Discipleship is an important topic for Lutherans. It is a lifelong journey of living out and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.
In worship our songs speak of the desire to follow Jesus and in assemblies and publications Lutherans are taught techniques for effective discipleship. At First Lutheran, we believe that discipleship is about more than just membership. Discipleship is living our lives every day knowing that we are beloved children of God and sharing that identity and love with the world. We are empowered to do so through daily prayer, reflection, and Bible study.
As a congregation, First Lutheran provides faith filled opportunities to learn and support discipleship. These opportunities give us tools and insights into the joys and challenges of living out our faith daily.
Faith Formation
Faith Formation is more than an academic exercise. It is about much more than learning about God or information about the Bible. Seeking to enrich our faith involves learning, yes, but also reflecting on the ways in which these learnings speak to our individual lives as well as our life together as a community of faith. It moves us to look deeply into the text and to do more than just examine their face value. We are invited to share with one another our own reflections and questions as we explore our faith together. We learn as much from each other as we do from any book.
For Adults
Learn and explore with us on Wednesday evenings. You don't need to be a "Bible scholar" to participate in the adult classes. While some classes concentrate on exploring the Bible directly, we sometimes will explore books about faith or discipleship.
For Children
Faith formation for children is offered during the school year on the last Sunday of each month following worship during coffee fellowship. Children from Pre-K through grade 6 explore a lesson based on the days bible readings and engage in a craft or other activity to deepen their understanding.
New Member Classes
If you do not belong to a church at this time, we welcome you to join First Lutheran. In New Member Classes you will meet with the Pastor to help you become familiar with our congregation and the Lutheran faith. Contact Pastor Morello or the Church Office if you would like to explore becoming a member of First Lutheran Church.
First Communion Instruction
The gift of Holy Communion is the birthright of the baptized. Our first communion instruction helps our children learn how in sharing the bread and wine of Holy Communion we remember Jesus' death and his rising to life again on the first Easter Day and how eating the bread and drinking the wine makes us one with him and brings us closer to one another. Children and their parents who have expressed their desire to join us as we gather around the Lord's Table participate in this course of instruction during the Lenten season and receive the Sacrament for the first time on Holy Thursday.
Affirmation of Faith – Confirmation
Young people meet together over the course of two years – typically while they are in the seventh and eighth grades - to guide them in their transition to a mature Christian faith. The primary goal is to enhance faith development by:
• Involving the young person's family in passing on their faith.
• Involving young people in fellowship and servant projects.
• Teaching with an emphasis on application to real life.
To accomplish this:
• We ask parents and their young person to promise to take time each day to share their highs and lows, share a bit of scripture and talk about how it relates to their lives.
• We ask parents to bring their young person to worship services.