If you are thinking about confirmation and wondering what it is all about in our congregation, here is a brief description: The confirmation program at The Dover Church may not be what you think of when you picture a typical “confirmation class.” Our confirmands are not expected to memorize a bunch of ideas or list off points of theological doctrine. They aren’t told what they can or cannot believe, and they aren’t expected to have everything figured out. We structure our confirmation program to make it an opportunity for reflection, transformation, and connection, and we update it and adapt each year in the hopes of continuing to meet young people wherever they are on their faith walks. Our aim for confirmation class is to come alongside our young people and encourage them in building lives of lifelong spiritual commitment, curiosity, and growth.
Our goals for the class are:
Confirmation is traditionally an affirmation of baptism, in which the confirmands assent to the promises made at their baptism on their behalf by parents and godparents. Having said that, each confirmation class usually has a student or two, not previously baptized, who are baptized as part of confirmation. This process is a celebration of each of these beloved young people.
An important feature of confirmation is the opportunity to develop a mentoring relationship with a faithful adult. Confirmands and mentors will share a few specific activities of their choice related to living a Christian life. Examples might be attending a Holy Week worship service, baking bread for communion, serving food in a soup kitchen, etc. Mentors will also attend one class with their confirmands to share their faith stories and reflect on shared activities. Mentors must be able to attend this class and Confirmation Day.
Confirmands will be asked to participate in the life of our church. Traditionally, they have helped lead the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services. We ask them to read, usher and greet on some Sunday mornings and we will work together to discern what particular gifts they can share with our community. In the past, some confirmands have joined church leadership teams, sung in the choir, and played instruments in worship.
In the true spirit of the Body of Christ, we as a church are blessed by each and every confirmand we get to shepherd through this process, and we do our best to be a blessing to them as well. I look forward to going on this journey with your youth.
