Resources for Confirmation Prep

by | Feb 29, 2024

The Book of Common Prayer describes confirmation as “a mature public affirmation of faith and commitment to the responsibilities of Baptism” completed by the laying on of hands by a bishop of the church. In the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, we celebrate two Diocesan-wide confirmation services at Washington National Cathedral, one in the Spring and one in the Fall.

As the May 11, 2024, Spring Confirmation service approaches, here’s a quick refresher on what resources are available through the School for Christian Faith and Leadership to support congregations in preparing candidates for confirmation, reception into The Episcopal Church and reaffirmation of baptismal vows:

  • CREATE is a ten-module online confirmation course for youth who are inquiring about faith and preparing for Confirmation. CREATE is based on the Rev. Jenifer Gamber’s book, My Faith, My Life: A Teen’s Guide to The Episcopal Church. Module topics include Baptism, Bible, Church History, Beliefs, Worship, Sacraments, Spirituality, Navigating the Church, and Mission and Ministry.
  • To assist those wanting to learn more about Jesus and be able to share his story with others, the School offers Getting to Know Jesus, a module to supplement the online CREATE course. The course connects learners with visual aids, scripture prompts, reflection questions, and tools to help learners tell Jesus’ story in creative ways. While geared towards youth, the course is also appropriate for adult learners. Consider engaging this course as part of your confirmation process or as a Lenten or Holy Week offering to get to know Jesus better.
  • A curriculum designed for adult learners is DISCOVER, EMBRACE, and BECOME. DISCOVER focuses on building a relationship with God, EMBRACE on the Episcopal way of living out Christian life, and BECOME on baptismal living. These courses can be used in series or independently. A shorter confirmation preparation course could also be assembled by selecting modules from across the three courses that most correspond to the needs of a particular class or candidate.

For assistance using these materials or finding the right confirmation preparation approach for your congregation and its candidates, please don’t hesitate to contact the Rev. Anna Olson, director of the School.