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< Back Confirmation Day 6: Caring For Faith Within the Congregation Day 6, Lesson 2: Confession, a Grace Privilege Objective In confession, you speak to another believer of those sins that trouble your conscience and you receive the assurance of the forgiveness of all of your sins Learning Outcome Explain the two parts of confession and why it is important in a believer’s life. Confirmation Exercise Questions #27. What is confession? Confession consists of two parts: the one is, that we confess our sins; the other, that we receive absolution from the confessor as of God himself, in no wise doubting, but firmlybelieving that our sins are thus forgiven before God in heaven. Reference Material Booklet Song: When doubt and sin are pressing, / A Christian sighs and weeps / And on the way of suff’ring, / For mercy waits and pleads, / And then, in trust and comfort, / Confesses sin and grief / To a confessor father / And finds forgiveness free. (SHZ 306 v.1) Booklet Text: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1) Additional Reference Material SCRIPTURE Ps. 32:1-5; Prov. 28:13; Acts 24:16; 1 Tim. 1:19; 3:9; Heb. 10:22; 12:1-3; James 5:16; Matt. 18:18; John 20:22,23; Rom. 1:17; Eph. 2:8 CURRICULUM Lesson 4.2 ADDITIONAL LESSON POINTS Who has the power to forgive sins? Complete trust is required of a confessor father. Matters spoken of in confession can never be told to anyone else. RESOURCES By Faith 27; Christian Doctrine 83; Luther’s Small Catechism Part V; The Treasure Hidden in a Field, J. Uljas, pages 87-92; Confession, R. Herrala, LLC Winter Services Youth Presentation, 2016; VZ: Confession, A. Paloranta, Oct. 1979, page 154; How it is Taught: Confession, J. Uljas, Nov. 1998, Page 5; Confession, A Healing Slave for the Soul’s Wounds, A. Pelkonen, Sep. 2015, page 5. Previous Next

Christmas Greetings As of this year, we have discontinued printing individual Christmas greetings in the December issue of The Voice of Zion. We have decided to use the space in The Voice of Zion to print other seasonal content. We will continue to print greetings from LLC staff and Board, from SRK and SFC and also from member congregations. The SRK’s Päivämies newspaper will still print individual greetings. The SRK accepts greetings submissions until Nov. 3, 2024. If you would like to submit your greetings to the Päivämies, please go to https://joulutervehdykset.srk.fi/ Contact Maria Fredrickson (mfredrickson@llchurch.org ) with any questions.

Change of Address If you have a change of address, telephone number, email address, or other contact information for LLC subscriptions, communications, or the LLC Telephone and Address Directory, please use the form below. Fill out all fields. All changes and updates made by March 31 will be made in the 2025 LLC Directory. If no changes are made, your information will stay the same. Last Name First Name (Person 1/Husband) First Name (Person 2/Wife) Cell phone (Person 1) Cell phone (Person 2) Email (Person 1) Email (Person 2) Home Phone (if applicable) Member Congregation Choose an option Home Address City Region/State/Province Postal / Zip code Mailing Address (If different than home address) City Region/State/Province Postal / Zip code Have your recently moved to a new congregation? Does your listing in the directory need to be removed from your previous congregation? If so, please select your previous congregation below. Previous Congregation Choose an option Submit

Bus Information Bus transportation is arranged from Southern Minnesota to Youth Camps and Pre-Confirmation Camps at Stony Lake Camp and to Pre-Confirmation Camps at HLC. Busing is also arranged for LLC Confirmation schools. Stony Lake Camp Bus Schedule There will only be one pick-up spot for Stony Lake Youth Camps. PICK UP STOP: Bus departs LLC Office @ 9:30 a.m. Campers should be at the LLC Office by 9:15 a.m. Bus returns to the LLC Office about 3:15 p.m. on return date. Brainerd campers catch the bus at Travel Center, Motley. Bus Fee: Stony Lake Camp: $35 Hasscib Lake Camp: $150 LLC Office Address: 212 West 3rd Street, Monticello, MN 55362 2025 Camp Bus Schedule

