Confirmation season beckons
The confirmation season gets underway on 15 April in Donaghadee and Moira parishes and runs until 3 June.
The theme for 2012 is ‘Following’ and the key verse is from Hebrews 12:1–2: “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Last year a total of 354 candidates (315 young people and 39 adults) from 44 parishes were confirmed. We conducted the services across the diocese using a new model and after the confirmation season was over we sought feedback from rectors.
In light of this, Bishop Harold has reviewed the pattern for confirmations and in 2012, candidates and their supporters can expect the following:
All Confirmation Services will involve a focussed time for Bishop Harold to meet the candidates, parents and/or sponsors in the hour before the service starts.
All services will include a celebratory dessert supper afterwards, if in the evening and a light celebratory ‘lunch’ if held in the morning. In both cases the Youth & Children’s office will provide and operate chocolate fountains. Candidates and their families will be expected to attend and there they will receive gift bags – also provided by the Youth & Children’s office.
We very much hope that parishes will facilitate the profile booklets which last year were very well received by candidates and families.
The service itself will not usually involve Holy Communion. Parishioners will be involved in the readings and prayers and at least one candidate will share some words of testimony.
There will be a mixture of parish and grouped confirmation services
Please pray for the candidates.