Confirmation Instruction for Young People

Classes

In Holy Baptism, God "frees us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ." As baptized children of God, we are called to a lifetime of discipleship, to be committed followers of Jesus Christ. As adults, we are given an opportunity to affirm the gift of our Baptism and apply our whole lives to love and serve Christ by loving and serving our neighbor.

Confirmation is the process by which we prepare young people to affirm their baptism and enter the community of the church as adults. The program usually lasts two years. When completed, students are invited to participate in the rite of Affirmation of Baptism at a worship service in the fall, usually in their 9th grade year.

Students should have received instruction for Holy Communion prior to entering the Confirmation program.

Confirmation is a time of intense study and preparation, usually undertaken by students in the 7th and 8th grades. Participating in the program of Confirmation includes:

• Study Students undertake a two-year program of study in Bible and Catechism, in order to both solidify their grasp of the content of Scripture and gain an ability to apply the tenets of the faith to the challenges of their daily life. St. Matthew's confirmation program uses the i.affirm curriculum for classroom instruction.
• Worship Students are called to make Worship a regular part of their faith life. Students complete worship notes to improve their ability to understand and fully participate in the Worship service of the church. Regular worship attendance is required of all confirmation students.
• Service Confirmation students are required to design, execute and report on a service project of their own choosing during the school year. Students also share in the life of the Congregation by serving as Acolytes and Ushers at worship services.
• Fellowship Students share in the community by participating in Alpha Teen activities throughout the year.
• Confirmation Camp Students are expected to attend a week of Confirmation Camp with their classmates at Carol Joy Holling Camp each summer.
• Faith Statements At the end of the program, each Student prepares a brief Faith Statement, reviewing what is most important to them in their relationship with God and their hopes and plans for their future discipleship. See the Faith Statements of the 2011 Confirmation Class here

Confirmation classes meet on Wednesday evenings through the School year.

For more information, or to enter the Confirmation program, please contact the Pastor.

To learn more about the Theology of Affirmation of Baptism, click here