New life has needed to be breathed in to this blog. Over the past months I've completed seminary, moved to Sioux Falls, accepted a call to Trinity Lutheran of Tea SD, been ordained as a minister of Word and Sacrament, and began to settle in to a new role, a new office, and a new congregation. The Sassy Passy has been in mega-transition mode, and despite becoming officially Pass(tor)y...the inspiration (and perhaps the time) for writing has escaped me. Today, inspiration came--the breath of the Spirit. Like Jesus said, the wind of the Spirit is a mysterious thing; it blows where it will. And today, the breath of God came through the words of ninth graders.
They may not have gone to seminary, their doctrine may not pass all the tests, and some have clearly been out to lunch on an adolescent hormone vacation for much of their Confirmation experience, but all-without exception-managed to put faith into words. That's a difficult task. Really...you try it.
As I read I am amazed most of all by the honesty with which our young people write as they prepare to partake in a public affirmation of their baptism this Sunday. And these short, thoughtful (albeit required) reflections on belief wear the scent of the Reformation tradition in which these Children of God have been steeped, the waters of baptism are dripping off the pages on my desk (though not as literally as they drip off the pages of my beautifiul and quicky-becoming-worn engraved copy of the ELW hymnal after presiding over two baptisms). They ask good questions, and pose some unique perspectives that the Church must ponder.
May these compiled honest, sometimes even sassy, words inspire you...
"When I first heard I had to write a faith statement, I was like O great..."
"When confirmation started this year, Pastor said that I know that most of you don't want to be here and you don't think much of confirmation or being confirmed. For the most part, he was right. Some kids wanted to be there, but I was not one of those kids."
"My faith isn't an easy topic to describe. It is a part of me that isn't talked about often, if ever."
"As my mom and I sit here and talk about writing this paper and what it means to me to have faith, I find that I am having a hard time figuring out what to write because I don't really know where I stand with my faith...I can tell you what I believe and what I have been taught."
"I was baptized when I was a baby, so I didn't understand what that meant. Going to Sunday School, First Communion, and Confirmation helped me to know what it meant when I got baptized. Water is just water until you add the holy word and then it becomes baptism."
"During my baptism God came down and claimed me as his"
"On the day of confirmation, I myself am confessing that I do believe in God, I do believe in Jesus, and I do believe in the Holy Spirit. However, I am not sure if I'm able to confess that I have a meaningful relationship with God."
"As a child, waking up to go to Sunday School was part of my weekly routine, just like many others. Of course there were those days where I decided to hide under my bed, hoping that my parents would just leave without me...But after being drug out from the bed I just learned to face the face that I was "going to Sunday School, and going to like it." Parental influence still to this day remains one of the biggest factors of my faith, and I am extremely thankful for that...even if it can get a little out of hand :)"
"When I was younger (my mom) brought me a princess Bible and we would lie in bed and read it every night."
"''The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks' (Psalm 5:7).
"When I am having a horrible day, I think of how Jesus Christ died on the cross for us. I bet that must have been hard to do, to just hang there until he died."
"So often we all forget to be thankful, we get so caught up in our busy lives we forget to wake up every morning and thank God for the beautiful life we have right in front of us. Even being a kid I am always so busy!"
"I know that I'm forgiven when I mess up and it's ok to not be perfect and ask for forgiveness."
"I feel like I'm still learning and growing in my faith."
"When I am confirmed on Sunday, it is not an ending but a beginning to my questions about finding my faith and religious path with God"
"After Confirmation I would like to get more involved with the Senior High activities at Trinity"
"As my faith grows, I hope I can go on mission trips to help people in need"
"I'll try to apply everything I've learned, from Sunday School to now, to my everyday life. I'll try to be a disciple, and give my time and talents. I'll try to always please God with my decisions and action. But there's one thing that I don't have to try to do...I will remain a child of God from now, to my final hours, and to the end of time."
"I will grow with Christ in my life. I will tell others of his words and his love for us. I am a disciple of Christ."
Amen! I am excited to continue to witness the fruits of faith in these young adults this weekend and beyond.
