Confirmation at St. Paul’s

Confirmation is the Sacrament that strengthens the baptized Christian through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Our Beliefs about Confirmation

Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments. Sacraments are outward, visible signs of inward, spiritual grace.
Confirmation is performed on a baptized Christian by a Bishop in Apostolic Succession. The outward, visible sign is the laying on of Apostolic hands (Acts 8:14-17) and the anointing with chrism oil.
The inward, spiritual gifts of Confirmation are the completion of Baptism and the strengthening of spiritual gifts.
According to St. Paul in I Corinthians 12:4-11, spiritual gifts are given to Christians by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of the common life of the Church.
Historically, these gifts include things like prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:8-10). If you are unsure of what your spiritual gifts might be or what they entail, talk to Fr. Wesley or Fr. David.

Our Policy on Confirmation

Can I be confirmed?

Adults and children who have been baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost and have not been confirmed in an Apostolic Church (Anglican, Roman Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox) may be confirmed.

How should i prepare to be confirmed?

According to the Book of Common Prayer, the best way to prepare for Confirmation is to learn the Lord’s Prayer, Ten Commandments, and the Apostles’ Creed.
For children and young adults, Fr. Wesley runs a catechesis class that goes over the Lord’s Prayer, Ten Commandments, and the Apostles’ Creed.
For adults, Fr. Wesley runs a Newcomer’s Class that goes a little more in-depth into who we are at St. Paul’s and why we do all the things we do.

What does the confirmation liturgy look like?

At Holy Communion while the Bishop is visiting, the confirmands are brought before him.
The Bishop asks them if they are willing to renew the promise and vow that they made or was made for them at Baptism and to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
The Bishop lays hands on each confirmand and says, “Defend, O Lord, this thy Child with thy heavenly grace; that he may continue thine for ever; and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more, until he come unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen.” After the prayer, he anoints each one with chrism oil.
The Bishop then prays for the confirmands and gives them a blessing.

When can i receive the sacrament of confirmation?

In Anglicanism, Confirmation is performed by Bishops only. So if you want to get confirmed at St. Paul’s, you’ll have to wait for the next time our Bishop comes. He typically comes once a year.
If you are interested in receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, please talk to Fr. Wesley and/or Fr. David.