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CONFIRMATIONAT ST. ANDREWT HE L UTHERAN C HURCH OF S T . A NDREW15300 New Hampshire AvenueSilver Spring, Maryland 20905301-384-4394 MyStAndrew.orgMark Hricko, PastorNicholas Gonzalez, Associate PastorMitch Glazier, Confirmation Director
CONFIRMATION AT ST. ANDREWIntroductionThe Rite of Confirmation is a public affirmation of our baptismal covenant with God and a reception intomembership at The Lutheran Church of St. Andrew. It includes vows to worship faithfully, receive theLord’s Supper often, and to “suffer everything, even death, rather than fall away from Christ.” Therefore,Confirmation at St. Andrew is not simply a rite of passage or a class followed by a ceremony. It is theculmination of two years of spiritual formation, Christian education, and relationship building, all of whichlead to a public affirmation of faith, a solemn vow to live the life of a Christian, an invocation of the HolySpirit, and the bestowal of a blessing according to apostolic tradition. Confirmation is about God’scommitment to us and our commitment to God. Confirmation is a wonderful faith building opportunity.Please read carefully the program requirements on page 3 before enrolling in confirmation.Our pastors, confirmation director, and teaching and activities staff offer themselves as partners withconfirmands and their parents, so that this journey will result in both a God-pleasing commitment and aspiritual foundation that will bless our children for the rest of their lives.Welcome to Confirmation at St. Andrew!1
CONFIRMATION AT ST. ANDREWBasic UnderstandingsBecause of our commitment to the spiritual growth of the young women and men of St. Andrew, ourconfirmation ministry functions on the basis of the following understandings. Christian education is the primary responsibility offaithful parents. The church supports parents incarrying out this responsibility. Parental commitmentand support are essential to a fruitful confirmationexperience. Confirmation is a process of spiritual formation as wellas Christian education and is therefore evidenced byfaith as well as knowledge. Our style of ministry isdesigned to help confirmands have a lifelong relationshipwith God and with fellow believers, as well as to sharetheir faith and make spiritually based decisions. Because children, like adults, grow spiritually andintellectually in many different ways, our team will besensitive and highly encouraging in their approach witheach individual. We also understand that we cannot“push a confirmand through” if he or she has notcompleted the requirements of the program or is not sincerely ready to make their vows withintegrity. Therefore, parents, teachers, confirmands, and our pastors will trust the guidance of theSpirit and will function as a team to determine whether the time is right for an individual to beconfirmed.2
CONFIRMATION AT ST. ANDREWSubject MatterOver the course of the two years of confirmation classes, students will gain a basic understanding of theprimary teachings of the Christian faith. These include, but are not limited to: Old and New Testament Bible Spiritual Gifts Christian Worship The Six Chief Parts of Luther’s Small Catechism The Ten Commandments Holy Baptism The Lord’s Supper The Creeds Confession and Forgiveness PrayerRequirementsAs Christians, we believe that nothing is more important than a commitment to live as a follower of Jesus.Considering the importance of your commitment to the expectations of confirmation at St. Andrew anddiscuss this in your family before signing your covenant with our confirmation ministry.Requirements of the program to be confirmed include the following: At least 75% attendance at Friday Confirmation Classes each year (7:00-8:00pm)At least 75% attendance at Sunday Confirmation Classes each year (9:30-10:30am)Regular attendance at one of our four weekly worship servicesCompletion of 16 worship notes each yearAttendance at the fall outdoor orientation (optional in 2020) and spring weekendConfirmation Retreat each yearCompletion of class assignments, including three second-year contracts and a spiritualgifts essayCompletion of a final interview and oral exam by Pastor GonzalezParticipation in the Night of Witness ServiceParticipation in the Rite of Confirmation on PentecostFor their own spiritual benefit and in fairness to fellow students, confirmands who cannot meet a minimum 75%attendance record or who do not complete other requirements will be encouraged to meet them and work towardconfirmation with the following year’s class.3
