A Letter to Our Confirmands
Dear Confirmands-
You did it! If you are reading this letter it means that you have finally finished your confirmation classes, you have written your statements of faith and shared that with me and the session, and you are now about to go in front of the church to become an official member. I could not be more proud of you.
There are so many things I could say to you on this confirmation day, but I hope you’ll remember these five things above all else.
- Confirmation is only the beginning. This journey of faith- you articulating for yourself what it is that you believe- it doesn’t end here. Most of us spend our entire lives growing in faith, and I want you to remember that. For example, I imagine one day when you fall in love, you will know God differently. I imagine that the day you become a parent, again, you will know God differently. And if God forbid, tragedy ever hits close to home, you will know and need God differently. So remember, your faith as it is right now is only the beginning. It is beautiful, and what it becomes will also be beautiful.
- We have a job to do. Part of being Christian means caring for others- strangers and friends alike. Jesus was a man who healed the sick, ate dinner with the outcast, saw and valued women and children in a time when society did not. He fed the poor, spoke out against injustice, and identified with the loner. He was a man of radical love, which means part of being Christian, is trying to love like that too- and that is not easy. Thus my prayer for you, is that when you hear of injustice, when you know someone is hurting, or when you see someone sitting alone at school, that you will remember Jesus of Nazareth, and try to imitate him. Spread love as far and wide as you possibly can.
- The Bible is for you. The Bible can be intimidating. Many of us long to know the Bible better, but struggle to know where to start with reading! If that’s the case for you, I’d encourage you to start anywhere you want! Get a bible app (I have some I can recommend!), Google a bible reading plan, start with Genesis 1 or Matthew 1. Read one Psalm a day. It does not matter how you do it, but it does matter that you do it. Without scripture, being a Christian is just community. It’s just going through the movements. We need scripture to remember WHY we are Christian, so I implore you- read your Bibles. Aim for twice a week. They are there for you.
- You are fiercely loved. I cannot say this enough. You, Child of the Covenant, are so loved. Scripture tells us that God formed you in your mother’s womb, that God breathed life into you when you were created, that God knows every hair on your head and delights in you. You are so loved, and nothing that you ever do or don’t do will change that. So please, in a world that is quick to judge, do not forget that God loves you, and that as a child of God you have immeasurable self worth. And for the record, I love you too.
- You belong here. Through confirmation, you become a member of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church (woohoo!), which means you officially belong here. However, with or without membership status, I hope you know, that this community of faith loves you. This community of faith wants to support you, walk alongside you, and celebrate in your triumphs. This youth house will always have room for you, no matter how far you wander or what you believe- you will always be welcome here. And when the time comes to go to college, I hope you remember that you belong not only to PHPC, but to God’s church as a whole, and find yourself at home in another congregation.We cannot do faith alone. We need the church, and the church needs you- your energy, your love, your honesty, your wisdom. We need you, we love you, and we will always have space for you. You belong here.
There are so many other things I could share with you, but as I said before, this is only the beginning. So for now, I hope you remember these five things, and I hope you know, that I, along with all of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, celebrates with you and delights in you on this confirmation Sunday.
Call me anytime, for anything.
I’m always here.
With deep gratitude and love,
Rev. Sarah Are
“I thank my God every time I remember you.” - Philippians 1:3
