“Manna People – People who pay attention to lessons they are learning about fairness, love, mercy, sharing, and friendship with others so they can resist oppression and bring the gifts of manna and mercy to all nations.”
Manna and Mercy Leader Sourcebook (2021) Minneapolis: Augusburg Fortress
Introduction to Confirmation Podcast
Reading assignment Chapter 1: Beginnings (pages 1-3)
Reading assignment Chapter 2: God Births a People (4-6)
Reading assignment Chapter 3: The Wilderness School (pp. 7-9)
Reading Assignment Chapter 4: The Covenant and the Covenant Gift (pp. 10-15)
Reading Assignment: Chapter 5" Graduation and Settling Down (pp 16-20).
Reading assignment Chapter 6: We Want a King. (pp. 21-22)
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Please read chapter 7, Yahweh Sends Prophets (pp. 23-26). This week we will discuss what is a prophet, and prophetic vision.
Please read Chapter 8, By The Water of Babylon (pp. 27-30).
This week we will compare the creation of the ancient empires that surrounded ancient Israel/Judah with those of Genesis.
Please read Chapter 9 "Home Again" (31-38). We finally made it to the longest chapter in the book. This week is all about location, location, location. Oh yeah, it is alo about the purity laws and life between the testaments.
Hearing again the people's cry for liberation, justice, and mercy God acts. Partnering with Mary God comes to the world in the birth of Jesus. Jesus reveals and further defines the wilderness ways of God.
This week's class begins with Jesus's "mission statement," and then explores how Jesus's teaching and healing fulfill that mission. It ends with the Transfiguration and God's approval of Jesus's ministry.
Who is Jesus? Sometimes, we make Jesus into the first Christian, but Jesus was in fact a Jew. He also lived in the ancient Mediterrean world that was dominated by Roman Empire. So as we work our way throught the Gospel we need to remember this context.
What is God's surprise? As Christians, we likely look at Jesus's birth as the surprise, but is that really a surprise? Every Advent, we look expectantly towards Christmas and the birth of Jesus, so it is not really a surprise anymore. So what is God's surprise? Well, for that, we need to look at the beginning of Luke's gospel. We also might want to consider the beginning of Matthew's gospel as well. While not neglecting the other Gospels, Matthew and Luke use the beginning of their gospel to introduce Jesus's mission and purpose. We begin to see God's surprise in Mary's song, in Luke's birth announcement, in the arrival of the magi, in John baptizing people, and in the story of Jesus's temptation.
Read page 43-47 in Manna and Mercy
This week we will begin to dicusss Chapter 11 Manna and Mercy for All. This week our focus will be on Mercy for All part 1. In addition be prepared to read and discuss Luke 4:13-23.
Please read Manna and Mercy Chapter 12 (pp. 52-57)
Please read chapter 13 A Risen Jesus, A Risen People (pp. 58-66).
This week we will talk about resurrection. What the New Testament has to say about it and how it shapes the community of faith.
Today's class will introduce Luther's Small Cataechism.