Spring 2021 Adult Confirmation
This past Sunday, we welcomed twelve new members to the St. Peter’s family through the service of confirmation. Bishop Neil Lebhar, Gulf Atlantic Diocese, laid hands on each of the individuals and prayed for daily increase in the Holy Spirit so that they may be strengthened for Christian life in service of Christ and his kingdom. The Anglican Church requires a public and personal profession of the Faith from every adult believer in Jesus Christ. Confirmation is the liturgical expression of this and is clearly grounded in Scripture: the Apostles prayed for, and laid hands on those who had already been baptized (2 Timothy 1:6-7; Acts 8:14-17: 19:6).
These adults all completed three classes that we refer to as the ‘Catechumenate Process.’ The classes, mostly taught by Fr. Michael Petty, highlight the three areas that being a Christian, who worships in the Anglican tradition, ought to know. Those classes are: To Be A Christian: The Anglican Catechism, Prayer Book 101, and Spiritual Gifts Discovery.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this particular group’s experience looked a bit different than past confirmation classes. Fortunately, many of our classes, Bible studies, and even Sunday worship have been available online, consequently expanding the reach of St. Peter’s Cathedral to well beyond Tallahassee. In fact, two of the twelve new members actually came to St. Peter’s via those online offerings from their home in Tampa, Florida. They came into town for the Confirmation service and the physical laying on of hands by the Bishop, but will continue to be members of our church, from Tampa! If not for having to pivot our worship offerings to an online platform in response to the pandemic, these two individuals would likely not have been able to join St. Peter’s without moving to our city.
We, and all our new members, look forward to many years of serving God together and growing in relationship one to another and to our Lord Jesus Christ.