Confirmation

"Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation is a conscious choice for those who wish to commit, in a public way, to a life lived in Christian community "in the world but not of the world." - The Rt. Rev. Robert R. Gepert, VII Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan.

"We are made Christ's own by virture of our baptism.  And then in confirmation, Christ becomes our own, as a visibly manifest transformative force determining the character of our whole lives." - Kathryn Tanner, "Towards a New Theology of Confirmaiton."

As the two above quotes express, Confirmation -- like Baptism -- is not something we simply do as if it were some sort of "rite of passage."  It is a sacramental rite that is undertaken as a mature, public commitment to living out our baptismal faith in the world.  Therefore, confirmation is entered into only after a period of preparation in which the individual can discern if he or she is ready to claim for him/herslef the commitment and responsibilites of being a confirmed member of the Body of Christ -- the Church.

A 2012 diocesan-wide Confirmation service will be scheduled later this fall.
 
Baptized youth & adults, who will reach the minimum age of 16 by the 2012 Confirmation service date, are invited to participate in classes preparing them for Confirmation, Reception (e.g. confirmed in the Roman Catholic or Orthodox churches and desiring to formally claim their life of faith within the Episcopal/Anglican tradition), or Reaffirmation (confirmed in the Episcopal Church and desiring to renew their mature affirmation of baptismal faith).