Here at Plymouth, we honor confirmation as a significant step in the journey of discipleship. A two-year program spanning 7th and 8th grades, in confirmation our young people get to learn about the bible, the church, their own beliefs, and God. They also get to ask lots of questions and have them taken seriously. And probably the best thing about confirmation is that it gives our youth a small group to pursue service projects and fun events throughout the yea, and to be there to offer support through the highs and lows of middle school.

Some of our young people enter confirmation confident in their faith and hungry for more information before being confirmed. Some enter with lots of questions and uncertainty about next steps on their own faith journey. And some enter pretty certain that they don’t believe in God, but either want to learn more about religion or satisfy their parents.

All of these are not just appropriate but welcome starting points for the confirmation journey.

We hope to help our young people articulate their questions and beliefs, wrestle with the doubts that accompany faith, and make the next steps on their discipleship journey independent of their parents and with full support of the church.

If you’re an interested adult, whether or not you have children this age, we are always looking for small group guides to accompany our young people on this exciting leg of the journey. Please feel free to contact Lindsey for more information about this volunteer opportunity.

Confirmation Requirements

Confirmation is a high-commitment program. When this commitment is honored through regular and active participation, youth reap the benefits of a tightly woven community where they are loved and can grow in the life of the spirit. With this goal in mind, we take seriously the following requirements:

• Attendance at all scheduled theme events, fellowship nights and service projects. Four absences are permitted during the year. Please tell your small-group leader if you know in advance that you will have to miss any event.
• Weekly attendance at worship. All students must attend one of Plymouth’s worship services each week and sign the friendship pads: Saturday at 5:30 p.m., Sunday at 9 or 11 a.m. This is an important way to practice what they learn on Wednesday nights and discern whether they want to be confirmed into the community. If weekly attendance is not possible for your family, please contact Lindsey.
• Monthly Family Night events. Each month students need to participate in a family event that includes discussion about what is happening in confirmation, what is going on in family members’ lives, etc. This could happen at the supper table, in the car on the way to an athletic event, or after a movie, for example.
• Confirmation Retreat. An overnight retreat will be required for all 8th grade students who plan to be confirmed. The importance of this time apart for the students to make their decisions about their Confirmation cannot be overstated. Students who miss any part of this retreat may join the church in other ways, but they will not be confirmed. The cost for retreat is approximately $90.
• Confirmation Rehearsal. A mandatory, brief rehearsal is essential for students to learn the choreography for the confirmation ceremony.
• Baptisms. Students must be baptized before they are confirmed.
• Confirmation Day. All students who choose to be confirmed are to be in the Confirmation Service at 9 a.m. on the first Sunday in May. Everyone will meet at 8:30 a.m. that morning to organize for the procession.

Confirmation Retreat

Confirmation retreat is a life-changing event when the 8th grade confirmation students and their adult guides get away from everyday life, spend time building relationships with one another and with God, and make their decision about becoming a confirmed member of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ.

The Confirmation Retreat is an important part of Plymouth’s Confirmation program and is therefore a required activity for anyone wanting to be confirmed. If students do not attend retreat, they may join the church in other ways but may not join with the Confirmation class on Confirmation Sunday.

2020-2021 Confirmation Calendar (link will be active when calendar is available)