Confirmation - Why Belong to a Church?

Our Confirmation Class has begun! Teaching confirmation class is actually one of my most favorite parts of being a Christian Educator.  It's the time when you really get to engage young people in conversations about life, God, beliefs, the church, etc.  It certainly can be challenging (considering that the majority of the class is participating because their parents are "making them").  But, we have a great group of 7 young people ranging in age from 12 to 16. They are energetic and inquisitive and are doing their best to just figure it all out.  

We are meeting once a month together and the students are matched with an adult church member who serves as a senior partner to help support them through the process.  We are reading scripture, learning about some Presbyterian polity, exploring the confessions and the creeds and talking about a little of everything really. 

Here's some of their answers from an activity we did at our last meeting.  The kids were divided into two groups and one group was asked to list 5 reasons why it's good to be a member of a congregation or a church family. The other group was asked to list reasons on the opposite side of the topic. 

Their answers are funny, insightful, and  pretty age appropriate.    
Here was what they came up with (in their words):

Why you should belong to a congregation/church family:

1. You can socialize with people and develop a support system
2. To have a faith
3. You get food
4. You can engage in activities to help the world 
5. Understanding religion
6. The church helps with teaching you children about God. 


Why you shouldn't belong to a congregation/church family:
1. You have to wake up for church. 
2. It's boring to go to church. 
3. You have to socialize with people.
4. It's a waste of time.
5. This. (You have to go to Confirmation Class).

After discussing their answers I asked them to switch sides and add to the other side's list. 
Here is what they added: 

Why you should belong to a congregation/church family:
1. It gives you something to do
2. You can get financial help 
3. Music
4. Free drinks
5. Stained glass windows
6. You can be involved in a community
7. Free child care

Why you shouldn't belong to a congregation/church family:. 
1. Not believing in what people are taking about. 
2. You will miss out on stuff that you like to do.

3.Pressure to give money


How would you answer these questions?

We've been using material from Spark House's confirmation curriculum called Re:Form and Theoacademy a project of the Synod of the Mid Atlantic. 

Our class recently volunteered together to cook and serve dinner at East End Community Ministry.   Here are some photos: 

 Check out this blog for future posts on our Confirmation class!