- Confirmation at the Cathedral
“Where is my ministry?” “What gifts can I share?”
Confirmation will help answer these questions.
As The Book of Common Prayer states, “confirmation is the rite in which we express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop.” It can be a powerful time of spiritual development, as we claim our faith & voice. Confirmation involves a period of study, reflection & prayer, and culminates in a conscious decision on the part of the teen to be confirmed.
Our confirmation program will begin in January 2012. As has been our tradition, we will celebrate confirmation at Christ Cathedral with the Bishop and other Diocesan churches on Saturday, May 19, 2012.
In preparation for the May confirmation, we will offer a separate youth program, as I believe that the faith issues facing teens are significantly different than those facing adults. An adult program will run simultaneously, giving us opportunities for intergenerational fellowship. Additionally, each teen will be paired with an adult mentor.
We will be using a curriculum called My Faith, My Life: A Teen’s Guide to the Episcopal Church. This curriculum balances activities in the five attributes of a healthy Christian community: study, fellowship, worship, prayer, and service. While giving teens a space for exploration, it’s grounded in our Episcopal traditions. Each candidate will receive a copy of the book and a Book of Common Prayer. They will be asked to read chapters in preparation for each session. Additionally, a Bible will be needed by each confirmand.
I know that everyone leads full lives with packed schedules. I also know that preparing for confirmation requires a dedication of time, heart, mind and soul. We are asking families of confirmands to commit to faithful & regular attendance at weekly worship, Holy Week services & our confirmation program. Program details are:
- A 7-week class running on Sunday afternoons from 4 to 6pm.
- Dates: 1/15; 1/29; 2/12; 2/19; 3/11; 4/1; 4/15
- An instructed Eucharist (3/4 afternoon)
- An overnight retreat (4/28-4/29)
- A group service project (to be determined by teens)
- Time spent with their mentor
- A celebratory brunch for families & adult confirmands with the Bishop (5/13)
- Confirmation at the Cathedral (5/19)
If you would like your teen to be part of the 2012 class, please contact me by January 8, 2012. If you have any questions about confirmation, please don’t hesitate to contact me; I’m here to support the spiritual development of your family.
God’s peace,
Heidi Gioia
Director of Youth Ministries
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