Missionary Discipleship Formation & the Sacrament of Confirmation

High School, Grades 9-12

Curriculum:

Our Missionary Discipleship program is designed to empower our teens to live out their call to discipleship in the everyday world. We have a two year curriculum that, if fully engaged in, will help to open them up to receiving the Holy Spirit via the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Spring of the second year. In brief, the two year program consists of the following:

Year 1 (typically 9th Grade): Alpha Youth. During this first year, the primary curriculum is the Alpha Youth Series (https://alphausa.org/alpha-youth-series), which allows the youth to explore the big questions of life and faith in the context of intentional small group communities. In addition, they are introduced to the “4 Essential Elements of Healthy Christian Discipleship,” including sessions specifically aimed at teaching them how to pray.

Year 2 (10th Grade and up): Youth for Justice. The second year of the program intentionally connects the Gospel to the everyday world, utilizing the Youth for Justice Series (https://justfaith.org/youth-for-justice/). The participants will take what they learn and experience in the program and create prayer services at various points in the program year. The year concludes with a couple of Sponsor-Candidate sessions that are an immediate preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. The celebration of Confirmation for this year’s group is scheduled for Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 7:00pm at the Cathedral of Saint Paul.

Retreat or Immersion Experience: All youth in the program are asked to participate in either a retreat, service immersion experience, pilgrimage, or mission trip prior to receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. These are designed with the intent of giving the participants a deeper experience of living out their discipleship. Retreat and immersion experience options will be provided at the orientation, as well as posted on this page in the coming weeks.

A complete list of expectations and paperwork needed to participate in the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will be distributed at the orientation session, as well as posted on this page in the coming weeks.

2022-23 Program Options and Dates:

Sunday Evenings from 6:30-8:00pm
Parent-Teen Orientation: October 2
Fall Sessions:  October 9, 16, 30, November 6, 13, 20
Winter Sessions:  December 4, 11, 18, January 8, 22, 29, February 5, 26
Spring Sessions:  March 5, 12 April 16, 23, 30

Wednesday Evenings from 6:30-8:00pm
Parent-Teen Orientation: October 5
Fall Sessions:  October 12, 26 November 2, 9, 16, 30
Winter Sessions:  December 7, 14, January 4, 11, 25 February 1, 8, 15
Spring Sessions:  March 1, 15, April 12, 19, 26

Online/At-Home Option
We recognize that for a variety of reasons, a traditional onsite formation experience is not possible for some teens, so we do make an at-home option available. Materials will be made available on a schedule that mirrors the Sunday evening program schedule. The opportunity to have regular gatherings via Zoom will be made available if we have adults willing to volunteer for that role.

Family Support:

Weekly family reminders will be e-mailed, along with links to suggested online videos and supplemental curriculum.    

Communication:

Flocknote will be the primary mode of communication for all participants. You will receive these communications via e-mail. This will be the mode of communication used to communicate class cancelations, such as weather related closings, etc.

Formation of Groups:

Groups will be formed based on space capacity for social distancing and the number of available adults serving as small group leaders. Small group leaders will need to be recruited and trained and will receive a leader guide along with on-going weekly support.  

Needs:

Adult leaders (2 per group). All families that provide a small group leader or catechist for one of our programs will receive a full tuition break for the entire family.