WHAT IS CONFIRMATION?

Confirmation begins at St Andrew on January 8th.  This year we will have four youth who will take part in the confirmation journey for the first time.  As the process begins we will help these youth indentify a St. Andrew adult whom they would like to invite to journey with them as part of this process.  In addition, all of the youth who took part over the last two years are also planning to take part again this year.  These returning youth have said that they want to be part of the process again as part of their own faith journey, as well as be present as a support to their younger friends.

So what exactly is confirmation?  Well, the short answer to that question is that it is simply a period of intentional reflection that usually takes place at some point during the teenage years.

The church’s desire to take this time with our kids and some trusted adults is based on three things:

·         Our baptismal promise to nurture the faith of our children

·         The understanding that God is at work in the world, including in our children, and we have beautiful and necessary things to teach each other

·         The particular opportunities and challenges that come with adolescence

Confirmation is about questions

 A life of faith is one in which we wrestle with big questions, including questions of who we are, who God is, and how the two intersect and exist in, and with, each other.  Reflection is necessary throughout our life as we deal with this foundational search for meaning.

As an adolescent this search for meaning is particularly powerful.  This time of growth and possibility brims with many important questions, including these:  Where am I going? What is the world about? How do I know what to do with this moment and the time ahead of me?

Confirmation seeks to provide enough space to be able to ask these questions of God, of ourselves, of each other and of the church. 

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Towards a reflective life

For some the confirmation process will lead to a decision to join with the church as an active member, but as strange as it may seem, this isn’t really the point.

The point is to let questions be spoken and let our kids, with the help of sacred text, tradition, creation and other voices, decide how they are being led at this point.  While some may decide at Easter to become members, others will decide that this is not the right time, or that they need to look elsewhere for what they need. 

Really, the desired outcome is that we might come to see more deeply the need for an intentional, reflective life throughout our years—a life well lived. You see, the search for meaning does not go away as we grow.  We need tools and practices that will help us as we make our way through life.  Some will find these things needs fulfilled with the community at St. Andrew, but to equip our kids to pay deep attention and reflect as they go on life’s way is even more important.

What will we do?

The schedule below gives a flavor of the journey.

Stage 1:  Jan 8th – Jan 29th, 12pm – 2pm every Sunday

Content

·         Introduction to Confirmation

·         Who are you? What do you need to be? Who do you want to be?

·         What is grace, forgiveness and    calling?

·         How do we be good enough?

·         What emotions can we show to God?

·         What is church?

Examples of ways we will explore these questions

·         Create a mobile of who we are individually and as a group

·         Write our obituary – yikesJ (we’ll keep it fun!)

·         Explore some fables by Ed Freidman

·         Play with water and tell stories

·         Lectio Divina – a slow and deep way of reading scripture and the Word within us.  We will use text and music.



 Stage 2: Feb 5th – March 11th 12pm – 2pm every Sunday except Feb 26th

 

Content

·         Who is Jesus according to us? …to the writer of Mark?

·         What are the Christian Scriptures and how did we get them?

·         What are the Hebrew Scriptures and how did we get them?

·         Why church?

·         What is the church year?

·         What is the Presbyterian Church and how did we get to have it?

·         What is a sacrament?

Examples of ways we will explore these questions

·         Murder Mystery game to explore perspective

·         Family trees

·         Serving at Bridge Ministry

·         Playing and praying and eating on retreat from Feb 10th til Feb 12th at Westport

·         Exploring faith as a Way through outdoor art

·         Visit a Synagogue.

·         Walk a labyrinth

·         Attend compline

·         Lectio Divina of scripture and hymns

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Stage 3 March 18thth – April 8thth 12pm – 2pm every Sunday.  Except April 8th 

 

Content

·         What do the baptismal promises mean?

·         What does God promise?

·         What do I promise? How can I make these promises?

·         Activity with Parents

·         Participation in “The Three Days”

·         Reaffirm baptism or be baptized at Vigil (for those who desire it)

Examples of ways we will explore these questions

·         Question the questions

·         Share stories


Stage 4 April 15th – May 27th 12pm – 2pm every Sunday.  Except May 13th 

 

Content

·         What just happened?

·         How do I nurture my faith?

·         How does the church operate?

·         What are my gifts?

·         What’s next?

Examples of ways we will explore these questions

·         Visio Divina – considering images and art 

as a way of seeing the sacred

·         Lectio Divina

·         Spiritual Practices – journaling, worship, praying in color, meditation, creating and playing as prayer.

·         Mapping St Andrew

·         Visit Presbytery

Pentecost Party

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