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Privacy Policy Laestadian Lutheran Church takes seriously the privacy of those that visit our web site. We have established this Privacy Policy to communicate what information we collect and how that information is used and safeguarded. By accessing this website (www.llchurch.org ), you acknowledge the terms and conditions expressed herein. We reserve the right to change this policy at our sole discretion and without notice. WHAT INFORMATION IS COLLECTED, AND WHY? When a user visits our website, we collect information about the visit that does not identify the user personally. We track information such as the domain from which the user is visiting and the user's browser type. We also collect specific information regarding the user's session on our website. This includes items such as the date and time of the visit and the pages viewed. Sometimes we ask a user to voluntarily provide personally identifiable information (PII). This information generally includes, but is not limited to, name, e-mail address, postal address, and telephone number. We request this information when the user requests one of the following: To register to attend an on-line seminar or demonstration To receive specific information from us such as a whitepaper or code sample To sign up for a mailing list To correspond with us Or any other such activity that we deem necessary Laestadian Lutheran Church does not collect any personally identifiable financial or health-related information. We do not intentionally collect information from children under the age of 13. HOW IS THE INFORMATION USED? Non-personally identifiable information (non-PII) is collected to allow us to analyze how our website is used and to improve the content and service the website provides. Personally identifiable information is collected for analysis to improve the content of the website and the services we provide the user. Laestadian Lutheran Church owns the collected information and will not sell, trade, or rent the information to others. We may use the information to continue contact with the user. This may include contact such as follow-up calls, e-mail correspondence, or mail correspondence to follow-up on the contact or to provide marketing information about promotions, new services, or important website changes. Laestadian Lutheran Church may share this information with its business partners for the specific purpose of a promotion or service offering. ARE "COOKIES" USED ON THE WEBSITE? "Cookies" are small pieces of information that are placed on a web user's hard drive. We may use cookies to provide you with better service. Cookies are pieces of information that a Web site transfers to your computer's hard disk for record-keeping purposes. Cookies can make the Web more useful by storing information about your preferences for a particular site. The use of cookies is an industry standard, and many major Web sites use them to provide useful features for their customers. Cookies in and of themselves do not personally identify users, although they do identify a user's computer. Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies. If you prefer, you can set your browser to refuse cookies. However, you may not be able to take full advantage of the functionality of the Laestadian Lutheran Church site if you do so. HOW IS PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION SAFEGUARDED? Laestadian Lutheran Church utilizes industry standard methods and mechanisms such as firewalls, intrusion monitoring, and passwords to protect electronic information. Multiple physical security methods such as locking devices and 24 hour premise monitoring are also employed. Finally, access to PII is limited to a small number of personnel and on a need-to-know basis. LINKS TO OTHER WEB SITES Laestadian Lutheran Church web site may contain links to other internet web sites. Laestadian Lutheran Church neither controls nor endorses external sites and is not responsible for the content of such sites. This policy does not cover the privacy policies and data collection practices of non-Laestadian Lutheran Church web sites. HOW TO OPT OUT OF CORRESPONDENCE Based on the information a user has provided, Laestadian Lutheran Church may send e-mail correspondence to the user. Each correspondence will contain an easy means to opt out of further correspondence.

