This week we are sharing two new portraits of unique confirmation situations. One portrait is of a Presbyterian church using a flipped classroom methodology to engage youth in an overcommitted world. The other portrait features a confirmation class from a multi-cultural Episcopal church that participates in a General Confirmation Service put on by the Diocese of California that is anything but normal.
If one were to use a metaphor to describe the confirmation program at First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, Michigan, it could well be an app for social media like “Faith 2.0.” Confirmation functions like a useful app that can be used in many different ways and with maximum flexibility. It provides a dynamic interface between Christian tradition and contemporary life, between confirmands and adult members of the congregation, and between reflection and engagement in the social context.
Like so many urban churches, the history of St. James Episcopal Church reflects the changing demographics and economics of its neighborhood. From its days of glory St. James’ membership had declined to four stalwarts when the Diocese decided to intervene and call a new mission-focused priest rather than close the doors forever. Today, St. James is an intentionally multi-cultural congregation where church life is organically bilingual and inclusive.
We hope you find these congregational portraits to be an encouraging sign of the vibrant activity of the Holy Spirit!
The Confirmation Project Team
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