Confirmation Tour of Faith

Our confirmation students stepped out into the wider faith community on Monday, November 3, visiting four houses of worship across the Des Moines metro area. Our Tour of Faith is more than just a field trip; it’s an opportunity for our young people to meet neighbors of different traditions and discover what we share in common while learning to appreciate our differences.

Throughout the day, students visited the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Iowa in Madrid, the Islamic and Cultural Center Bosniak in Granger, the Sikh Temple in Johnston, and Temple B'nai Jeshurun in Des Moines. At each location, we were welcomed with warmth and hospitality, learning about sacred practices, core beliefs, and the lived experiences of each faith community.

When we gathered at our next Confirmation class to reflect on our experience, confirmands shared what stood out to them and what surprised them. Then we turned the question around: If a group came to visit us, how would we tell them about our church and our faith? What would we want them to know about who we are? Through these questions, our confirmands thought intentionally about their own faith identity and what makes our community special.

We're grateful to each community that opened their doors to us to experience this meaningful day of learning and connection. Our students returned from this experience not only with greater knowledge of other faiths, but with a deeper appreciation of their own.