Confirmation Class of 2025
Registration for the Confirmation Class of 2025 is TBA. Any incoming 6th through 8th graders who have not yet been confirmed may participate in this upcoming Confirmation Class that will begin in August 2024. Confirmation is an opt-in program, children will not be automatically enrolled. Please contact Georgia Harrison or Kim English for more information.
What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is a time set aside by the church to teach and nurture young people in the basics of the Christian faith and understanding of that faith as United Methodists. The purpose is to prepare young people to be able to decide for themselves if they are ready to make a personal commitment to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, as well as to the church.
The United Methodist Church believes that baptism can happen at any point in a person’s life. If the person has already been baptized, as an infant or young child, they have the opportunity to formally accept their baptism as their own by taking vows in front of the church. When youth are confirmed, they make a personal and public commitment that is as important as their baptism. Similarly, those who have not been baptized will have the opportunity to be baptized at the time they are confirmed.
Confirmation at FUMC is geared towards 6th graders, but anyone in 6th-8th grade who has not been confirmed is encouraged to participate. All are welcome!
What is Confirmation Class?
Confirmation class is an opportunity for young people to learn what Christians and, more particularly, United Methodists believe about God, faith, and the church. It is a chance to ask big questions and learn big truths about what it means to be a person of faith. The class prepares students to make their own choices about whether they want to be confirmed.
Curriculum
FUMC’s curriculum for Confirmation is based on scripture with an emphasis on Wesleyan principles. Each week addresses a different topic that reveals how scripture informs our theology as United Methodists. In fun and age-appropriate ways, students begin answering the questions:
Who is my God? What is the content of my faith? and What is the purpose of my church?
Mentors
Confirmation is a part of this vision for the church, as it helps us to create disciples of Jesus Christ. We use a dedicated team of parents, church members, and staff to teach the class. In addition, each confirmand is paired with a mentor so they may build a relationship with a new adult in the church. Mentors meet with confirmands four to five times over the course of the five-month class. Parents control how and when mentors reach out to students outside of church. All mentors are selected by the adult leaders of Confirmation and must go through Ministry Safe, a child abuse training program.
Worship Retreat
The annual Worship Retreat is a fun and meaningful weekend in the Dallas area for the confirmand and a parent/other loving adult. The class and chaperones will worship together in several different contexts,
including a synagogue and a Catholic Mass, and will work on their class’ Affirmation of Faith, while making time for fun.
The Commitment
The entire Confirmation process is one that FUMC takes very seriously. Whether or not to be confirmed and become a full member of the church may be the first major life decision a young person makes. Because of that, a five-month commitment of consistent attendance and participation in Confirmation class activities is asked of every confirmand. Every lesson is important – if a confirmand must miss a week, parent-led lessons are available upon request.
What is required of parents?
FUMC asks parents to support their students by bringing them to Confirmation class and worship regularly, to help encourage them to read the Gospel of Mark, and to attend (or find another loving adult to attend) the Worship Retreat.
What happens after Confirmation?
Participants who make the decision to be confirmed become full members of the church, pledging to support the congregation with their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.
When students enter 6th grade, they are considered Youth at FUMC, and are invited to join youth events like 180 Fellowship on Sunday evenings, Wednesday Bible studies, and Youth music programs.
After Confirmation, these youth are also invited to begin attending youth Sunday School at The Rock.
For more information contact Georgia Harrison or Kim English