Five young people from St John’s are confirmed at Easter
Five young people from St John’s were confirmed by the Bishop of Connecticut, the Right Reverend Mark Mello, at Christchurch Cathedral on Easter Saturday. It was the culmination of a program of learning and personal discovery that began last October for the teenagers, and their formal reception as full members of the Church.
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The Eucharist service last October, when the young people and adult mentors pledged to follow the course towards confirmation
The program, called Confirm Not Conform is designed to allow young people to think independently about whether and why they wish to be confirmed as members of the Episcopal Church. Each had an adult mentor from St John’s who had volunteered to support them as they considered confirmation.
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Jan Nykyfortyn and Evamarie Cooper (left), and Mother Joan Phelps led the program
Together with Mother Joan Phelps, the course was led by Jan Nykyfortyn and Evamarie Cooper, and included fifteen lessons as well as retreat at the diocesan camp, Mount Washington, at the end of March.
Bishop Mark Mello lights the fire symbolising the victory of life over death at the start of the Easter Vigil
The confirmation took place as Bishop Mello presided at the Easter Vigil, a day which traditionally sees the baptism and confirmation of new members of the Church.
With five confirmands and an adult being received into the Episcopal Church, St John’s made up easily the largest contingent at Christchurch Cathedral on Saturday. One of St John’s teenagers read a lesson.
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Rory Wilson
Rory Wilson also became a member of the Episcopal Church at the Easter Vigil at Christchurch Cathedral. Rory, who is a former member of the Roman Catholic Church, was formally received by Bishop Mello.
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Mother Jackie – who attended the retreat in March – praised the young people for their dedication and thoughtfulness.
“They impressed me with their commitment to the process and their deep reflection on their journey of faith,” she said.
“I look forward to seeing how they continue to grace the life of the parish.”
Mother Jackie thanked the adult mentors from St John’s who attended classes and helped to guide the teenagers through the confirmation program.
The teenagers are working on a service project, to be delivered in the fall, and will make a further public commitment at a Eucharist service on May 3rd.
