Confirmation – Sunday 2nd February 2020
Confirmations in our Rural Deanery (a group of five parochial units) are held in the Spring (usually February). We have been given the date of Sunday 2nd February 2020 for a confirmation service to be held by the Archbishop in St Philip and St James’ Church at 10.30.
There was a meeting for all those enquiring about confirmation (and their parents) on Wednesday 9th October 2019 in the Canon Osborne Barr Room (front room) of St Philip and St James’ Parish Centre, at 7.30pm.
As always, I ask those who are considering Confirmation (and their parents) to think carefully about it. I take Confirmation and the preparation for Confirmation seriously, and I think it is important that we as family members, and as a parish, encourage those who wish to be confirmed, to do so with integrity.
If you are considering Confirmation, please think about the following:
- The decision to be confirmed must be your own choice. It is not a decision for your parents, grandparents, friends, etc. to make. It is you who will be standing up in church declaring your belief in God, and affirming your faith in Jesus Christ. It is important that you feel that you can answer these and the other questions honestly. Confirmation is not the end of the journey; it is a stage on the journey of faith where you feel that you are ready to take on the promises that were made for you at baptism and take responsibility for your faith development and nurture.
It is you who will be answering the following questions:
Are you ready with your own mouth and from your own heart to affirm your faith in Jesus Christ?
Do you believe and accept the Christian faith into which you are baptized?
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers?
Will you persevere in resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ?
Will you seek and serve Christ in all people, loving your neighbour as yourself?
- There is no right age for confirmation, but I do feel that candidates should be at least in 1st Year in secondary school. Please do not feel that you should be getting confirmed because you are a certain age, or even in a particular class in school. There can be a feeling that one gets confirmed in 2nd Year or 4th Year or whatever. This is a pity, because each individual matures and grows in their faith in their own way and their own time. Therefore, some feel ready to be confirmed at an earlier age than others, or at a later age than others; I have prepared people from the age of 13 years to 61 years for Confirmation. I have found that the older candidate, or the candidate who makes the decision themselves to be confirmed, is more aware they are of what is involved, and what they are promising and committing to at Confirmation.
- Candidates sometimes feel that because they have started going to Confirmation classes, they cannot ‘back out’ of being confirmed even if they feel that they are not ready for it. Please do not feel that this is the case. I have had candidates who have postponed being confirmed because they felt that they were not ready to take on the commitment, and I admire the care and honesty with which they have approached Confirmation.
Confirmation is an exciting time for those considering it, and for a parish or group of parishes.
We, as a group of parishes, will support those preparing for Confirmation by our prayers and our encouragement.
Classes begin on Wednesday 16th October 2019 in the Canon Osborne Barr Room of St Philip and St James’ Parish Centre, 7pm-7.45pm.
Please contact the Rector if you are interested in considering confirmation.