CONFIRMATION PROJECT TRANSFORMS THE NURSERY
By 9th Grade Confirmation students Sam, Garret, Lauren, & Ash
Trees help us connect to God through endless knowledge and imagining other worlds from the past.
“Trees are the earth’s endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.” – Rabindranath Tagore, Early 20th Century Poet
WHAT IS THE 2026 CONFIRMATION PROJECT?
Our 9th Grade Confirmation is working on an art project in the nursery. It is going to be a forest of trees in the reading/learning corner of the nursery where young children can learn about the stories of God. We are doing this project to bring more life and excitement onto the walls of the nursery. This will also cover up some of the room on the wall since they are very bare at the moment.
Trees portray nature which is important as they are essential to life. Trees also bring a calming feeling of nature indoors and create a connection to nature.
This brings something new to the nursery and creates a warm environment. This project allows the entire 9th Grade Confirmation group to have the experience of helping others and the church, work together and volunteering our time.
“I didn’t really know how this project was gonna go.
It’s the kind of project where you just have to jump in and start!” – Rose Bentley, High School Youth Director
WHAT IS CONFIRMATION?
Confirmation is a milestone opportunity for teens and young students, grades 6 through 9 to publicly confirm their faith and commitment their beliefs. Confirmation involves weekly Wednesday night classes, fun activities, and preparation to better understand the religious values of being a Lutheran.
Attending Confirmation is important because it marks a personal decision to take responsibility for one’s faith rather than relying only on family traditions. Enrolling and participating in Confirmation classes also strengthens your sense of community by connecting with your peers. Overall, Confirmation represents growth, maturity, and a step toward developing deep, personal beliefs and creating your own religious identity.
“We are hopeful that when new people come to visit the nursery for Shepherd’s Kids, or dropping off for a program or an event, that the nursery doesn’t feel like a scary place to come, and that it’s exciting for kids to be here. Trees were our dream two years ago.
We’ve been dreaming about this for a long time.”– Kelsey Young, Director of Children, Youth, & Family Ministries
WHY DOES THIS PROJECT MATTER?
This project matters because we are giving the nursery something that is able to be an inclusive reading corner to learn about God, invite kids to talk, hang out, and make new friends.
Next time you are at SOTV, stop by the nursery to see our new mural, or if your kids go to the nursery ask them their favorite part.