confirmation

I have had the joy this week of meeting with the ten eighth graders who have been going through Confirmation. On Sunday we will be baptizing three of them and confirming seven. Confirmation is not a sacrament in the United Methodist Church but it is a very important ritual where we educated our students on the history of the church, the basic tenants of belief, and the meaning of theological understandings. We are unusual in the fact that we wait until the students are in eighth grade before we offer these classes. My daughter actually took them in Okmulgee in fifth grade. I did them in seventh grade. But the decision was made that they are more mature and able to process at a greater depth and breadth at this older age. I think this was the right decision because at the end of this process, if they decide to join the church and process a belief in Jesus Christ, then they are held in full membership in the church as an adult. They have the same voting rights and representation in leadership.

Many of the youth that will be confirmed were baptized as an infant and they do not remember their baptism. This is the opportunity for them to decide for themselves if they want to continue on the path of Christianing and the way of Jesus. I tell every student that they do not have to join at the end of the classwork. I understand this is a big decision and there is no shame in telling me that they are not ready or need more time. I never try to talk them out of it, but at the same time I don’t want them to join to make their parents happy or because they feel pressure to do so. This choice is powerful and significant.

For those of you who come from backgrounds that have not offered Confirmation, let me try to explain it for you. In the Jewish faith, they have a Bar Mitzvah (boys) and Bat Mitzvah (girls). These are a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony marking the age of responsibility. Confirmation is similar to this transition from childhood to adulthood. In churches where they do not baptize babies, this ritual and education does not happen because they would choose to be baptized when they are mature enough to understand what it means. Because infant baptism is the choice of the parents, the student is given the opportunity to make that choice for themselves. We offer the classes to help them understand what they are saying yes to.

This Sunday these students will also be helping me to lead worship. I always love seeing young people who love the Lord bravely standing before you to help lead our worship together. This is a significant and powerful Sunday and I pray you will support them by showing up and celebrating with them.

Love,