Covenant News - Energized Class Among Many Honored Confirmands

Covenant News

Energized Class Among Many Honored Confirmands

BLUE ISLAND, IL (June 12, 2004) - Mission Covenant Church pastor Gary Ridout enjoyed a pleasant surprise as he continues the process of concluding his ministry. He had the privilege of confirming 14 students during a recent Sunday morning service, the largest confirmation class at the church since 1947.

Ridout employed a variety of curriculum materials and was blessed with a handful of volunteer helpers in putting the confirmation program together. Confirmands were honored during a May 23 service and then led a May 30 worship service as three teens shared their testimonies and spiritual insights using the Acts 2 Pentecost Sunday text.

Confirmands included Amber Holste, Janina, Richard and Charmaine Wesley, Jamie Moffit, Christopher Hannah, Bernie Kay, Kathrin Mathis, Jon Togtman, Evan Brady, Melanie Tobuck, Lindsay Shandro, Stephani Zylman and Daniel Isaac. DeWitt Casey, a first-year student, also participated. Another student, Natasha Isaac, was confirmed in mid-year and helped teach the others at times as a "graduate assistant."

There was an age difference of six years in the mix of students who represented 10 schools. Five were African American, three had at least one parent who was Hispanic and two had Jewish backgrounds.

Ridout had considered retiring this month, but decided to stay another school year due, in large part, to the energy he felt from this class. "This has been an outstanding combination of kids," said Ridout, who began ministry in 1980 at age 47. "They had an eagerness to learn - I had a terrible time keeping the class within a normal time frame because so many kids wanted to ask questions after class. It also had a racial mix that allowed us to talk about issues like prejudice, persecution and the issue of being Covenant and 'agreeing to disagree.' This was a little younger of a class age (three students were fifth graders and many others were in sixth grade), but I found that the younger kids were more 'real' than some of those who were in high school. We told the kids that it was all right to be wrong and we got a lot of wrong answers, but we moved into the right answers and it was okay.

"It's one of the reasons I stayed on an extra year as pastor," Ridout continued. "This was a dynamic group and I wanted the opportunity to have some input in their lives. John Sullivan and Pat Mathis, my assistants, have told me that they'd miss our Wednesday night sessions and I'll miss it too. It wore me out emotionally and physically, but I've never been around such a hungry and eager group of kids."

Mission Covenant was among numerous Evangelical Covenant Church congregations honoring confirmands during worship services or other ceremonies this spring. A story published last month included a partial listing of names of students who were confirmed, gleaned from the more than 250 local church newsletters received each month by the Department of Communication. Information in this second published list is organized by conference and region.

CENTRAL

Belvidere, Illinois: Kayla Hartman of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Belvidere was recognized for finishing two years of education at a May 16 Confirmation Sunday service. She also presented a paper entitled "What Impresses Me About God" at an evening event.
DeKalb, Illinois: Hillcrest Covenant Church confirmed Betsey Adams, Blaize Diaz, Josh Howells, Jared Kuryliw, Helen Muleya, Melissa Vines, Stefanie Wessel and Ben Woolsey at a recent worship service. The church also recognized mentors for the students, including Amy Wessel, Joel Howells, Mark Cordes, Manny Diaz, Sherri Howells, Wendy Kuryliw, Becky Sisler and Dick Snyder.
Elgin, Illinois: The Evangelical Covenant Church of Elgin confirmed Lauren Timmons and Chrissy Sell on May 23.
Galesburg, Illinois: The Covenant Church of Galesburg recognized confirmands Alex Gieryna, Hayley Hawkinson and Kellon Smith during its June 6 worship service.
Moline, Illinois: First Covenant Church confirmed David Ballard, Amanda Caldwell, Jami Fitzgerald, David Johnson, Joe Peterson, Matthew Seidel and Emily Stanley on May 23.
South Bend, Indiana: Evangelical Covenant Church of South Bend confirmed Duncan Kinuthia, Mark Olsen and Gordon Sill on May 23. Sill has been busy in other ways as he submitted an original jazz composition to the Carpe Jazzum competition sponsored by a local radio station and had his work put on a special CD (one of 12 selected). Sill and Krista Bladel were also part of a recent service project weekend, Spring Breakout, sponsored by North Park University and the Central Conference and held in Chicago.
Iron Mountain, Michigan: First Covenant Church confirmed Autumn Dugree, Brian Tresedder, Aleah Ahrendts, Chris Maki, Heather Hautamaki, Ben Lamy, Emily Conard and Becky Kahl during its May 16 worship service.

EAST COAST

Riverside, Rhode Island: The Evangelical Covenant Church of Riverside confirmed Joshua Burgoyne, Chris Goodale, Heather Reuker, Liz Townsend and Mike Tremblay during a recent confirmation service. Pastor Stuart McCoy asked students to write about how confirmation was significant in their lives and the answers were poignant and insightful. One student wrote about the experience, "Sometimes when I answer to a non-Christian friend that I can't make plans Thursdays because I have confirmation, I get a snicker or a (comment) 'Man that must stink.' But what that person doesn't know is what the class I take is like. Frankly, I've always looked forward to confirmation class because I get to study the Bible and also be with friends. Surprisingly, I found myself learning about more things about the Bible than I expected. There are so many different teachings and stories that I didn't know about and my lack of knowledge about this drove me to wanting to read the Bible more often."

NORTH PACIFIC

Bellevue, Washington: Highland Covenant Church pastor Jim DeGrado recognized his confirmation class in a recent church newsletter article he wrote, calling the process "a privilege and a great joy." The students - Erin Bynum, David Hjelm, Matthew Lider and David Shelton - were to share their faith on June 13 during a worship service. The church also helped the students by pairing them with adult confirmation partners, devoted to helping students understand the importance of living out the Christian faith in community.
Kent, Washington: Kent Covenant Church took a unique approach to its confirmation educational program as 19 students took part in Project Deep Roots, a two-year program taken from Ephesians 3:17. A total of nine students - all ninth graders - were recognized for their work during a May 23 event. They include Brian Botts, Anthony Cantu, Rob Carson, Andrew Collier, Bethany Douglass, Briana Dyrness, Beth Johnson, Kaitlin Schuttler, Lindsey Smith and Jake Willey. A host of eighth graders will be recognized on June 20, including Eric Hansen, Brian Jensen, Tammy Liddle, Gabrielle Pearson and Kimberly Westcott. Five seventh graders began their program and will finish next year: Joseph Crowell, Missy Hobson, Ansley Mosbarger, Adam Mosher and Amanda Rogers. The church's confirmation program included Bible memorization, taking sermon notes, and attending Sunday school faithfully, along with an end-of-the-year project that took on many forms. Some wrote songs, others produced timelines to document their journeys and the journeys of others in the faith, and others spoke about their faith in front of peers. More about Project Deep Roots can be found by calling the church and pastor Keith Carpenter at 253-631-0222.

Covenant Communications is interested in learning more about how churches educate their confirmation classes as it researches how the new Journey discipleship materials have helped in the Christian formation process. Insights and comments about the materials can be sent by email to newsdesk@covchurch.org, given by telephone at 773-478-4631 or mailed to the Department of Communication, 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625.

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