A Note from Pastor

The first Sunday in May has traditionally been the day we witness the public confession of faith, otherwise known as “confirmation,” by the youth who have been instructed in the Word of God and Luther’s Small Catechism.    
    “Confirmation,” is not intended to be a graduation ceremony, or a way of gaining voting rights or complete membership in the church. Rather, it is a reminder of these Words of our Lord recorded by St. Matthew, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matt.10:32)
    While confirmation is a public confession of the individual’s faith in Jesus, it also affirms the importance of the unity of doctrine we share in our churches and at our altar, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (Phil. 2:1-2)
   Therefore, we pray that those who believe and have been Baptized according to our Lord’s command, and who confess the faith we share as taught in Luther’s Small catechism, would also be encouraged by these words of the apostle Paul, ”But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15)  Jesus bless and keep all our confirmands in true faith!