The Confirmation Program at First Presbyterian Church starts in eighth grade. We spend the entire year in Confirmation class, helping the youth to wrestle with and identify their own faith. Our goal is for them to name and claim a faith that is truly theirs, not parroting their parents or teachers. We do this by leading conversations and activities made to stretch their ideas about who God is, who Jesus is, who the Holy Spirit is, what the Bible is, and other issues of faith. 

At the end of this year, we have a Celebration Service for all of these eighth graders, celebrating the fact that they have come to this place in their journey and encouraging them to continue walking this path of faith exploration and development.

After eighth grade, we hope that these youth continue to desire to be engaged in the life of this church and participate in the Discipleship part of the Confirmation program, which will include ninth and tenth grades. During these years, the youth participate in Sunday School, Youth Group, and/or weekly worship. It is our hope that once the three years of the Confirmation program are complete, the youth will be able to stand on their own, publicly claim their faith, and say that this church is where they want to express that faith, at which time we will be honored to welcome them into the church as members.

Confirmation 2016-2017 Statement of Purpose

• To provide a series of weekly meetings for the youth over a period of nine months for the study of the Christian faith, through which they may build relationships with others (youth, leaders, teachers, and others) and discover and develop what they believe about the foundations of Christian faith including, but not limited to, who is God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; what is the Holy Bible; how does one pray and why; what are sacraments; what do our brothers and sisters within and outside of Christianity believe; and what is the purpose of the church and its mission.
   
• Provide an open and safe environment for the exploration of a personal faith, fully allowing all questions, walking faithfully with all as they seek answers and understanding, knowing this is a journey and not a final destination.
   
• To point to a time at the end of the program where each student, individually, may make his or her own discernment of faith and choose to profess that faith publicly if ready, or to defer that declaration to a later time.

Find out about Youth Group.

Visit the Youth page to learn more about faith, fun, and fellowship in First Presbyterian Youth Ministries.

Access Youth forms.

                to see all of the confirmation events on the calendar...