These student testimonies are unedited. I am sharing them just as they wrote them.

Andy Ghibaudi

I was raised in a catholic home and I was baptized. We try to go to church every Sunday.  If not, my mom will put mass on the TV, but we always went to church during the holidays like Easter, Ash Wednesday, midnight mass, and Christmas Day because it is also my birthday.

I learned that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior by accepting Jesus as my Savior and following him.

Jesus Christ is important to me because when I feel lost, I know I can count on him for guidance and strength to keep going. If I do something wrong, I can pray for forgiveness.

My faith in Jesus Christ affects my daily life by the way he guides my choices, and when I am having a bad day, I know I can pray to him.

Confirmation is important to me and my family, and it makes me feel closer to god.

My favorite verse is Psalm 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Emily mcguinness

I was 3 months old when i was baptized. Growing up I went to children’s church most Sundays, there I would learn about the story of God and Jesus while doing fun crafts. 

I learned that Jesus Christ was my lord and savior by going to children’s church and reading  the children’s bible at home with my older brother and mom.

 Jesus Christ is important to me because he loves me and he saved me. He gave his life for the forgiveness of our sins. We  need Jesus because he offers forgiveness for our sins and shows us how to live a life that’s pleasing to God.

  My faith in Jesus Christ influences my daily life by shaping my desicions.My faith encourages actions that reflect compassion, forgiveness, and kindness toward others, shaping interpersonal relationships and community involvement. In the end, it offers a sense of purpose and direction, guiding decisions and bringing resilience during the face of challenges.

 Confirmation is very important to me because it’s a chance to confirm my faith as my own decision and to receive the Holy Spirit’s gifts. When I was a baby I was baptized so i didn’t really have a say in it or understand what it was.Now that i am older I will be able to understand the word of God better than before. 

 My favorite bible verse is romans 1:16, in romans 1:16 it states “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”.This is my favorite scripture because it means that us Christians shouldn’t be embarrassed to share our faith because the gospel has the power to save anyone who believes, no matter who they are.

Kenzie Moore

Growing up, I was not raised by christian parents. 

Here and there I would go to church with my god mom. 

I was not baptized at a young age because my family didn’t go to church. This means that I didn’t grow up surrounded by the Christian faith. 

I learned that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior because of my family. My mom found an advertisement for Bethel’s VBS where my two younger sisters went for their first time. From that point on, me and my family have been going to church every Sunday. 

Jesus Christ is important to me because he never lets something happen that I can’t handle. I need Jesus in my life because he knows what’s best for me in life. 

My faith in Jesus affects me in my daily life because with Jesus’s faith, life is so peaceful. 

Confirmation is important to me because it helped me get closer to God. 

My favorite bible verse is Proverbs 3: 5-6. This verse says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path”. This is my favorite bible verse because it talks about putting all your trust in God and not doubting his abilities.

skylar Reign Moore

My mom was raised catholic and my dad was raised christian. Even though they were both raised religiously my siblings and I were not.

And of course my parents didn’t stop us from learning about God, we were just never given the opportunity to. I’ve always known God existed but I never knew anything about him or his story. That is until my family and I moved to this town. The summer my family moved here was the summer of 2020. My grandma had mentioned a vacation bible school at Bethel Lutheran and Brethren Church. I went to the Vacation bible school with my little sister. That was the first time I really got to know God. That week I learned so many things about God and I also learned about God’s love for me. 

After that week I asked my parents if we could go to church every Sunday. And that is what we did. Ever since then I found so much love for going to church. I started learning that Jesus is my lord and savior by reading the bible. Reading the bible has answered so many of my questions. 

My faith in Jesus gives me purpose, comfort, and a sense of community, making my daily life feel more meaningful and guided. Confirmation is super important to me because it helps me feel closer to my faith and my church. It’s like a big step in showing that I’m serious about my beliefs and ready to grow more in my christian journey. Confirmation is also a special time to celebrate with my friends and family. 

One of my favorite bible verses is Ecclesiates 3:11.

This bible verse states “He made everything beautiful in his time”. 

This verse means a lot to me because it makes me realize that everything is God’s creation. No matter if you think something is not the best looking. God created everything and everyone. Thank you for listening to my journey. I hope my story inspires you to seek and strengthen your own faith. God bless you.

Drew Schumacher

Very early in my childhood, my family was part of an Evangelical Lutheran church. I was baptized in that church, and my family was very active. We left abruptly after the passing of my brother and my parents never returned. My family really ceased activity together after that as well.

I knew from a young age about Jesus, but my family and the world told me He wasn’t for me. As a result, it pushed me so far away from God that it was like He was never there. Through a chain of fortunate coincidences you might say, or divine intervention I think, I ended up here at Bethel and unwittingly befriended Pastor Fred. My friendship with Him and my marriage to a God-fearing Christian woman opened my eyes to the fact that Jesus was most definitely for me.