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Position Statements INTRODUCTION LLC Position Statement - adopted July 2006 We live a time during which the concept of right and wrong has blurred. It appears that many people accept the philosophy of moral relativism, denying the existence of moral truths. As a result many base their beliefs on the ever-changing tide of popular opinion and thus have no enduring foundation upon which to build their lives. The Bible, once widely respected and esteemed as the foundation for Christian faith, is now commonly believed to have only symbolic value, more significant as a source of history and culture than moral guidance. Our beliefs direct our lives and guide our actions. They have consequences with regard to both eternal life and this life. As individuals and as a society we will reap the consequences of our actions. Thus with heartfelt concern we wish to draw attention to the following issues and present our position on them. GOD'S WORD THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD We believe that the Bible is God's Word. While men have written the Scripture, they have not done so as an expression of their own will, but God has moved them by His Spirit to express His own will (2 Pet. 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16). God's Word is not to be treated or regarded in the same manner as man's word but rather granted our highest esteem and reverence. GOD'S WORD IS CHRISTIAN FAITH'S HIGHEST AUTHORITY We believe that God's Word is Christian faith's highest authority and thus Christian faith's guiding principles and doctrine must be examined and evaluated in the light of God's Word. GOD'S WORD IS UNCHANGING AND ETERNAL The claim that God's Word is bound to time and shackled to the culture of its time does not do justice to God's revelation. According to Jesus, the content and the message of the Word of God does not change along with changes in the world. God's Word is always timely. We cannot relinquish this principle. Jesus says of the permanence of His Word: “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Luke 21:33). THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE IS SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST The teaching about Jesus Christ and the salvation that God in His love has prepared in Christ is the central message of the Bible. Man is saved alone by grace, through faith, on the merits of Christ. Only faith in Christ justifies man and makes him acceptable to God (John 20:31; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8). FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES CONCEPT OF GOD Increasing numbers of people have rejected belief in the Triune God revealed in the Bible. They prefer instead to create a concept of God that conforms to their own notions. We believe that there is no living God beside Him who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ and His Word. God is love. He is also holy, righteous, and unchanging. He hates sin but loves sin-fallen mankind. CONCEPT OF MAN Modern man's self-image has become both more individual-centered and human-centered. Understanding of the fact that man is responsible to both God and his fellowman has dimmed. The view that man is basically good is also widely held. This view is contrary to God's Word. While God created man in His image (Gen. 1:26) and has intended that man live in unity with Him, man was corrupted when the first human pair, Adam and Eve, fell into sin. As a result of this original sin, man's basic nature is no longer good but corrupted by sin and inclined to evil (Gen. 6:12, 8:21; Rom. 3:10-12, 23). It is because of sin that there is so much evil in the world. SIN Sin is one of the principal concepts of the Bible. Simply stated, sin is the falling away of the heart from God. Every person has a conscience and some kind of understanding of right and wrong. The voice of the conscience, however, is corrupted if it is not joined to God's Word. Knowledge of and reverence for God's Word has dimmed in our time and with it people's concept of right and wrong, of sin, has also dimmed. If teaching about sin ceases, man's awareness of his need for God's grace also ceases. MAN'S VALUE IS BASED ON CREATION AND REDEMPTION Because every person is created in God's image (Gen. 1:26) and has been redeemed by Christ, every individual is of value, unique, and irreplaceable regardless of age, position, occupation, race, gender, or other attributes. God wishes us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. True love for our neighbors is to help them when they are in need and to encourage them to live according to God's Word and support them in their endeavor to do so. It also includes warning them of the dangers of living contrary to the will of God (Lev. 19:17; Eph. 5:11; 2 Tim. 4:2). GOD IS LORD OVER LIFE AND DEATH As knowledge increases and technology advances, man strives to take decisions of life and death into his own hands. This manifests itself, for example, in the prevention of conception, the termination of pregnancy, some kinds of gene manipulation, efforts to clone humans, and euthanasia. People have forgotten that God is the Creator and upholder of all, Lord over life and death. He alone has the power to create life and take it away (1 Sam. 2:6; Job 10:12; Ps. 139:13-16). He has not authorized man to control life. The duty of medicine is to protect life, alleviate suffering, and promote and maintain health while respecting humanity. DOCTRINE AND LIFE GO TOGETHER Doctrine and life are closely joined. God blesses those who live according to His will. The gospel brings man freedom in Christ and gives him the power to serve God and his fellowman. It does not give him permission to live in sin (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 2:16). God has lovingly set limits for man, like loving parents do for their children. The grace of God teaches us to reject sin and to live according to the