Confirmation Resources September 2009

Suggested by the Director of the MACUCC Resource Center, Martha Cook.

Affirming Faith

This resource uses the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith as its organizing principle.  Covers theological (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit) church (organization and sacraments), historical and denominational issues (polity, governance).  Includes a Leaders Guide and a Confirmands Journal.  Newly Revised in 2009. To purchase go to - www.unitedchurchpress.com click catalog then “confirmation.”

Becoming and Belonging:  A Practical Design for Confirmation by William Myers –

This book includes both theoretical and practical application and is full of valuable and practical resources.  Relies of four “core conditions – covenant, tradition, pilgrimage and congregation.  Purchase through www.amazon.com

Crossings:  God’s Journey with Us -

The Crossings confirmation program concentrates on three areas:

1. Identify the eight parts of the core biblical story. Crossings explores five events from the Hebrew Scripture and three events from the New Testament in order to discover how God speaks to us and leads us in our journeys.
2. Relate the core biblical story to our individual stories. Each of the 30 sessions helps youth explore the intersection between the Bible and their own questions of identity, doubts, and hope, as they discover the questions the story asks of them.
3. Participate in the real life practices of the Christian church through worship, community, devotional life, and service.
• Worship: Faithful participation in the Lord’s Supper and experiences of God’s grace.
• Community: Connections with others who encourage and nurture us in faith.
• Devotional life: Individual prayer and study that brings depth, growth, and new hope.
• Service: Extending ourselves for others brings justice and renewal to every part of God’s creation.

To purchase go to www.logosproductions.com click on confirmation

Generation Why (youth)/Fastlane (junior high) –

5 to 6 week study guides covering a variety of topics published by Mennonite/Brethren Press

http://store.mpn.net/showproducts.cfm?FullCat=55 for Generation Why

http://store.mpn.net/showproducts.cfm?FullCat=56 for Fast Lane

Journey to Adulthood

The Journey to Adulthood is a complete youth ministry program of spiritual formation for 6th-12th grades. It uses Bible study, prayer, rites of passage, outreach ministries and both serious and playful activities to underscore its two guiding principles:

1. Manhood and womanhood are free gifts from God.

2. Adulthood must be earned.

Purchase from Leadership Resources http://leaderresources.org/j2a

Making Disciples - Making Disciples is a mentor-based confirmation program that pairs confirmands with adult mentors and guides them through a variety of learning experiences that will strengthen the student's understanding of the faith while connecting him or her with the community of believers in a personal way. It can be used as a stand-alone program, or in conjunction with your current curriculum as a special experiential unit. 

To purchase go to www.logosproductions.com click on confirmation resources

My Confirmation (Revised and Updated) - The newly revised edition of this classic course/workbook on confirmation instruction provides its readers with a meaningful approach to living as a Christian in this day and age.  It provides youth with insight into the Bible, its origins, and how to use it; into Christian beliefs, understanding God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; and into the Christian church, its history, and the United Church of Christ as it is today.  It also discusses Christianity in action through the work being done by the church.

To purchase www.unitedchurchpress.com click catalog then confirmation or www.amazon.com

The Sacrament of Baptism by The Massachusetts Conference UCC

A series of lessons on the sacrament of Baptism.  Includes a suggested lesson and activity for Confirmands.

To purchase see Cindy Bolton at the MACUCC.

The Thoughtful Christian Youth Study Guides Downloadable guides covering a variety of topics.  www.thethoughtfulchristian.com

Words for the Journey by Martin Copenhaver and Anthony Robinson - The authors composed letters about God, Church, Bible, Vocation, Relationships, Difficult Matters and discuss such topics as faith, doubt, prayer, sex, abortion, race and homosexuality.  Additionally they discuss what God and their faith means to them in words that share love and deep hopes of their faith.  Could be used to form the basis of a Confirmation curriculum or be given as a gift at the start or close of the Confirmation journey.

To purchase go to www.unitedchurchpress.com or www.amazon.com

Video/Dvd’s

To see the complete dvd/video catalog go to the Massachusetts Conference Resource Center web site at www.macucc.org and look at the Resource Center page.

NOOMA (dvd)

In these 12 to 14 minute dvds Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Church, discussing various aspects of faith.  Some more appropriate for youth than others.  More info www.flannel.org

Borrow through MACUCC Resource Center.

Questions of Faith for Youth (video) While these videos are more than a decade old the issues they cover are still relevant to today’s Confirmands.  Borrow through MACUCC Resource Center.

The UCC at 50 (dvd) – This time line of first 50 years of the UCC is made in a youth friendly time line.  Made for the UCC 50th Anniversary Synod.  Borrow through MACUCC Resource Center.

Other

UCC Web site www.ucc.org

“The 411” – About, Beliefs – includes history, firsts, polity and denominational information on the meaning of baptism and communion.