Trinity Lutheran Church

Trinity’s Family Life Stepping Stone Ministry

Stepping Stones at Trinity are a series of events in a child’s spiritual life from birth through graduation from high school. They are marked by bringing parent and child back to the altar and asking God’s blessing for the next stage in life.Gifts and a commemorative album page are given, documenting each Stepping Stone. In this way, parent and child can see the spiritual path as they walk it together. The congregation is witness to these events and partners in praying for the children and parents involved.

Why is this ministry valuable for Christian families?

This series of significant milestones in a child’s life will be used to help parents learn how to effectively and lovingly provide spiritual teaching in their own home to their children. For each stepping stone, there will be three, hour-long class sessions relating to that stage in a child’s growth.These classes will provide helpful additional support and Christian fellowship for parents seeking to nurture their child’s faith.The parents will be taught how to prepare a blessing for their child, which will be used in worship or another setting as each milestone is recognized at Trinity.

What are these Stepping Stones?

In Baptism, God’s grace is given to His child. Parents acknowledge the child as God’s own and commit to raising him or her for the Lord. All of the following Stepping Stones will recall God’s action on this day, and the parent’s commitments made at Baptism. Shortly after a new child is born to a Trinity family, there will be a delivery of a meal and some special Christian gifts. The Pastor will follow-up with a call to the parents if they have not contacted the church to schedule the Baptism and to discuss the preparation for it. The parents will recognize that their child has received adoption by God. “Cradle Roll” ministry follows the Baptism through age three. It is a series of print resources to assist Christian parenting during these early years.

The Come to Worship Stepping Stone happens as a child is ready to enter Kindergarten. As a child enters the world apart from family, this special blessing acknowledges that God goes with them. We also use this opportunity to encourage more active participation in worship. We tour “behind the scenes” of the church, so that each child feels a part of, rather than apart from, what’s going on in worship. 

The First Bible Stepping Stone occurs when the child enters Grade Two, in the early fall of that year. The parents will be informed about the Bible presentation Sunday for their child, as well as being given suggestions for home devotions or “Family Huddles”.

The Journey Stepping Stone occurs in the late Spring as the child completes Grade 5. The purpose of this occasion is to help the older child commit to the next twoyears of Confirmation instruction. The child will focus on how the Bible really is a book that instructs us how to live our lives.

The Confirmation Stepping Stone is completed at the Confirmation Service with the sacrament of Holy Communion in a youth's Eighth grade year. This comes after two years of study beginning in September of the Sixth grade year. These Confirmation teachings include discipleship training, as well as in-depth study and application of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism.

The Graduation Stepping Stone is reached in June of the child’s Senior Year, when they graduate from high school. All of the families with High School Seniors will be invited to participate in a dinner as well as a very special celebration day at Trinity. This includes a reception after the Sunday services and a slide show of the photos provided by the graduate families.