instruction of His Word (Tit. 2:11, 12). CHRISTIANITY IN SOCIETY GOD'S LAW AS A FOUNDATION FOR SOCIETY AND ITS LAWS Just as God has established the so-called laws of nature, which govern the physical world, He has also established a moral law, sometimes called higher or natural law, which governs the lives of men. This law is universal, eternal, and unchanging. God reveals this law to all men by general revelation, that is, through nature, the fate of men's lives, and history (Rom. 1:19, 20; 2:14, 15), as well as in His Word. There it is briefly expressed in the Ten Commandments and even more briefly in Jesus' Two Great Commandments (Matt. 22:37-40). Previous generations have recognized the existence and immutable nature of this higher law. They have understood that by His law God does not seek to hinder and oppress man but rather to protect life and all that which is sacred and precious in life. As a result, they strove to emulate God's law in the laws of our land. Recent generations and their elected leaders, legislators, and judges have challenged or denied the existence or validity of a higher law. Deviating from the truths of God's law and the teaching of His Word shakes the foundations of our society and threatens its survival. THE FEAR OF THE LORD GRANTS SECURITY It is a benefit to our society that this and upcoming generations are given wholesome models for life and secure conditions for growth. These rise from the correct fear of God and from personal faith. “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge” (Prov. 14:26). SOBER LIVING IS A PART OF CHRISTIAN MORALITY Sober living has always been part of Christian morality. The Scripture warns of the dangers of alcohol and other intoxicants. It teaches that the power of alcohol wars against the will and power of God (Isa. 5:11, 12; 1Cor. 6:10; Eph. 5:18). The use of intoxicants causes immeasurable suffering and hardship in our society, affecting not only the user, but also others around them. Individuals in the public eye, including elected officials, civil servants, and educators, can teach the value of a positive, unimpaired lifestyle by providing an example of sober living in their own lives. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY ISSUES GOD CREATED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY God has established marriage and family in His creation work and they are thus defined and governed by the natural law of God's creation (Gen 2:18, 23, 24). Attempts to redefine marriage and family and to alter or resist their intended purpose thus injure families and society. MARRIAGE-A LIFELONG COVENANT BETWEEN MAN AND WOMAN A fundamental change of values and concepts marked the so-called sexual revolution of the 1960s. Marital fidelity lost its significance. Sexual cohabitation has gained moral acceptance in our society. The fulfillment of nearly all one's inclinations has become permissible. This is manifested, for example, in legislation legalizing same-sex unions. God, however, instituted marriage as a lifelong covenant between man and woman. God's will is that sexual life between man and woman takes place only in the estate of marriage. The Bible always calls sexual relations outside of marriage fornication. DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16). Moses allowed divorce, but, as Jesus explained, he did so only because of the hardness of men's hearts, that is their unbelief, and that it had not been so from the beginning. Jesus taught: “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19:6; Mark 10:9). The effects of increasing divorce are evident in our society. Truly divorce, in a person's innermost being, is always a wounding and pivotal change-not to mention the degree to which children and youth suffer when their parents part ways. Because God established marriage as a lifelong covenant it ends only when one of the spouses dies. According to the Bible remarriage is acceptable only after a spouse has died (Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:39). HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS SIN The Bible teaches that homosexual behavior is immoral and as such is sin (Rom. 1:24-27; Lev. 18:22). Appeals to God's creation work and genetics do not justify homosexual relations, for even if in some cases the individual may not be responsible for the onset of the homosexual tendency, God's Word nonetheless obligates him or her to abstain from its practice in the same manner that it obligates an individual with normal sexual inclination to abstain from extramarital sexual relations. God does not approve the sexual relations of partners of the same sex and He does not bless such relationships. It is with good reason that the Bible warns against this sin. The increase of homosexuality and its acceptance has always been an expression of moral decline. GOD WISHES TO PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN MARRIAGE AND FAMILIES God's Word seeks to protect and strengthen the family (Exod. 20:12; Prov. 1:8; Eph. 6:1-3). The family forms the fundamental unit of society and strong families are crucial to the health and preservation of society. Our society needs to value lifelong marriage and to support parenthood. Governments, policy makers, and public institutions at all levels should strive to support and strengthen marriage and families. CONCLUSION The Bible teaches that true wisdom begins with the fear of God. He and His Word are eternal and unchanging. A life built upon the enduring values of God's Word brings blessings to both the individual and society: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34). God's Word is a bright and true light. It exposes evil and gives man knowledge of his sin and convicts him of it, but it also tells of the forgiveness and life that God has provided in Jesus Christ and the keys of the kingdom of heaven with which His children forgive penitent sinners on His behalf and thus release them from the bondage of sin.

