Why Might an Adult be “Confirmed” or “Re-Confirmed”?
By Rev. Chris Harris
Bishop Bonnie Perry will be at Christ Church Cranbrook on Sunday, June 4, to offer Adults and Teens alike the opportunity to be Confirmed. What does that mean? Why might I, as an adult, want to have my faith confirmed by the Bishop? There are a number of reasons, but here are a couple of common ones:
- If you were baptized as a child or an infant, Adult Confirmation is an opportunity to make an adult commitment to the Baptismal Vows, which would have been said on your behalf by a parent or godparent. When you are confirmed, you make a public commitment to Christ and receive strength from the Holy Spirit to live as a faithful and active follower of Jesus.
- If you were previously confirmed in another denomination (such as Roman Catholic, Lutheran, etc.) and ready to make the Episcopal Church your home — this is how one would officially become an Episcopalian. In this case, we would not re-confirm you, but we would “receive” you into the Episcopal Church through the Rite of Reception. As with Confirmation, you come before your faith community and the bishop to receive prayers and the laying on of hands as you step forward to make the Episcopal Church your home. (This is a wonderful opportunity, particularly for those who have grown up or been confirmed in another Christian tradition!)
- Finally, for those who have already been confirmed in the Episcopal Church, there comes a time in our life when we feel called to “reaffirm” our faith. Similar to a couple who has been married for many years, renewing your baptismal vows in this public way through the Rite of Reaffirmation can be a way to mark and celebrate what God is doing in your life. Perhaps you are experiencing a renewed sense of God’s presence in your life or reconnecting with the church after time away? Like Confirmation, Reaffirmation is an opportunity to publicly recommit yourself to your life of faith.
All of these sacramental rites are outward and visible signs of the inward grace that God is doing in your life and can be very moving and powerful moments in your journey. If any of them sound of interest to you, let me know! Each year, we have some 20-30 adults coming forward for one of these three rites, and we would love to include YOU! Drop me an email at charris@christchurchcranbrook.org and mark your calendar for Sunday, June 4, at 10 AM.
