What is Confirmation?

25 Aug 2022 • Articles

In this world, where we worry so much about inflation, questioning costs and protesting about rising prices, God's grace is free, his blessing costs nothing at all! Faith and understanding, strength and encouragement are gifts from the Holy Spirit.

No one has to pay to belong to God's family, the Church; there are no entry fees for going into any church to pray or to attend a service. There is no charge for being baptised: Christening and Confirmation are free - it is all given away.

Confirmation is your opportunity to confirm the promises made by your parents and godparents at your baptism. Through baptism we become children of God and members of the worldwide Christian Church: confirmation strengthens the faith and grace God has given in baptism. If you have not been baptised yet, that is all right; your local church can arrange a baptism for you.

Confirmation courses are open to everyone who wants to learn more about God, the Bible, the Church and why they are important to us and our world today. These are subjects which interest everyone, and there are no tests or exams.

At the Confirmation Service the ‘candidates’ repeat their belief and trust in God, promising to turn away from everything bad and to turn to Jesus their Lord. As they kneel in front of the Bishop, he places his hands on the head of each person, praying, “Confirm, O Lord, your servant with your Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Those who have been confirmed are invited to receive Holy Communion, the Eucharist, when they come to church with their fellow Christians each week. At the Last Supper, Jesus held the bread, gave thanks to God, broke the bread into pieces and gave it to his friends, telling them to continue to do this and promising to be close to them, sharing his love, strength, wisdom, goodness and grace with them. Holy Communion is at the centre of Christian worship as we gather together each week, sharing our love of God as his adopted children.

Confirmation could be the greatest 'rite of passage' of your life. It can often mark the transition from an immature or uninformed faith to full trust in God, and it always brings the blessing of God's Holy Spirit for fulfilment in the future.

May God go with you as you walk through this world,

Ann