropriately for pictures, & brings the enclosed order form completed with what you!d like to order, particularly denoting the shots for Van Allen you would like to order. Once the prints are available in a few weeks, they will be delivered to the church, where you will be able to pick them up. Gowns & red stoles will be at the church to wear for pictures, and then will be kept at St. John!s for conrmation the following Sunday.

On Sunday, May 4, 2014, at 9:30 a.m., our 8th grade conrmands, along with their families, godparents, and friends are invited to a conrmation reception in the Fellowship Hall at St. John's which will feature a special cake & refreshments. Once again, please make sure your student is dressed & groomed appropriately for the morning. After the reception at approximately 10:30 a.m., conrmation students will gather in the Emmaus & Nazareth Rooms to put on their gowns & stoles before the 11 a.m. worship service. Please, no boutonnires or corsages. Please be sure to invite as many family, friends, and especially godparents & baptismal sponsors to this special worship service as our conrmands will be afrming their baptism, becoming conrmed members of our congregation, and accepting the responsibility of continued nurturing & developing their faith for themselves, with the help of God & the Christian community. Parents, sponsors, & other family will be invited to come forward to lay hands on their conrmand during the worship service. As is part of the tradition of conrmation at St. John!s, conrmands are asked to pick a conrmation Bible verse to share with the congregation on this special day. Eighth grade conrmands are asked to notify the church ofce (Pr. Justin or Midge) with which Bible verse they have chosen by Monday, April 28, so that it may be included in the worship folder. Students are asked to have this verse memorized for recital during the worship service. If you need help selecting a Bible verse, please be in conversation with either Pastor Justin or Pastor David. This year, both the conrmation gowns & stoles can be kept by the conrmands. You are welcome to take them home with you for pictures throughout the afternoon. After the events of conrmation, if you would like to nd a home for your gown, you are more than welcome to donate the gown back to St. John!s to be used by future acolytes or conrmands. Please do not feel compelled to do so, but know that the option is available if you so desire. If this letter has missed a topic that you have a question about, please contact Pr. Justin or any other of the church staff, and we will be happy to nd an answer for you. We look forward to celebrating your student!s conrmation! God bless! Pastor Justin Wiese & the staff of St. John!s St. John!s Lutheran Church, Norfolk, Nebraska Conrmands Afrming Their Baptism in 2014, alphabetical order by last name Aaron Bonderson Hannah Carhart Matthew Corona Parker Hansen Blake Heller Austin Hoffman Trey Porter Allison Sothan