Catechism ClassSeventh Gradewith Vicar Micheel & Pastor Goetzinger

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Parents:

In preparation for Catechism class, please sit down with your child and review this booklet with them.

Thank you.

Dear 7th grade Catechism class and parents,

I can’t stress enough that Catechism class is more than teaching good moral behavior to your child. It’s more than religious academics. It’s more than Sunday School on steroids. It’s about life, real life, your child’s life and their relationship with Jesus. Catechism class is a strengthening of what your child has learned in Sunday School so far. It is preparation for receiving the Lord’s body and blood with the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. But more than anything, Catechism class is about your child’s life – your child’s soul – and their relationship with Jesus. Let’s do everything we can do to strengthen that relationship!

With that brief reminder, Catechism class will be starting soon. I am looking forward to our classes together this coming year, and I pray that you are also. I have included in this letter a few pieces of material that I would like you to review before our first class.

Our first Catechism class is scheduled for Friday, September 18th, from 6:30-8:30.

The materials that your child should come to class with on the first day are:

•3-ring binder

•Loose leaf note paper (for taking notes)

•NIV Bible•Pen or pencil, bring two writing utensils.

•Luther’s Small Catechism will be supplied to you.

If any of the above required materials are a burden for you, please let me know.

My first request of you, both students and parents, is that you set aside some time to read the enclosed material together. Secondly, I would like all of the students to review their Ten Commandments and the Books of the Bible and work at getting them fresh in your memories. Finally, I look forward to the time that we will be spending together this coming year.

In His service,

Pastor H. Goetzinger Vicar Paul Micheel

Catechism Class ProcedureCatechism class is the time that we spend together to confirm, strengthen and clarify what you have already learned thus far in your Christian education. You have received a solid base in your understanding of the Christian faith through your Sunday School education. Now it is time to put your years of Bible study to work as we pull together the various teachings of the Bible into a complete picture.

Our two hour class will be conducted as follows:

1) 15 minutes for memory work and daily quiz.“Memory work” are passages from the Bible or sections from Luther’s Catechism that have been assigned to you. You are expected to know this material very well from memory. Depending upon the gifts of the class to memorize, I may start out by having you write down your memory work assignment. However, the goal will be to have each one of you individually recite your memory work to me in class. This, after all, is how you will use God’s Word in a conversation in your daily lives.

The daily quiz is a written review of last week’s lesson. It is not intended to defeat you, rather it is a review of the big points and the basics that we covered in the previous lesson.

2) 10 minutes for review and questions.We’ll spend some time reviewing the previous lesson taught the week before. Why? Because repetition is the mother of learning. The more often that you are exposed to a subject, the greater the likelihood that you will remember.

3) 35 minutesIntroduction to the lesson and the first part of the day’s lesson. This time will also be used for test periods.

4) 15 minute break.

5) 40 minutes. The continuation of the lesson.

6) 5 minutes. Your assignment for the next class will be given.

How to come prepared for each class - students1) Prepare the material to be covered for the upcoming class in Luther’s Small Catechism.

2) Memorize your memory work.

3) Complete any take home assignment given at the end of the class.

4) Review the material covered, including your class notes, from the previous weeks class in Luther’s Small Catechism.

How to come prepared for each class - parentsPastors and teachers have a great influence upon the lives of the children entrusted to their care. But there is no greater influence upon a child than their parents. What is taught in Catechism class must be modeled, supported and reinforced in the home, otherwise your child will receive mixed signals.

• I am entering into this partnership with you under the following assumption: that it is important that your child be in Catechism class learning the importance of God’s Word for their life. Now, if you agree with this statement, then you must also recognize that it is essential that your child(ren) know that God’s Word is important to you as well.

• You can model the importance of God’s Word in your own life by:

• Regular attendance in God’s house for worship.

• Having regular family devotions.

• Asking your child to discuss/explain what they learned in Catechism class.

