By: Rev. Chris Harris
On Sunday June 2 at the 10am Service, Bishop Bonnie Perry will be at Christ Church Cranbrook to offer anyone the opportunity to be Confirmed or Received into the Episcopal Church.
What does that mean? Why might I, as an adult, want to be confirmed or received by the Bishop? There are a number of reasons, but here are a couple of common ones:
You were baptized as a child – If you were baptized as a child, this is an opportunity to make a public commitment to the Baptismal promises 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.
You were confirmed in a different denomination – If you were previously confirmed in another denomination (such as Roman Catholic, Lutheran, etc.) and want to make the Episcopal Church your spiritual home — then the Bishop would not re-confirm you, but would instead “receive” you into the church through the Rite of Reception. (This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who grew up in another Christian tradition!)
You are experiencing a spiritual renewal or a deepening of your faith – We are all on a journey of faith. Perhaps you have been away from the church for a time and are returning. Perhaps you are experiencing a renewal of your faith or your relationship with God? Whatever the reason, there are times when we might desire to publicly “reaffirm” our faith. Similar to a married couple who desires to renew their vows, renewing your baptismal vows 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 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, REGISTER HERE. Each year, we have some 20-30 adults coming forward for one of these three rites, and we would love to include YOU!
Questions? Drop me an email at charris@christchurchcranbrook.org.