The View From Here
by Rev. Cynthia Riggin, Minister of Congregational Life
Beloved Church,
You are invited to Confirmation Sunday, May 5. We’ll gather during worship with our nine confirmands to celebrate, bear witness to, and affirm their baptism as they are confirmed.
Our confirmands are taking an initial step in claiming their spiritual lives as their own. They’ll share with the congregation what they’ve learned on the confirmation journey, or a question or two that they want to continue to dive into, or a clarity about their Really Real, or what is true for them.
Historically, we have named this sharing as a statement of faith. What has emerged, however, with this amazing group of youth, is less an assent and more a diversity of understandings and ways to describe their budding faith life. Throughout confirmation we’ve been intentional about them being deeply rooted in the progressive Christian tradition, yet also open to the Holy Spirit’s leading of spacious and life-giving ways for them to know and experience the Source of Love -- the Source of All That Is that seeks and desires connection and relationship with them.
We’ll also hear from their Confirmation Mentors and we as a congregation will surround them with a blessing as they are confirmed and become members of MPUC. Come and celebrate all the goodness!
As they began their confirmation journey back in October, you congregation rooted them in these two truths: You Belong Here and You are Loved. Do you re-member, church?
Right from the start, we said to the confirmands “You Belong Here. We SEE you and are SO grateful you are here.” And then we invited this second truth to sink deeply into our youth’s gorgeous minds, beautiful hearts and exquisite bodies, “You are Loved. You are a Beloved Child of God, in whom God delights and is well pleased. You are loved by God, this progressive Christian faith community, by your family and friends. We love you. We promise to hold you in prayer throughout your Confirmation journey.”
Rooted and grounded in these truths of Belovedness and Belonging we embarked on our confirmation journey filled with an invitation for our youth to awaken to their spiritual lives. We covered much ground - spiritual practices, the Bible, Origin stories, Genesis two creation stories, the church liturgical seasons and year, participating and telling the birth of Jesus story through the Christmas Pageant, God’s characteristics, Baptism of Jesus and re-membering our baptism, and thoughtful discernment about where to go for our summer Youth Mission Trip, RHINO, Rebuilding Hope in New Orleans. Our confirmands attended our January Annual Meeting, Futures Lab, we imagined what we need in a Vibrant Church 2024, unpacked the Feeding of the 5000 wondering who is Jesus, we had fun at our All Church Retreat, learned about the history of Christianity and practiced being vulnerable as we shared what is our Really Real. We learned about our MPUC Mission and Values and connected with our amazing Mentors - John A, Craig B., Margo D., Lauren D., Ginger C., Barb K., Paula M. Thank You!