D/C
We held our last D/C (Discipleship/Confirmation) class this afternoon. In two weeks we'll have Confirmation Sunday and the five junior high students who have completed the two years of preparation will be "confirmed."

Our tradition regarding confirmation is a carry-over from our days in the Lutheran mainstream. We meet weekly for an hour and a half to cover basic Bible, Christian doctrine, a little church history, and we try to build some devotional habits at the same time. And it's a good thing -- even for those kids who don't quite absorb it all they are still getting a basic overview. I like it because D/C gives me a chance to get to know the kids. It has a strong relational draw.

However, after teaching these classes for 25 years (I started when in college -- filling in at a church which was between pastors) I'm finding it harder and harder to keep a class focused. There are just so many other activities that call out -- and which parents allow their children to commit to. Rarely do I have 100% attendance -- usually it's at about 75% -- and even then kids come late and leave early. It's also becoming harder to get kids to actually do the preparatory work. They are so distracted.

I suppose I could really put my foot down -- but that changes the atmosphere of the class so that things come across as rigid and academic -- when I want them to enjoy learning the Bible and to feel more like they are at home than in a classroom (that's probably because I grew up in the 70's). Next fall I'll have a new group entering the "program" and I'll try to be a little more hard nosed. But even that requires focus and a lot of energy.

So, I'm ready for a break -- but I'm actually looking forward to bringing in a new group of sixth graders in the fall.