• Asking them throughout the week how what they have learned applies to some timely issue in the newspaper, on the television, at school, etc. (Try to find ways to get them to apply what they have learned to their every day life. Theology is not learned in a vacuum.)

• Share with your child the joys you have experienced through the study of God’s Word, and how your faith has been strengthened as a result.

• Discuss the Sunday sermon over Sunday lunch, on the drive home, throughout the week.

1) Assist your child in setting aside ample time to prepare for each weeks class. We are tempted to think of day school work as the “essential” and “practical” part of our children’s education. What can be more “practical” for a person in their every day life, than to know that Jesus has won their salvation for them?

• Have they prepared the material for the upcoming class?

• Have they completed the take home assignment from last week’s class?

• Have they reviewed last week’s material and their class notes?

2) Memorize your memory work.

• Have you learned the passage(s) yourself?

• Have you assisted your child in memorizing the passage(s) daily?

• Does your child know why they have memorized this passage? (What Scriptural truth does it teach?)

Attendance:The time that your child and I spend together is only for two hours per week for 36 weeks. Over the course of their Catechetical training this is only 144 hours over two years. This is not a lot of time. I know that you want your child to be fully prepared for the day that they will take their place in the “adult phase” of their worship life here at St. Paul’s. Therefore, it is important that your child attend all of the classes scheduled for this coming year.

Illness and conflicts will undoubtedly arise, and I am not unsympathetic to these situations. I have over the years found that the following policy regarding attendance has been fair:

• A child will be allowed two absences this year; providing that the student or the parents call me and notify me, prior to class, that the student will not be present.

• For an excused absence of this type the student will not be required to make up the daily quiz. They will be required to learn the material that they missed. I will leave this up to you to evaluate their knowledge of this missed material.

• For absences that exceed two occurrences for the year, the student will be required to make up the missed material. They will have to make arrangements to take their daily quiz.

• Should attendance become a re-occurring issue, we will have to speak together regarding this.

Finally, regular attendance at Sunday morning worship is just as important as regular attendance at Catechism class. The two go hand in hand. What your child learns in class will find expression on Sunday morning.

Grades:I do give numerical grades (% of answers correct) on all daily quizzes, the three unit tests and most take home assignments. Grades are not given as a way to grade your child’s faith. They are given so that you and I have some idea as to how your child is understanding the material in relation to the rest of the class. If you have concerns about this, please feel free to speak with me personally.

Catechism Class Memory Work

Resistance:

• Old Adam fights it.

• Requires hard work.

• Teacher often gives little, or no, motivation for learning it.

Why do I have to learn memory work?

The goal of memory work is to develop a treasury of Bible passages, hymns, and catechism truths that a person can recall word for word at any time, throughout their life.

1) To help you form very clear conceptions in your mind about the Biblical truth learned in any given lesson.

2) To equip every Christian with both defensive and offensive weapons in fighting against the temptations of the devil, the world, and our sinful natures. (The armor of God.)

3) To equip every Christian to be able to witness to others about the way of salvation in a clear and simple way.

4) To provide every Christian with strength in the face of life’s hardships. Also, to be able to strengthen others when they experience hardships.

5) To provide every Christian with comfort in times of sorrow. And to be able to comfort others in their times of sorrow.

How to learn your memory work:

1) Use all your senses.

The more of your senses that you employ in learning your memory work, the greater your success. Don’t just speak your passage over and over to yourself, speak it aloud. If you say it out loud, your ears will hear it. If you write it down while speaking it aloud, your brain will retain it longer.

Eyes = Read

Mouth = Speak aloud

Ears = Hear what you speak

Hand = Writing improves brain retention

Smell = Can’t help you with this one

2) Learn as a whole, in one piece.

Don’t break-up your memory passages into “pieces.” Learn the entire passage as a unit.

3) Learn over a period of time.

You can’t retain anything in your memory for a long period of time if you only practice it once or twice – or the night before. Start learning your memory work the same day that you have it assigned. Practice it regularly and faithfully over the next seven days until the next class. If you continue to have difficulty with your memory work, please let me know.