Confirmation

How long is Confirmation?

Confirmation lasts roughly 4.5 months — beginning the Sunday after Labor Day and ending with the Confirmation service in January.

I heard it used to be longer. Why the change?

1. We want to make it easier for families to prioritize the class for a shorter period of time.
2. We want to help you make a smooth transition to our youth program. Transitioning into Youth Ministries in February allows families to get started at a steady, but not crazy-busy time of year!

What if I have to miss a week or an event?

We hope you’ll make Confirmation your top priority for this one semester! Attendance is very important and you’ll miss a lot if you’re out. But we know things come up. Just let us know you’ll be out and what’s going on so we can be in prayer for you.

What are the highlights of the program?

We will go on two retreats, field trips to other churches and faith communities, have opportunities to play and get to know each other, and learn a lot about being a Christian. The biggest highlight is, of course, Confirmation Sunday when the kids confirm the vows taken at their baptisms and officially join the church.

What happens when my sixth grader joins Youth Ministries?

Once confirmed, your child becomes a middle school youth. He/she attends Sunday morning programming specially designed for middle school students. They even have their own worship space on the 3rd floor of the Justin Building! Your kids are also encouraged to attend The Refuge (youth group) on Sunday evenings. All other youth programs, retreats, and trips are open to them as well.

So, what about Youth Choir?

Once your child is confirmed and officially becomes a member of FUMCFW Youth Ministries, they are also welcome to join Cornerstone Youth Choir. They can also go on the Youth Choir Tour the summer after sixth grade if they wish, though they can choose to be in choir without going on choir tour.

What Will We Get to Do?

Confirmation is about becoming a fully devoted disciple of Jesus — and a committed member of the local church.

Learning

Regular class meetings are on Sunday mornings from 9:30 – 10:45 am. We use a curriculum called CREDO which was developed by the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Discipleship. We meet on the second floor of the Justin Youth Building right next to the gym. You may enter through the main entrance (off of the parking lot with the Jesus statue). There will be someone there to greet you.

Worship

Confirmands should attend worship each week. Weekly worship is the most comprehensive way in which we rehearse our faith and are recharged by God. We hope confirmands will attend worship at least three Sundays per month.

Serving

Following Jesus’ example, service has always been an important part of Christian discipleship. Young people in the church may serve on Sunday mornings as acolytes and greeters. They may serve God and neighbor by raising money for missions or getting their hands dirty. They may pray for people in our community. Each confirmand needs to serve the ministries of the church or meet the needs of their communities for at least 6 hours during the semester.

Retreats and Field Trips

Retreats give us opportunities to withdraw from our normal routine; they also give us an opportunity to draw closer to God and friends. We will have two retreats: one early in the Fall and one in January. Both are very important and we ask that attendance is made a priority. Field trips give us the opportunity to have different experiences of worship so we can enjoy the things we have in common with our neighbors rather than focusing on the things that are different.

Family Conversations

Casey will include “Questions for the Car” in the update email you receive each week. They are recommended for conversation on the way home from church, but you can also discuss them some other time each week. It is critical that the kids are engaging in their faith at home, discussing it with their parents, and encouraged to ask questions at home.

Fun!

We don’t ever want you to think that the expectations mean we won’t have a blast this year! PLAY is so important for all of us and we plan to make it happen! Confirmation is a time to learn a lot. But we’ll be learning and growing in an environment where students and adults can be themselves, relax, and enjoy the journey.

Be There!

As you can see, our Confirmation program is a complete package of classes and events. It’s a big deal! We expect confirmands to emerge from their confirmation experience prepared for a life of Christian discipleship. To achieve that, you need to be “all in.” We plan the season very intentionally and each class session and special event is designed to achieve something important. If you’re in town, we trust you will be present. If, for any reason, a conflict or illness will keep your child away one week, please send Casey an email so she can be praying for your child and your family.

August 26 | Orientation Meeting

September 9 | First Day of Class

October 14 | Fall Retreat at Lyle Lodge

January 13 | Baptism Sunday at 11:00 am in Traditional Sanctuary Worship
(for those who have not yet been baptized)

January 19 – 21 | End-of-Year Retreat at Glen Lake

January 28 | Confirmation Sunday at 11:00 am in Traditional Sanctuary Worship