Christian Education / Catechism / Formación Cristiana
Comuniones Solemnes / Confirmaciones
Solemn Communion / Confirmations
Sacrament of Confirmation
In the annual Christian formation course, the early baptized are expected - when they are ready and have been properly prepared - to make the affirmation of faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their baptism, and to receive the laying on of hands from the bishop.
Confirmation is an intentional choice to deepen your relationship with God and have a greater involvement in the church community. For confirmed youth, this marks the point at which one moves into spiritual adulthood, which typically takes place in middle school or high school.
If you are new to the Episcopal Church and have been baptized into another denomination, you have the option to renew your life of faith. If this is the case, it can be received or confirmed in the Episcopal Church; Rites from your local parish can help you know and discern if they are appropriate for you.
Wherever you come from and whatever your faith record, The Episcopal Church welcomes you!
For Confirmation or First Communion, please register during office hours or after Sunday service.
First Communion
During the first centuries of the Church, all the baptized were admitted to receive Holy Communion - the Holy Sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord.
The first time that one received the Sacrament, it was on the day of their baptism, and this was the case for the elderly, adults, youth, children, and also infants.
As time passed from this transition, the bishops began to ask that a child have to understand the difference between the Holy Sacrament (a sacred experience) and a normal meal. And that is how the churches began the custom of holding First Communion services for children between the ages of six or seven.
From one point of view, First Communion is a good thing for children, because it gave them the opportunity to attend classes to understand more of the doctrines of the Church, and to understand the nature of the Holy Sacrament. But on the other hand, from the theological perspective, this practice ignores the fact that God's grace is not dependent on our understanding, if not his grace and a ministry beyond our understanding. The sacraments are never things that we do for God, but rather things that God does for us.
Now many Episcopal churches perform First Communion that combines the best of both worlds. Infants can receive Holy Communion immediately after their baptism, but when they reach the age of six or seven, they begin special classes in theology of the Eucharist - a time of education and reflection on the nature of the Sacrament.
Symbols/simbolos
