Confirmation of Baptism
CALENDAR & REQUIREMENTS FOR 2026/ 2027 YEAR
SEPTEMBER
Sunday, September 6th (the week after Labor Day)
Introduction Event with Parents and Confirmands (Zoom & in person) Homework: Students are expected to find and invite Confirmation mentors by September. Mentors will join us for the Retreat
Saturday 9/19 Confirmation Retreat (offsite) 9:00- 2:00 PM
Introduces the premises of the Confirm not Conform program and establishes group expectations, and explores where youth are starting from and what they currently believe.
SUNDAY 9/27 Class @ Falmouth 4:00 -6:00 PM
SCRIPTURE: A MAD DASH THROUGH A GOOD BOOK An overview of the Bible and how it is put together.
OCTOBER
SUNDAY 10/18 Class @ Foreside 4:00 -6:00 PM
TEACH US TO PRAY: THE LORD’S PRAYER Closely examines several versions of the Lord’s Prayer, followed by a Prayer Lab where youth can explore different ways to pray.
NOVEMBER
SUNDAY 11/8 Class @ Falmouth 4:00 -6:00 PM
TRADITION: CHURCH HISTORY Presents the history of the church and our UCC ancestry
SUNDAY 10/22 Class @ Foreside 4:00 -6:00 PM
TRADITION: CREEDS & STATEMENTS OF FAITH Youth develop a creed through the “Church Council.” Youth are invited to define the meanings of some basic concepts of faith & begin developing their confirmation class Statement of Faith.
SUNDAY 10/29 Home Churches 6-7:30 PM EXPLORING ADVENT & THE CHURCH YEAR
Parents join with Potluck Bible passage presentations
DECEMBER
Confirmands are invited to spend this month participating in the liturgical life of the church and fulfilling their community service requirements (Christmas fairs count!) & visiting church elders.
JANUARY
1/10 Class @Foreside 4:00 -6:00 PM
FAITH IN ACTION: PAIN TO POWER Explores how God helps us transform the pain in our lives into the very power we need to transform the world & focuses on the role that power plays in living out our call to be Christ’s body in the world.
1/24 Class @ Falmouth 4:00 -6:00 PM
TEACH US TO PRAY: THE SACRAMENTS Discusses the meaning of the sacraments within the UCC and to the youth themselves.
FEBRUARY 2/14 Class @Foreside Mentors arrive 30 minutes after start time
WHERE DO YOU STAND: THE POWER TO CHOOSE
Revisits the statements of faith youth looked at in Session 2 and explores how they have changed over the course of the program. We will be moving towards a decision about whether to be confirmed.
2/28 Class @ Falmouth 4:00 -6:00 PM
WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?
2/28- 3/15 — Conversations with the Pastors, Decisions on Confirmation Falmouth UCC students need to meet with their mentor, Pastor Amelia, and produce a draft of their faith statement by 3/15
All students need their requirement (eg visitation, service hours, etc) completed by 3/15.
Mar 14: Extra session in case of cancellations, changes, or snow dates.
Services of Confirmation
Foreside: Easter Vigil, Saturday March 27th
Falmouth: Sunday, April 4th (the first Sunday after Easter)
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Confirmation Mentors: Students, with help from their families and Pastors, are responsible for selecting a confirmation mentor. Mentors should be an adult member of your congregation that are not members of your family, staff of the church, or parents of other confirmands. Spend some time thinking about this together, and if someone becomes clear to you, ask them to prayerfully consider it. Make sure that you share a copy of the calendar with them– the sessions they are expected to attend are specified. To inform us of your decision, or if you need assistance thinking of a possible mentor or connecting with them, please contact your Pastor.
Events to be arranged by families/mentors/youth:
● Service Experience: Youth - 5 hours total, 3 of which will be with mentor
● Visiting Experience: Parent / youth pairs - Meet with 2 other elder Church Members
● Worship Experience: Mentor/youth pairs visit 2 services of traditions different than our own. Depending on the calendar (both our own congregation and those of the congregations we hope to visit) we will try to set up at least one visit for the group as a whole. In 2025 we visited Etz Chaim Synagogue in Portland.