Children & Youth
Faith Explorers for ages 3 through 5th grade is held each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. during the school year. Kids learn Bible stories that align with Sunday morning focus lessons they heard during worship. That means they have consistency from worship to education time! Each lesson includes the retelling of the story and hands-on activities to help them understand the lessons, including areas like science, cooking, theater, etc.
Middle school and high school youth (grades 6-12) gather together each Sunday morning at 10:15 a.m. in the youth room for faith conversation with our ministry coodrinator.
Zion supports our Lutherans Outdoors Bible camps as an important milestone in the faith lives of our kids. We organize a camp event during the summer where youth will attend camp together at NeSoDak Bible Camp.
Milestone Ministry
Milestone Ministry recognizes faith milestones in the life of Zion Lutheran children and youth. These milestones always include faith events for parents + kids and special recognition during worship. Milestones include:
- Baptism and Recognition of Baptism
- 1-year-olds celebrate their baptism anniversaries.
- 3-year-olds receive story Bibles to begin to learn and love God’s Word.
- 4-year-olds receive prayer pillows to help them learn to pray.
- 3rd-Graders receive a Bible
- 4th-Graders learn about the Book of Mark.
- 5th-Graders learn about the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
- 6th-Graders learn about what it means to be made in the image of God.
- 10th-Graders are confirmed in October and receive prayer shawls at Confirmation.
- 12th-Graders are recognized on their high school graduation.
Middle School & High School
Middle School and High School have regular fellowship and service events throughout the year. Bible Camp, retreats, servant trips, and youth gatherings are also a part of youth programming. Zion Lutheran youth can register for camp as part of a group or attend individually.
Separate middle school and high school youth groups are held with our ministry coordinator weekly to allow for faith conversations, fellowship, and fun!
We strive to nourish the faith lives of our youth through service opportunities. We are planning on a service trip to Milwaukee in June 2025.
Every 3 years the ELCA holds a youth gathering for youth from across the United States. Zion Lutheran youth have attended the Youth Gathering for many years. Various fundraisers are held to cover the costs of attending. The next gathering will be in in 2027, and we are already making plans to be there!
Confirmation
Confirmation at Zion takes place through the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades.
- 6th, 7th and 8th graders participate in weekly Living Out Loud meetings that reflect the Sunday morning lessons. During that time, students focus on diving into scripture and apply it to their lives, along with learning about what it means to be a Lutheran and our beliefs.
- 9th graders complete a year of service projects, conversations with a faith mentor, and an independent faith capstone project. This is a creative, visual display that ties together what they have learned over their Confirmation years.
- Confirmation Sunday is held on Reformation Sunday of the 10th grade year.
