Confirmation
No. In preparation for being confirmed and as part of the Service of Confirmation, if there are those who were baptized as a younger age, the congregation and the one to be confirmed are reminded of the vows taken on their behalf at baptism. Baptism is recognized as God’s action of claiming us as children. It is God’s action and it is a once-and-for-all-time action.
Yes. In most congregations, confirmation has been a time of intense learning and reflection for preteens and young teens. If there is an adult coming to the faith with no childhood experiences of the church, then the congregation may provide a similar experience for the adult.
Yes. Young people come into the class with a wide range of backgrounds. Some concepts of faith will be more familiar to some than to others. This will be an opportunity to carefully go through the concepts of faith and allow time for those in class to question, to learn, to experience, to challenge one another, and to grow.
Not exactly. Most people use the language of being “saved” or “born again” to refer to a time of recognition of one’s own sin and the need for salvation by God. The decision to repent or change and become a follower of Christ is inherent in the description of what it means to be saved or born again. Confirmands might mean all of that when they stand before the congregation and profess their faith.
Confirmation is an act of the Holy Spirit, working in and through the church. The Spirit leads each person to make a profession of faith. The Spirit empowers each person to live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
When the children who have been baptized come forward to be confirmed, they ritual begins by reminding us of the covenant made at baptism. We are not re-baptized, but we are reminded again of God’s claim on us as children of God.
The writings of John Wesley mention the importance of grace in our lives. We believe in God’s grace, prevenient grace. This means that it was present in our lives even before we are able to recognize it. This affirms for us God’s presence through the Holy Spirit in the lives of our children. It is the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of our children that leads our youth toward faith in God and Jesus Christ.
Confirmation does not impart the gift of the Holy Spirit; the Spirit has already been given and received and is at work in our lives.
Confirmation is a significant moment in which children or youth affirm the faith into which they were baptized. They stand before the congregation and state on their own their faith in Jesus Christ.
If they were baptized as infants, these are the words you said for them during that service. They now say these words on their own behalf, stating before the congregation that they renounce evil, will resist evil, and accept Jesus Christ as their savior and promise to serve Christ. If your child was not baptized as an infant, they take these vows, for the 1st time stating these beliefs for themselves.
God claims us, but we are invited to say yes to God’s claims. Professing one’s faith in front of the congregation is a time to say yes to God and to claim the name of Christian for oneself.
The “Apostles Creed” summarizes the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. As part of confirmation, children study this creed and other church documents that explain the faith of the church. In the service of confirmation, both the congregation and the those being confirmed will recite this creed, together declaring our faith with another.
Confirmation classes are designed, in part, for learning about the Christian faith.
But confirmation isn’t simply about gathering information and increasing knowledge. It is also about knowing and feeling. It is about standing before believers and saying, “ I too believe.” It’s about standing with believers and practicing the faith in daily living.
It is no small matter to publicly profess faith in Jesus Christ. Many find it difficult to stand before others and say, “I believe In Jesus Christ.” This act is an important part of a lifelong journey of faith.
Confirmation is not a graduation from learning. In the
How we live day to day and year by year is our discipleship journey. It takes participation in worship with a body of believers and in small groups for learning and support for the rest of our lives.
When a child comes to the end of the confirmation experience, your hope
is that they will profess faith in Jesus Christ and be confirmed in the church.
This response isn’t always the case.
What if my child decides not to be
confirmed?
Talk to your child to discover the reason they are saying, No, I don’t want to be confirmed.
If the answer is truly no at this time, don’t forget that God’s grace is still at work. Continue conversations about faith, without putting pressure on your child. Continue to uphold them in your prayers. And trust God. We recognized prevenient grace, the grace that surrounds us and goes before us, God’s continuing call to come closer. Our God is a God who never gives up; neither should we.
Does everyone in
the class automatically join the church?
No. The child will state their own personal decision about professing faith and joining the church.
Some congregations have a Sunday celebrating the learnings and experiences of those who have been in confirmation, but have a different Sunday when they actually join the church. This allows those who have participated in the class to be a part of the litany of beliefs, etc, even if they have decided not to join the church with the class. Some people may even desire to attend confirmation class again the next year. People should be encouraged to make a decision when the time is right for them.
If your child decides to say yes and join the church, then celebrate. This is an important life decision- to profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to live as a disciple to Jesus Christ. This moment is one that you and your child will want to remember and for the congregation to celebrate.