On Sunday 31st October, 2004, the two congregations of the United Benefice of St Faith's and St Mary's came together to fill St Faith's for the service of Sung Eucharist and Confirmations. The Pincipal Celebrant was the Right Reverend Martyn Jarrett, Bishop of Beverley and Assistant Bishop in the Liverpool Diocese, who preached the sermon and adminsitered the Liturgy of Confirmation to ten candidates from our two churches.

Below we reproduce the words of the Liturgy of Initiation and the Liturgy of Confirmation from the service booklet prepared for this special service, followed by more of Chris Price's photographs of the event. Click on any picture for a larger version.

Follow this link for a sermon by Reader Fred Nye, one of a series on the church's sacraments, in which he talks about the meaning and importance of the Sacrament of Confirmation.
 

The candidates for Confirmation on October 31st, 2004, were:

From St Mary's

Emma Clarke
Katie Linacre
Poppy Murphy
Molly Roderick

From St Faith's

Shannon Brownbill
Conor Cureton
David Pascoe
Emily Skinner
Christian Voce-Russell
Luke Voce-Russell
 

The Confirmation Service

The Liturgy of Initiation

PRESENTATION OF THE CANDIDATES

The candidates are presented to the congregation by Joyce Green (who with Jackie Parry has prepared the Candidates for Confirmation) and the bishop asks the candidates:

Have you been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?
I have.
Are you ready with your own mouth and from your own heart to affirm your faith in Jesus Christ?
I am.

The bishop addresses the whole congregation:

People of God, will you welcome these candidates and uphold them in their life in Christ?
With the help of God, we will.

DECISION

The bishop addresses all the candidates:

In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light.
To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him.
Therefore I ask: Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?
I reject them.
Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?
I renounce them.
Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?
I repent of them.
Do you turn to Christ as Saviour?
I turn to Christ.
Do you submit to Christ as Lord?
I submit to Christ.
Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life?
I come to Christ.

The bishop says:

May God who has given you the desire to follow Christ
give you strength to continue in the Way.  Amen.

PROFESSION OF FAITH (all stand)

The bishop addresses the congregation

Brothers and sisters, I ask you to profess
together with these candidates the faith of the Church.

Do you believe and trust in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.  Amen.

The bishop says

Almighty God,
we thank you for our fellowship in the household of faith
with all who have been baptized into your name.
Keep us faithful to our baptism,
and so make us ready for that day
when the whole creation shall be made perfect in your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The Liturgy of Confirmation

The bishop stands before those who are to be confirmed, and says:

Our help is in the name of the Lord
who has made heaven and earth.

Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and for ever.  Amen.

The bishop extends his hands towards those to be confirmed and says:

Almighty and ever-living God,
you have given these your servants new birth
in baptism by water and the Spirit,
and have forgiven them all their sins.
Let your Holy Spirit rest upon them:
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding;
the Spirit of counsel and inward strength;
the Spirit of knowledge and true godliness;
and let their delight be in the fear of the Lord.  Amen.

The bishop addresses each candidate by name:

N, God has called you by name and made you his own.

He then lays his hand on the head of each, saying:

Confirm, O Lord, your servant with your Holy Spirit.  Amen.

As each candidate is anointed the Bishop says:

Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The bishop invites the congregation to pray for all those on whom hands have been laid:

Defend, O Lord, these your servants with your heavenly grace,
that they may continue yours for ever,
and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more
until they come to your everlasting kingdom.  Amen.
 
 
 

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