Confirmation

This is the lesson for Sunday. I usually pull from numerous resources online to create and localize these lessons. Sometimes material comes from Catholic sources & sometimes from protestant ones--so they need some adjusting to fit us in the Anglican Church. More often than not I can create a lesson that can be read to the kids. This one is not one of those. It is basically information to help the adults explain the Sacrament to kids. Also this lesson is not on an object per se, but this will likely never be a topic covered in Sunday School and it's a golden chance to talk about this because 1) It's Confirmation Sunday 2) our kids are younger than those going through catechism.

Confirmation

Our 1^st Sacramental ceremony.

Since Baptism usually happens so early in a Christian's life, and since the Eucharist is a family/community Sacrament, Confirmation might be the very 1^st ceremony that our kids go through that they can take personally.

Confirmation makes us a nation of priests because we all worship God as a holy nation, a chosen people, a royal priesthood. Confirmation is often described as ordination for lay people (non-clergy)! That is exactly right. We are all given the commission from the Bishop to take Christ and His Church as our very own, to serve Him just like we are ministers. The Bishop is involved in both Ordination and Confirmation. He places his hands upon each person that we might receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Because the Bishop is necessary for Confirmation, Western Christians developed the practice of catechizing their kids first, awaiting the next visit from the Bishop.

Confirmation is also the renewal and confession of our Baptismal vows. When we were Baptized as babies, parents and Godparents spoke the vows on our behalf. Confirmation allows us to make the vows in a Sacramental ceremony in the presence of our Bishop.

1-2-3

What do we do when invited to eat over at someone's home? In most cases there would be three steps: When the time comes (1) we take off our old clothes and wash up by taking a shower or bath. Then (2) we dry off and put on our good clothes. Finally (3) we go to the place where we have been invited and there we join with our friends to talk, eat, & celebrate.

Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist exist in a similar relationship: At Baptism (1) we take off the old, sinful person and wash away Original Sin. At Confirmation (2) we are anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit and filled with His sevenfold gifts. Finally, (3) we are led to the Eucharistic banquet by Jesus our Host.

Activity.

Have the kids role-play the three steps above [bath, dress, eat]. Encourage them afterward that when we are confirmed we are presenting ourselves to our Host with our best appearance [an act of faith]. There is plenty of material in the room to pretend through these three stages of the event [bath, dress, eat].

Next, have them pretend that they are in an ancient castle where the King is about to make someone a Knight. Have each one take turns receiving the honor of Knight-hood. [Adult may want to play the king to keep them from hitting one another—it happens!] This one might require a play-sword since the King usually pronounces the knight his status with the royal sword & with the knight-to-be on bended knee. This is a great analogy because Knights were the King's servants, ambassadors, and best warriors. When we go through confirmation we are accepting the challenge to serve King Jesus!