CONFIRMATION AT ST. ANDREWActivitiesThough not required, confirmands will be encouraged toparticipate in Friday after class activities, fellowships, andservice projects as ways of building relationships witheach other in the family of God. In addition, otheractivities include: a role in the leadership of a Sundayworship service (2nd year only), the confirmation picnic(2nd year only), and service as an acolyte, cross bearer, orlesson reader. Parents will be asked to share in theleadership of the Friday evening activities with thesupport of our activity coordinator.CostsThere will be nominal costs for some Friday after-classactivities. Other costs are associated with the fallorientation and spring retreat, and robe rental. PleaseNote: No one will be excluded from any aspectof our ministry due to financial hardship.First CommunionConfirmands who have not previously received their firstcommunion will be communed for the first time duringtheir first year of confirmation.CommunicationOur confirmation director will be sending important information and email reminders to you throughoutthe year. Please keep up with these and respond as soon as possible when asked. Our confirmationdirector, teachers, activity staff, and pastor are ready to discuss your experience in confirmation at anytime.CancellationsWeather related cancellations will be announced via email and online at www.mystandrew.org and atwww.wtopnews.com.4
CONFIRMATION AT ST. ANDREWA Final WordOver the years, several of our confirmands came to their Confirmation Day stating that they wished itwasn’t over. They point to the genuine care and spiritual leadership of their teachers and activitycoordinators, the depth of their friendships, the spiritual growth they experienced along the way, and lastbut not least, the fun they had!Our goal at St. Andrew is not simply to “teach the faith” but to show the children of the next generationthat God loves them no matter what and is with them always, and that God’s family is a wonderful andjoyful place to learn, serve, and grow for the rest of their lives. We pray that our partnership in thisimportant ministry will encourage young Christians to know the God of grace and take their place in Hismission until their journey on earth is over and they see Him face to face.5
CONFIRMATION MINISTRY BIOGRAPHIESMITCH GLAZIER is Confirmation Director. He and his wife, Carly, have been members of St. Andrew since 1996and their two sons, Grant and Logan, were both confirmed at LCSA. Grant can sometimes be seen playingpiano/keyboards and performing vocals in the praise band, and Logan can be heard singing as part of Exalt! Mitchserved on the “Beyond These Walls” fundraising committee and is the Chair of the “Above and Beyond” gift program.He has a law degree from Vanderbilt University and a B.S. in Social Policy from Northwestern University. He is thePresident of the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade body that represents the major record labels inthe U.S. Mitch’s hobbies include running, reading, hanging out with family and listening to lots and lots of music.SUSAN BUCKHOUT-WHITE is a first-year Friday night teacher. She has been a member of St. Andrew since 1995and a confirmation teacher since 2009. Previously, she led the Children’s Church Program and taught 5th and 6th gradeSunday school. Susan is one of the most creative members of the team, designing many of the decorations that bring St.Andrew’s annual Vacation Bible School themes to life. Susan also is responsible for a number of art pieces displayedaround our church facility. She is married to Michael Buckhout-White, who can sometimes be seen drumming in thepraise band. They have two children, Samantha and Gabriel. Susan has a B.S. and Ph.D. in Materials Science andEngineering from the University of Maryland. She is a Scientific Engineering and Technical Advisor to DARPA with anextensive publication record in the field of biotechnology and nanotechnology. In her free time, she enjoys, running,biking, painting, cooking and spending time with family and friends.ROGER CALDOW teaches the old testament. He has been a first-year confirmation teacher since 1985. Previously,he taught 3rd and 4th grade Sunday school. Roger became a member of St. Andrew in 1968. He retired from JohnsHopkins Applied Physics Laboratory after 45 years as an electrical engineer. He is a graduate of Valparaiso Universityand Johns Hopkins University. Besides teaching confirmation, Roger administers and drives for The Lord’s Truckministry; serves as a communion assistant; operates the church sound system; and is a former member of St. Andrew’sBoard of Directors. His hobby is railroading, and he is a member of the Western Maryland Railway Historical Societyand its Modular Group. He also enjoys target shooting and is a member of the APL Gun Club. Roger has a workingrelationship with Aaron and Miriam, scriptural figures who were Moses’ brother and sister. You’ll see why later! Rogerhas a personal relationship with God, who has a wonderful sense of humor and who gave us prayer and laughter as apowerful and necessary part of life.SHANNON CLARK is one of the newest members of the Confirmation Program. She transferred to St. Andrew lastyear, re-establishing a strong connection that included Pastor Hricko officiating at her 2003 wedding to Brendan Clark.The couple have two very active children: Zachary who was confirmed in the 2019 class, and Julia, a sixth grader.Shannon works as the numbers guru for the Association of Public Health Laboratories, a non-profit that works closelywith public, state, federal and global health organizations. When she is not running numbers and watching the payroll,she is chasing her children around soccer, softball and baseball diamonds in the region. Shannon will be a first-yearSunday confirmation teacher. In addition, she will be organizing parent activities with Nancy Mueller and ChristyHyder, coordinating and monitoring Friday night activities for the confirmation students and providing overall supportfor the program.6
