On 19th October Bishop Rhiannon confirmed ten candidates from the Parish of Christchurch at Christchurch Priory. This special service saw ten people say yes to Jesus’ calling on their lives. As part of this they received Holy Communion for the first time.
During the service we heard testimony from Zack Bowers and Sam Dee who have recently joined the congregation.
Zack told the congregation how his faith has grown “For quite some time now, I’ve felt a growing pull toward something deeper — something more meaningful. … I’m being confirmed today to commit my life to Christ — to follow Him more closely, to lead my family in faith, and to be ready for the day He comes again.”
While Sam reflected, “Getting confirmed was the peace I have been looking for”.
During the service, the congregation heard the Choir sing pieces of music that they had been practicing especially for the confirmations, made even more beautiful by the fact four members of the choir where confirmed as part of the ten.
As part of their preparation for confirmation, all ten candidates have taken part in a four week course called ‘This is My Faith: A Personal Guide to Confirmation and Holy Communion’, a course written by Douglas Dales.
This provided a space for the candidates to explore in more depth the promises they would be making, relooking at the baptism vows their godparents and parents made on behalf of them, discovering more about prayer and the spiritual life and how this fuels them to be ambassadors for Christ in the world, in their homes and in their place of work.
Another rich blessing that the study course has bought is that the adults group has now morphed into a permanent young adults fellowship group. This has already seen two new people join its ranks. During Advent they will be exploring the ‘Who Am I’ course for Advent by The Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines. This is going to deepen their understanding of their own calling as servants of Christ.
Revd Sam Duckhouse, who has been leading the confirmation preparation sessions, said, “It was a real blessing to see these ten wonderful people be confirmed by Bishop Rhiannon. It has been a real culmination for them in terms of their faith life. A step that has come after lots of prayer, thought and exploration. All of them participated in our preparation classes with enthusiasm and joy to discover more about Christ.”
Bishop Rhiannon said, “It was a complete joy to meet the confirmation candidates at Christchurch Priory. We prayed at the end of the service that they may ‘shine as a light in the world.’ I’ll be praying that their brightness will illuminate many lives around them and am sure it will.”
Find out more about Christchurch Priory via Facebook, Instagram and their website.
