Middle School Ministry

Welcome to Middle School Ministry!

The mission of Zion’s Middle School Ministry is to empower, encourage, and prepare youth for a deep life of faith and active engagement in the Body of Christ.

Support and accountability are provided in this partnership, with shared expectations for Sunday worship, Wednesday night learning and small group, and fellowship gatherings. Youth will have the opportunity to explore the Christian faith, ask tough questions, and see what it means to be a part of a faith community as preparation for their Affirmation of Baptism service.

Zion Confirmation

Confirmation is an important milestone in your son or daughter’s faith journey that began at their baptism.  It is our joy to partner with you in helping you fulfill the promises you made at baptism and help your child grow in their relationship with God.

Confirmation is grounded in the basics: weekly worship, worship involvement, weekly learning on Wednesday evenings, faith growth, and community service. In addition, students are expected to attend a retreat in their 6th and 7th grade years and spend a week at Camp Wapo in June after their 8th grade year before participating in the Affirmation of Baptism (Confirmation) Service the fall of their 9th grade year.

Children & Youth COVID -19 Policy & Procedures

Zion has developed policies & procedures to make sure that spaces are
appropriately sanitized between uses and everything we can do to lower
potential spread. The policy & procedures for youth gatherings will include:

• Anyone who is ill is asked to stay home
• Only registered youth & mentors/volunteers will be allowed in the building
• Temperatures will be taken at the door
• Anyone with a fever (100.4F) will be sent home
• Masks will be required for all individuals as required by state mandate
• All individuals will be encouraged to maintain 6 ft physical distancing
• In following MDH guidelines, indoor gathering sizes will be limited to 10 in a given room/space

Zion Confirmation Models

We plan to open the confirmation year with a hybrid model. If Anoka county’s 14-day case rate is 30+ per 10,000 people as outlined by MN’s Safe Learning Plan, the confirmation program will go fully digital.

• Fully Digital – using Zoom
• Time will begin with a large group lesson
• Small groups will meet using Zoom’s Break Out feature immediately following the large group lesson

• Hybrid – using Zoom & 4 groups (rotated) in the building at a time
• Youth will be instructed to go immediately to the space where their small group will be meeting
• Meeting spaces will be set up with chairs 6 ft apart
• The pastor leading the large group lesson will meet with one of the small groups
• Other groups in the building will have a TV logged into Zoom
• All other groups will participate from home over ZoomThose in Youth Choir and scheduled to meet in the building will have a space set up for them to participate virtually

We understand that families & mentors have different comfort levels with in person gatherings during this time. Registration will include a question asking what format you’d like your youth to participate with. Mentor groups may be rearranged to best facilitate participation preferences.

Make sure to check out our Middle School Ministry blog for news and announcements about upcoming events and opportunities!

Youth Choir – Digital

Zion Lutheran is committed to supporting the musical training of our youth and kids by moving the fall rehearsals to an online format. This will provide a safe opportunity to keep building music skills through fun exercises and games, learn age appropriate repertoire, hymns, and worship music via singing and listening, and connect with one another via musical faith expression. Optional opportunities for virtual small group/choir projects, and choir family video projects will also be offered.

For more information about Middle School Ministry at Zion contact Pastor Mike Rueckert at: mrueckert@zionanoka.org.