HEIDI GILES is a first-year Sunday morning teacher. She has been a member of St. Andrew since 1991 and has taughtconfirmation since 1999. Before joining the confirmation ministry, Heidi taught Sunday school at the preschool levelfor two years. She is married to Steve Giles, a member of the St. Andrew choir, and is the mother of Stephanie andAugust Giles – both alumnae of the confirmation program. Heidi has an A.B. in English Language and Literature witha minor in Education from the College of William and Mary; a graduate certificate in publishing from the GeorgeWashington University; and has most recently completed courses at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at JohnsHopkins University. She is currently a Program Management Office (PMO) Manager at the MITRE Corporation,leading PMO activities for the CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare.MICHELLE GOODMAN joined St. Andrew in 2004 while searching for a confirmation program for her daughter.Since that time, both of her children were confirmed at St. Andrew, and Michelle joined the confirmation team as ateacher. Originally serving as a first-year teacher, Michelle now serves as part of the second-year team. She and herhusband Richard own a service company that specializes in architectural hardware and physical security. Michelleattended the University of Maryland University College where she earned a B.S. in Cyber-Security and InformationTechnology. Michelle is an avid soccer fan and serves as president and coach for a local travel soccer club.CHRISTY HYDER is coordinator of the acolyte ministry and part of our trident team of activity coordinators. She ismarried to Toby and has two children who have been through Confirmation. Cameron is a sophomore at SalisburyUniversity where he plays on the baseball team. Fourteen year - old Regan has entered her freshman year of high schooland is an avid swimmer and soccer player. So, Christy spends time enjoying those sports and cheering on her kids. Sheis on the Board of Directors at the West Laurel Swim Club and she and her husband volunteer with the Booster Clubat Reservoir High School. Most of her time is spent teaching kindergarten at Bond Mill Elementary School in Laurel.She also loves to read, walk her three beagles and go camping, especially near a beach.HELENA JACOBS is a second year Friday night Catechism teacher and has been a member of St. Andrew for over 30years. In the past, she has served on the church board as Secretary and she currently serves as one of the communionassistants. She graduated from the University of Maryland and works at Georgetown’s Lombardi ComprehensiveCancer Center in the Hematology department as a clinical researcher. She also works part-time in Montgomery Countypublic school as a substitute teacher and an instructor in the after-school program teaching Big Learning andEngineering. She has 3 daughters (Stephanie, Megan, and Chelsea) who were all confirmed at St. Andrews. Her hobbiesinclude running, walking, biking, reading and hanging out with her grandchildren.NANCY MUELLER teaches first-year Sunday confirmation. Nancy and her husband Mark and their 2 daughters,Vanessa and Nicole, joined St. Andrew last year. Nicole will be a second-year confirmand this year. Vanessa wasconfirmed in 2017 at their former church. Prior to joining St. Andrew, she served as the Sunday school director for 3years at Messiah Lutheran Church in Germantown. Nancy also serves as a communion assistant. Nancy attended CaseWestern Reserve University in Cleveland where she earned her B.S. in Biology. Then she moved to Loyola Chicago,where she earned her PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology with a concentration in stress neurobiology. Nancycompleted her post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Cincinnati in neuroscience. While in Cincinnati, Vanessaand Nicole joined the family. Nancy is currently a Clinical Scientist at AstraZeneca in Gaithersburg. She works onfinding cures for cancer, by helping conduct clinical trials for new compounds that work on the immune system. In herlittle free time, she likes to garden, cook, read, cross stitch and occasionally sew. She is also actively involved with theGirl Scouts for both her daughters.7
CAROLINE POESE is a second-year Friday night teacher. She has been a member of St. Andrew since 1998 and is analumnus of LCSA’s 2004 Confirmation class. After having such a wonderful experience in the program, she returnedto teach in 2011. She also teaches Sunday School with the SALTeens and is hoping to focus this year on developing aprogram to help our teens transition to college. Caroline holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University ofMaryland, but after a year of teaching decided to take her career in a different direction. She now works as a nonpolitical employee at the White House, proofreading and editing correspondence for multiple offices. She has beenmarried to fellow LCSA-lifer, Scott Poese since 2012, but they have been together since she joined the