The Kingdom of Heaven TREASURE HIDDEN IN A FIELD "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth,and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." Matt. 13:44 THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN There is no subject which was more prevalent in Jesus' preaching than the kingdom of heaven, that is, the kingdom of God. It was the most common subject of His parables and was the theme of His preaching.(1) In fact, Jesus said that the first thing that a man should search for in life is God's kingdom and His righteousness.(2) It is important to find God's righteousness, for He has declared man's righteousness, or our very best deeds, impure and unacceptable in His sight.(3)The righteousness which is acceptable before God is found in His kingdom. Jesus was once asked to explain when the kingdom of God would come. In His reply, He reveals two essential points: first, the kingdom of God is not visible to the human eye, and, second, it is present in the midst of men.(4) A HIDDEN KINGDOM It might seem impossible to find a kingdom that cannot be seen, but with God's help it can be found. Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matt. 7:7). In the parable at the top of the page, Jesus shows us that while the kingdom is hidden, it can indeed be found. The parable illustrates why the kingdom of God cannot be seen. It is like treasure buried in the dust and dirt of a field, hidden from man's sight. It is certainly an apt picture. In this world God's kingdom is hidden beneath the flaws and faults of believing people, people whom God has made from the dust of the earth.(5) A GREAT TREASURE The parable also illustrates what happens when a man finds God's kingdom. He hides its treasure, sells all that he has, and buys it. Simply said, God's kingdom becomes the most important matter in his life. He wants, above all else, to protect and preserve his new-found treasure and follow the people of God and the Lord Jesus.(6) Like the man in the parable, we have found the kingdom of God and obtained its treasure. We now carry this treasure in our sin-corrupt bodies. We wish to share it with you. YOU CAN HAVE THIS TREASURE What we can offer you is God's forgiveness in Jesus Christ. This forgiveness is the very essence of the gospel and the essence of God's kingdom. Martin Luther said: "Forgiveness of sins is nothing more than two words in which the whole kingdom of Christ consists...This word of consolation shall not cease among Christians until the last day: 'Thy sins are forgiven, be of good cheer.' Such language a Christian always uses and openly declares the forgiveness of sins."(7) Luther was right. This word of consolation has not ceased. God's children live of it and use it constantly. We declare it to any sinner who longs for God's forgiveness. We can give you this treasure because Jesus has given us the power to forgive men their sins. He said that what we forgive on earth is also forgiven in heaven, that is, it is forgiven before God.(8) Belief in this gospel of forgiveness obtains what it promises, namely, God's forgiveness and the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the righteousness that is acceptable to God. You can have it too. END NOTES 1 "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:1415) "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." (Matt. 9:35) "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." (Luk 9:1, 2) 2 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33 ) 3 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isa. 64:6) "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Rom. 3:1012) 4 "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20, 21) 5 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Cor. 4:7 ) 6 "And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost." (1 Thess. 1:6) 7 Luther, Martin, "Sermon for the 19th Sunday after Trinity" in Luther's Church Postil, Vol.V, trans. John Nicholas Lenker (Minneapolis: Lutherans In All Lands Co. : 1905) 201, 202, 209 8 "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:2123) "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt. 18:18) "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. 5:1820)