Richard's Letter :: May 2014

Confirmation - the next stepWe’ve a big day coming up on Sunday June 8th at 3pm as Bishop Paul leads a celebration of Confirmationhere at All Souls. Confirmation has been an important next step for countless Christians over hundredsof years - and it’s a chance for all of us to affirm our faith and pray God’s blessing on those stepping out.

A public step of faith

All Souls has been the place for many that Christian faith, first tasted in childhood or newly discoveredhere, has started to become real and personal. Some who were baptised as babies find in Confirmationa “confirmation” of faith first expressed by parents years’ before. For others Confirmation includes baptismitself, with its visual reminder that God’s love comes before our faith however far on in life we get.

It’s a powerful and significant service giving an opportunity to express publicly what we may have beenincreasingly aware of privately - that faith in Jesus is becoming real and is starting to shape our life.

If you’ve not yet been Confirmed, why not take the chance this year to express your faith publicly, to beprayed for by Bishop Paul and the rest of the church and to be encouraged as you step forward in faith?

A public commissioning for service

Confirmation is not just about standing up and expressing faith verbally. It’s also a service of commissioningto express that faith in service of others. That can simply mean being part of an All Souls team, such aschildren’s work or the Foodbank. For a few it might even mean embarking on training towards someform of more widely recognised Church of England ministry.

As Bishop Paul prays and as the whole church supports, Confirmation “confirms the faith” of the candidateand sends them “out and on” to serve of others in the name of Jesus.

Even if your faith has already been real and personal for years, if you’re feeling called to step “out and on”in a more publicly visible service of others, Confirmation might well be a powerful and significant momentto ink in that decision publicly and be blessed and encouraged on your way.

Wondering if Confirmation is the right next step for you?

Please drop me a line this week - the service is only a month away!

A chance to celebrate together

If you’re not being Confirmed yourself, I really hope you’ll plan on being part of the supportingcongregation on the day? Bishop Paul isn’t just our Bishop - he’s also a fantastic speaker, great leader andhas been an enthusiastic supporter and friend of All Souls for many years now.

There’ll be children’s groups during the main part of the service and refreshments (including cakes - dolet us know if you can make and bring one) afterwards.

Looking forward to seeing you on the day!