What is Confirmation? You’ll notice that Confirmation has the word “firm” in it. Confirmation is a time when you have the opportunity to make a firm decision whether you will claim the name “Christian” for yourself and whether you will offer your prayers, presence, gifts and service as a member of the United Methodist Church.

Some of you may have been baptized as an infant, for instance. Confirmation would be a time you could claim for yourself the vows your parents once made on your behalf.

If you’ve never been baptized, at the end of Confirmation, you may choose to be baptized and claim the name “Christian” for yourself. Confirmation may be repeated so it may be a time of reaffirmation of one’s faith. Such a decision would be your choice.

Confirmation preparation is a class for pre–teens (usually sixth grade and up), teens and adults who are interested in publicly affirming the call on their lives to be disciples of Christ. The class helps the attendees gain important insight to the aspects of one’s faith: Baptism, Holy Communion, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the history of the Christian church, and the history of the United Methodist Church.

The class is designed to prepare the attendees to answer the all–important question: “Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in His grace, and promise to serve Him as your Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races?”

Confirmation class is also an opportunity to be confirmed as full members of the church rather than baptized members. However, the decision to be confirmed is just that — a decision, a choice. It is not required.

Two things should be noted here: One, Confirmation is not becoming a member of the church. Baptism already celebrated that! When you were baptized you became a bapized member of the church. When you are confirmed and made a public affirmation of the faith of the church as being your own faith you then become a full professing member of the church.

The difference between Baptized Members and Full Professing Members of the chruch is Full Professing members have the privilege and responsibility of the governance (can vote on the board and hold office) of the church, are counted in statistics of church membership, and other such matters. To be a “full professing member” is to make a statement of commitment and participation in a community of disciples. Being a “full professing member” expresses continuing action both within the faith community and in the world. It is a statement about an individual’s ongoing relationship and commitment to God and the church through Jesus Christ.

Two, Confirmation is a person’s first public affirmation of the faith of the church as being his or her own faith. In other words, once Confirmed you are taking responsibility for living as a member of the body of Christ and for fulfilling God’s purposes. An infant who is baptized cannot make a personal profession of faith as a part of the sacrament. Therefore, as the young person is nurtured and matures so as to be able to respond to God’s grace, conscious faith and intentional commitment are necessary. Such a person must come to claim the faith of the Church proclaimed in baptism as her or his own faith.

Would you like to ask the pastor a question about confirmation ?