This year Questformation (our name for Confirmation) is being embraced by our core staff – Deborah, Chris, Pedro, and Eli – in order to bring a profound and meaningful exploration to our 8th graders. Questers will learn about what it means to be a member of our church, the Christian faith, and the United Church of Christ. They get to experience other religious traditions, build their faith toolbox, and learn that we’re all on a faith journey – whether we know it or not!
In Questformation we’ll see what it’s like to face life’s challenges with the strength of faith and community at First Cong. We’ll see that being Christian need not be about following rules telling us how to be ‘good.’ Instead it’s about how to live rooted in God’s love and guidance. Perhaps the most valuable thing youth come away with is incredible friendships. We will play, laugh, grow, and explore together, and make some great memories.
We held our first meeting with the youth and their parents on December 3rd. We had fun eating pizza and playing games as a group, then split into parent and youth groups. The parents had a heartfelt meeting sharing their faith journeys and their hopes for their kids this year. The youth got to check in with each other and talk about what they think the upcoming year will be like.
This weekend we’ll enjoy an opening retreat in the mountains near Estes Park, spearheaded by Eli and Pedro. It will be full of group building, Pedro’s special style of speaking the Word from the heart, journal candle lit trust walks, and surely lots of laughter. Diane Stum-Fekete will also join us to share her special gifts by teaching us how to make journals that we’ll use throughout the semester.
Eli
