Faith Formation at Home

In our two-year Confirmation curriculum, one year is focused on Luther’s Small Catechism (The Ten Commandments, The Apostles’ Creed, The Lord’s prayer, Confession, Holy Baptism, and Holy Communion).  The other year is focused on what it means to be a disciple of Christ in today’s world (Serving, Generosity, Loving our neighbor, Worship, Study, and Proclaiming).

However, The Small Catechism was not created by Luther to be Confirmation curriculum; it was put together for parents to teach their children the tenets of faith at home.  Talking about matters of spirituality and faith should not only happen in church, they should happen at home.

So to encourage us to be more attentive to faith-talk at home, we’re going to try something new at Salem this year.  Each week we will be sending a home devotional as an attachment with the bulletins via email.  We will also have some hard copies available each week.  This home devotional will be an extension of our Lectionary text for the week so folks can continue contemplating this holy word beyond Sunday morning.  It can be used with families, couples, or individuals.  And then, on the 4th Tuesday of each month, we will gather as a congregation in the Imagine Center for pizza and devotions together.  On the 4th Tuesday, we will be using the same weekly devotional, only we’ll be doing this as our larger Salem family.  Our Tuesday Pericope Zoom discussion will also continue this year, with the exception of the 4th Tuesday as we gather to be in prayer and conversation together.

This devotional time is not meant to replace Sunday school or any other Christian educational discipline you’re involved with, it’s simply one more way to learn, to grow, and become.  I’m looking forward to this venture, and pray you’ll consider joining us throughout the year!

 

Peace,

Pastor Derek