Confirmation Class by Old-Fashioned U.S. Mail

I've been approaching Confirmation in a variety of ways.  The most traditional way has been the Sunday School format.  Decades ago, when I did Confirmation as a student, we had regular Sunday School class and then we met again for afternoon Confirmation class, followed by evening youth group.  Those days are not these days.

Even if the families were willing to return to church, we don't have that many youth for activities.  But I'm not living in the area, so even if the families were willing, I can't do it. I need to be back at my house in the NC mountains so that I can go to my teaching job in Spartanburg on Monday mornings.

I've also been hesitant to do a lot of Confirmation because I thought a new pastor might be coming soon, and I didn't want to overstep.  But now it's become clear that a new pastor isn't coming soon, so when we finished our study of the sacraments, I decided to move into a discussion of the creeds.  In the fall, if I'm still Synod Appointed Minister, we'll explore the 10 Commandments and then do a bit of Bible study in the spring.

I wasn't at church on May 11 because I was out of town for graduation.  But I wanted to give my students an assignment.  I decided to have the students mail them to me--a bonus, that I get mail, but also, they had additional incentive to do it.  

For our May 4 class, I gave them three sheets of paper and a stamped envelope addressed to me.  On one sheet of paper, I had them write God, on the second Jesus, and on the third, Holy Spirit.  I told them that the assignment was to draw or write or collage what they thought of when they heard these words and thought about these aspects of our Triune God.

I wasn't sure what to expect.  Would they even mail the envelopes to me?  I'm happy to report that they did.

I'm not going to post pictures because I said I wouldn't share their pictures.  But they are delightful, and they make me think that children in our churches are understanding far more than we might give them credit for.  And I want to remember that I, too, might be a more effective Confirmation teacher than I give myself credit for.