Confirmations

New Confirmation Policy

The service of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation of Faith is a moment of great blessing and affirmation in the life of a Christian. It signals a spiritual turning point in a person’s life, a conscious decision to step forward and be counted among other believers, to claim one’s faith and choose to live as a follower of Jesus in community with others.

As Episcopalians, we are characteristically generous about this sacramental moment. We want those who are affirming the faith given them in baptism to be assured that they need not have resolved every spiritual question before being confirmed (for indeed, we proclaim the mystery of faith); those who come to the Episcopal Church from other traditions of Christianity to know that we honor their past; and those who feel called to reaffirm their faith, sometimes at the very moment of invitation to come forward, that they are always welcome to receive God’s blessing.

In 2012, there are four scheduled services of Confirmation, Reception and Reaffirmation of Faith at our Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. Those services gather us together as a wide community of Christians from across the diocese and if those services would serve the people of your congregation, please know that I welcome the opportunity to pray with and for them in that sacred place.

I would also be pleased to preside at services of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation when I visit your congregations. Moreover, I welcome the opportunity to schedule special Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation services in various geographic regions of the diocese, if that would be helpful.

My goal as your bishop is to honor and welcome all who feel called by God to affirm or reaffirm their faith as Christians and be received into the Episcopal Church. In these early days of our life together, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

Faithfully,
Mariann

Letter of 11/18/11 introducing new policy

 

Confirmations at the Cathedral

Confirmation Service | February 4, 2012, 10 am, at the Cathedral
Confirmation Service | May 12, 2012, 10 am, at the Cathedral
Confirmation Service | June 16, 2012, 10 am, at the Cathedral
Confirmation Service | Nov. 10, 2012, 10 am, at the Cathedral

 

Confirmands:

Parishioners should contact their rectors to indicate their desire to partake in one of the Cathedral Confirmation services. Rectors/parish administrators, please contact Cheryl Wilburn in the Bishop's office with a final count of confirmands.

 

Attention churches of confirmands:

Certificates for confirmation, reception and reaffirmation are available from Church House. These need to be requested by the church no later than two weeks prior to the event. We would be eternally grateful to have your information well in advance however! Please email Cheryl Wilburn in the Bishop's office or call 202-537-6543.

These certificates will come to the church already signed by the Bishop who will be confirming your candidates. Please request your certificates in time to have them returned to you. Enclosed with your certificates will be a notice informing you of the location to which you and your confirming bishop have been assigned. Clergy are responsible for informing their candidates of the name of the bishop and location to which they are assigned.

When you receive your cards, please complete the certificates and write their Christian names in large, bold, legible letters so that the name can easily be read by the Bishop as the candidates kneel. In order to minimize pre-ceremony loss, it is suggested that all cards be maintained and transported by the clergy presenter and distributed once your group arrives at the Cathedral. If you would like the bishop to sign your parish register, please bring it to the chapel to which you and your confirming bishop will be assigned.

Please return the signed Report of Confirmation form to Cheryl Wilburn at Church House the week following the service.

 

Day of Confirmation

Now, for some details about the day: The candidates for Confirmation, Reception or Reaffirmation of Baptismal vows will need to arrive no later than 9:15 a.m. and report to your assigned area.

Please mark your banner stand with masking tape and the name of your congregation! Ceremonial instructions will be given that morning. When you organize your group for the procession, please ask the candidates to line up with confirmands first, those who are being received second, and those who are reaffirming their baptismal vows third. This assists the confirming bishops. The clergy will wear red stoles. No specific dress is required for confirmands. Please do not bring valuables with you as we cannot ensure their security.

Please advise your confirmands and their family and friends that photographs are not permitted during the service, and that they will need to turn off their cell phones. The bishops will provide ample opportunity for photographs following the service. If anyone in your group needs special accommodations, such as wheelchair access or sign language interpretation, please let us know in advance so provision can be made.

In addition, please let us know if your group has a large contingent whose first language is not English and if anyone in your group would like to read a lesson in the predominant language of your confirmands. Those persons serving as lectors or intercessors must arrive at the Cathedral by 9 a.m. and report to the slype. The vergers will provide them with information about their participation as well as an opportunity to practice.

We look forward to this wonderful occasion in the life of our Diocese. If you have any questions, please email Cheryl Wilburn in the Bishop's Office or call (202) 537-6543.

 

Resources

The following Post Confirmation Report forms and certificates and instructions on how to complete them are on the right of this page.

• Confirmation Report Form
• Confirmation Report Form
This form should be completed and returned by the congregation after the visitation confirming how many were confirmed received or reaffirmed together with their names and religious affiliation if applicable. Data from this form is included and published in the annual diocesan Journal.
Contact: Cheryl Wilburn

Confirmation Certificates
Confirmation Certificate (used to print the name, location and date onto the certificate)
Confirmation Certificate Mail Merge (same as above but using mail merge from a spreadsheet)
Confirmation Form (used to collect information from those being confirmed)