Messiah Lutheran Church Rotterdam, New York

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FAITH FORMATION

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We have a vibrant, extremely active Faith Formation program for all members of our Spirit filled congregation! From birth to high school graduation, our young people are supported by a dedicated team of volunteers committed to helping them build confidence, make new friends, and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Another aspect of our Faith Formation ministries is increasing our sense of mission and allowing folks in our rapidly growing congregation to better get to know each other. All year round at 9:00am on Sundays there's a faith formation experience to be had at Messiah for all ages, and at a bunch of other times throughout the week as well!

Our cradle roll assists families of infants and toddlers by providing various age-appropriate Christian education resources for use in the home through a program called Frolic and brief, related lessons during nursery.

As soon as kids begin preschool they can join our Children's Sunday School program during program year, where kids sing songs, meditate and do yoga, play fun games and continue learning the stories and values of the Christian faith using a lectionary based curriculum called Whirl. This fall we'll be offering Children's Sunday School virtually at noon.

Once our youth reach middle school, they begin a more in-depth program of preparation for the public affirmation of their baptism, traditionally referred to as "confirmation." In addition to hanging out during our faith formation hour on Sundays, our confirmation students gather most Sunday nights at 6:00pm with Pastor Dustin (who spent many years working with youth as a summer camp counselor) for fun, relevant discussions about how their faith intersects with the realities of twenty-first century life using an innovative new curriculum called colaborate. Our confirmation students frequently participate in awesome trips and community service opportunities as well.

High school students play an essential role in the life of our congregation long after confirmation! The Breakfast Club meets on Sunday mornings during the faith formation hour, is leading a major service project for the Mohonasen High School Anchor Room and is planning for the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering.

Adult education is so important at Messiah, as we deeply believe faith formation should take place throughout our life. Classes generally meet on Sunday mornings at 8:45am during the program year and our led by Dr. Merle Longwood, Professor of Religion Emeritus of Siena College. Additionally adult faith formation opportunities include a monthly weekday book club during the program year, a weekly coffee club and community forums on various topics of social concern throughout the year!

Camp Calumet Lutheran, a wonderful camp and retreat center in Freedom, New Hampshire, is another core aspect of the Messiah faith formation experience for all ages!!! We sent twelve kiddos to children's resident camp last summer, are planning our first congregation retreat and also bring our confirmation class to a week at camp as well!

Click the links below to learn more about each component of our Faith Formation Program, led by Ibrahím Pedriñan, MDiv!

KIDS'S SUNDAY SCHOOL
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MIDDLE SCHOOL FAITH FORMATION
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HIGH SCHOOL FAITH FORMATION
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ADULT EDUCATION
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CAMP CALUMET
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