Jesus takes my heavy burdens and life in His service has awarded me a peace that I could never imagine. I need Jesus because even on my worst days with Jesus in my life, they far exceed my best days without Him.

My life today is no longer just my own selfish desires and no longer a life of self-servitude. As a result, I get to bring altruism into aspects of my life that used to only serve as an opportunity to run on self-will alone. Outside of being a husband and a father (which I couldn’t do without Jesus), and outside of taking care of this church (which I wouldn’t do without Jesus), I get to conduct business in a moral, Christian manner. And my life is happy as a result.

For me, even though it may have felt strange being the only adult besides Pastor Fred in confirmation class, I felt a strong desire to do what would have been asked of me at their age had I been brought up in the church. Being called into ministry, it seemed important to put the work in even while taking seminary courses: And if I’m being honest, there’s nothing that interests me more to learn about than God.

My favorite Bible verse is Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may now what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.”

This verse reminds me not to give in to Earthly desires and ambitions but to instead focus on what Jesus has done for me in His life, death and resurrection, and to align my compass with Him and His perfect will. 

fred scragg 6

I was raised by Christian parents. I was baptized when I was three months old at Bethel. At my baptism my parents and the church agreed to help me grow in Christian faith. I know these people pray for me. When I was baptized I was let into the family of God.

I learned that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior in many ways. My preschool teachers at Bethel taught me about Jesus. I went to Bethel Kids and Children’s church and now Youth Group. Most importantly my family and I read the Bible and pray every night.

Jesus is important to me because he is the only way to heaven. Jesus helps me know how to act and be kind to others. Jesus is always there and I can talk to him about anything. I need Jesus in my life because he forgives me even though I am not perfect.

My faith in Jesus affects me in daily life today by helping me when I do something wrong. Jesus helps me know how to do the right thing. Jesus helps me act right because he helps me understand I do things wrong. Jesus helps me not worry when people I know get sick or bad things happen to them because he will help them.

Confirmation is important to me because it helps me come to a deeper understanding of Christianity. Confirmation helps me get to know Jesus better. Confirmation lets people know who prayed for me that I want to learn more about the

Bible and Jesus. 

My favorite Bible passage is Psalm 23.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

This is my favorite Bible passage because it lets me know that God is with me and will help me in times of need.

vera shamara

Christian parents raised me. They did not go to church a lot when i was younger and we really only started to go regularly when i was 11. The very same year we started going ,me and my sister got baptized. My mom made the decision to baptize us as she was looking for a church for quite some time.

When I started going at eleven years old I went to children’s church where Cristie taught me a lot about Jesus and what he did for me. Through her teaching I started believing more and more. Later during the summer during VBS when I was still young enough to participate in games and crafts Pastor Fred came in and told us about Jesus’ resurrection and what he did for us and that really solidified my faith.

Jesus is very important because he is the way to eternal peace and happiness. He saved us from sin not letting sin devour us. He is important in my life because he keeps me from falling into the endless bottomless pit of sin saving me from it. 

My faith has changed me, making me nicer and more thoughtful. I don’t fall into sin as often as I would have before believing in Him. I am more knowledgeable in terms of the bible understanding it much better and its meaning.

Confirmation is important to me because it really solidifies my faith in Christ. I learn more about what God’s intentions are for me. Confirmation teaches me about the history behind God’s word and amplifies my learning experience. 

My favorite verse is Luke 1:35 “ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” This verse is important to me as it describes how Jesus will be born and how the promise of a Savior is fulfilled. The verse is all about how Jesus was conceived and came to us.

jacen talleur

I was baptized by my Godfather, Pastor Fred, at Bethel. I attended Bethel Nursery School and both my parents were involved within the church.  Growing up my parents and I attended church and I was able to hear and learn about Jesus

I learned that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior by attending church, talking to my parents and attending Confirmation. I have also learned this through prayer and reading the Bible.  I also learned about Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior through events at the church such as VBS.

Jesus Christ is important to me because he helps me in my everyday life and gives me faith that I can be better person if I do something wrong. I need Jesus Christ in my everyday life because having him in my life makes me feel safe and happy. He is always there for me in times that I need him.

My faith in Jesus Christ affects my daily life because I know I can always trust him. I can also rely on my faith in Jesus Christ to help me be hopeful that I can do the best I can through everyday life. Another reason why Jesus Christ affects my daily life today is that help spread his good word to my peers.

Confirmation is important to me because attending Confirmation has taught me the importance of Jesus Christ. It has also helped me build a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ and the church.  I also got to share Gods Word with the other confirmands.

My favorite bible verse is Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It is my favorite verse because it helps me with overcoming challenges. I especially use this verse when I play basketball because it reminds me that Christ is always with me and it gives me strength to do my best.