Confirmation 2011

Message to the Confirmands:

When you were baptized your parents made the decision for you to become a part of Christ’s body in the church. Through the years since, your parents along with other family members and trusted friends have nurtured you in faith – by brining you to Sunday School and worship at church, and through prayers and rituals of faith at home. Now you are nearing young adulthood and it may be the right time for you to confirm your faith for yourself.

Confirmation is not something that is done to you, but rather something that is done by you. It is a mature affirmation of faith that we each make for ourselves. The Bishop joins each of us in that moment, to make sure we are ready, and when she/he is satisfied that we are, to call down God’s Spirit to strengthen us, lead us, and bless us as we take this important step.

We offer this series of Confirmation Classes as a place where you can join others your age to explore the life of faith, and learn more about our expression of that faith in the Episcopal Church. We do not expect you to say right now, today, that you are ready to confirm your faith. We hope you will make use of these classes, your home reading and attendance at church to determine if this is the appropriate time to confirm your faith.

If you decide at the end of the process to confirm your faith, you will be included in the Confirmation Service that will take place at The Cathedral of St. Paul in Boston on Saturday April 21 at 10:30 am. You will be asked to bring with you family and friends as well as one or two sponsors. Sponsors are people whose faith you respect and look up to, and who will join with family in presenting you to the Bishop during the service. Then on the following day we will celebrate your confirmation in the service and during coffee hour at St. Paul’s.

I hope you know how proud your faith community is of you as you take this important step in your life.

Faithfully in Christ,

The Rev. Martha L. Hubbard +

 Class Schedule

Each meeting will begin with pizza and then we will cover the topic of the chapter assigned. Here is the proposed schedule of classes with the chapters of the book My Faith My Life which will be covered on each date. The first session is set to begin at 5 pm due to Martha’s schedule that day, but we can shift the time fram to suit the group. Please e-mail me individually let me know if 5-630pm will work for you:

Sunday October 2, 5- 6:30 pm: Baptism & Confirmation (chapter1)

Sunday October 23 : The Bible Stories about Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (chapter 2)

Sunday November 13: Knowing Our History (chapter 3)

Sunday November 20: Faith: What Do We Believe? (chapter 4)

Sunday December 11: Worship: Responding to God’s Blessings (chapter 5)

Sunday January 22: The Sacraments: Signs of Grace (chapter 6)

Sunday Febuary 5: Spirituality: Created For Prayer (chapter 7)

Sunday February 12: Navigating the Church (chapter

Sunday March 4: What is God calling You To Do? (chapter 9)

Friday March 23-Saturday March 24 – Diocesan Confirmation Retreat at Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, NH

For the months this is taking place, these classes should receive high priority in your calendar. If you have to miss a class please let me know in advance.

 How about having classes at home?

Bev and Pat Brennan have suggested that we have our class meetings at home. All it would take is each family choosing one meeting to host at their house. We can do pizza each time so no one has to cook. If the confirmands want to shoot hoops or do some other fun activity together they could gather a half hour early. What about a parents discussion group going on at the same time at the host home?

I will be in touch with you again through e-mail to solicit your input on these ideas. Stay tuned!

 Books

We can order the books through a local bookstore and get a good discount. Once I have heard from each of you that you are definitely going ahead with the course, I will place that order and get the books to you by Sunday Sept. 25 so you can read chapter 1 before the Oct. 2 meeting.

First Class: Sunday October 2, 5-6:30 pm, Place TBA closer to the time