St. AndrewSALTeens program in 2004. They welcomed their first child, Reese, in April 2018! In her spare time, Caroline enjoysall things crafty, especially paper-crafting.KLAUS STREBEL is a first-year Friday night confirmation teacher. He started teaching Friday night classes in 2011but had extensive second-hand knowledge about the program from his daughter Mary-Beth who was confirmed in2011. Klaus and his wife Kathleen have been members of St. Andrew since 1989. Aside from teaching confirmationclass, Klaus is active as a communion assistant and an usher. He grew up in Germany where he graduated from theUniversity of Heidelberg with a Ph.D. in Microbiology. He has lived in the U.S. since 1986 and is a tenured investigatorat the National Institutes of Health, where he conducts biomedical research. In his spare time, he enjoys spending timewith his family and working on landscaping and other projects around the house.BOB SULLIVAN began teaching second-year confirmation in 2012. He and his wife Angela have been members of St.Andrew since 2002. Prior to that, he sang tenor in the Cantate Domino choir and served as a children's leader anddiscussion leader in Bible Study Fellowship in Timonium and Annapolis. Bob and Angela have three lovely daughters:Paige, Hope, and Claire. A "recovering" actor and singer, Bob now spends his workdays in front of a computer screen,keeping databases up and running fast. He and Angela occasionally sing duets in church and perform in plays andmusicals together.DAVE VANDERWEELE is a second-year Sunday morning confirmation teacher and has been part of the confirmationministry since 2007. Prior to joining the confirmation team, Dave taught sixth grade Sunday school for six years. Davehas been a member of The Lutheran Church of St. Andrew since 1996. He is married to fellow confirmation teacherMandy Wingo and has three children, all of whom have gone through the confirmation program. Dave completed hisB.S. at Gannon University, and then received an MS in Marine Ecology from San Diego State University. He worksfor the US Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management as an Emergency Management Specialist. Inaddition to teaching confirmation, Dave volunteers as the scoutmaster of a local Boy Scout Troop. In that capacityDave, an Eagle Scout, has helped numerous members of the congregation become Eagle Scouts as well. In his sparetime, Dave enjoys hiking, biking and camping, as well as gardening and projects around the house.DEATRICE WILLIAMS is a second-year Friday night confirmation teacher. She has been a member of St. Andrewsince 2001 and has taught confirmation since 2002. In addition to teaching, Deatrice has had the privilege of serving asa member of the St. Andrew Board of Directors. Prior to coming to St. Andrew, Deatrice was active in the faithcommunity of her previous church where she sang in the choir and taught preschool Sunday school. Members andvisitors can find Deatrice using her singing talents with St. Andrew’s Cantate Domino choir at the 9:30 a.m. worshipservice. Deatrice has one son, Joshua, who is looking forward to the day he begins confirmation! In the meantime, sheserves as PTA President at his elementary school. Deatrice works as an Infant Development Specialist for the City ofAlexandria’s Infant & Toddler early intervention program and has been in that position since 2000. Deatrice is currentlya Montgomery County foster parent and serves as President of the Montgomery County Foster Parent Association.She is also completing her term on the Montgomery County Commission on Children and Youth. In her rare momentsof spare time, Deatrice enjoys cooking, reading, playing with Joshua, and spending time with family and friends.8
MANDY WINGO has been a second-year Sunday morning confirmation teacher since 2002. She previously taughtSunday school for eight years. Mandy has been a member of St. Andrew since 1992 and has served in a variety of rolesover the years. Confirmation is the ministry closest to her heart for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is thefact that this is where she met her husband, Dave VanderWeele. Married in 2010, they continue to be blessed by thisministry and consider it an honor to serve as confirmation teachers. Mandy received her B.A. at East StroudsburgUniversity and her M.A. in Geography at The University of Maryland, College Park. She began her career inGeographic Information Systems before moving into management and spending over 20 years in the government ITcontracting arena. She works for the National Institutes of Health as a project manager. In her spare time, she is usuallyplanning something, whether it is the next adventure, family vacation, party, or house project. She also enjoys hiking,traveling, cooking, gardening, camping and volunteering with the Boy Scouts as a merit badge counselor and a venturecrew advisor.9
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confirmation since 1999. Before joining the confirmation ministry, Heidi taught Sunday school at the preschool level for two years. She is married to Steve Giles, a member of the St. Andrew choir, and is the mother of Stephanie and August Giles – both alumnae of the confirmation program.
