7/30/2019 2012 11 Vicars Letter

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belonging and believing...One of the many highlights of 2013 will be at the beginning of the year, as we hostBishop Paul visiting All Souls to lead a Confirmation Service on Sunday January

27th at 3pm . Do plan on being there - it's an opportunityfor all four of our congregations (10.30am, 4.30pm,Ivybridge and Mondays) to celebrate the declaration offaith and service that Confirmation represents.

There's plenty to write about Confirmation, but a shortletter like this really isn't the place for a theology lesson!Instead, here are three groups of people who might wantto respond to the opportunity that this gives us:

an adult growing into faithOne of the most exciting things about All Souls is how many people have starteda journey back towards a Christian faith they tasted in childhood - in beingbaptised, through a church school education or Sunday School. If that's you,

then it may well be that you're now at a point where Confirmation would bethe perfect marker post to set down on that journey. Confirmation is a publicdeclaration of an adult faith and a commitment to serve others through thatfaith.

The three Confirmation sessions, for adults thinking about gettingConfirmed, start this Monday (26th November) at 8pm here in church.

Let me know you're going to come!

a teenager stepping towards adult faithFor children growing up in a Christian home, Confirmation can be an importantmilestone in the teenage years - a moment to publically take hold of childhoodfaith and commit to growing in service and commitment. We tend to encouragelater Confirmation here than some churches - around Year 10 onwards seemsmost appropriate to the language of 'adult faith', though I'm happy to chatthrough. We will be talking about it in Underground and offering preparationthere.

a younger teen wishing to receive communionPCC agreed last week that we could offer the opportunity for olderchildren to receive Communion preparation from secondary schoolonwards, though there is still the necessity to have been baptisedbefore receiving Communion.

Not all will feel ready to start receiving Communion, but thesessions will encourage them to think about where they are ontheir journey and to talk with their parents about what's therefore appropriate.The sessions I'll be leading over the next three Sundays will get us talking aboutbaptism, communion and confirmation - giving space to think, talk and ask questions. It may well then be that for some, Bishop Paul's visit willbe the right time to start receiving Communion. Others may wait

for later in the year or for another time in their journey of faith.

Do, please, be in contact with any questions you've got - and doput that service on January 27th in your diary: it's going to be agreat celebration of faith!

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22nd Nov 2012