Confirmation, in the early church (and in the Eastern Orthodox churches today) was part of the liturgy of baptism. In the Middle Ages, in the Western (Roman Catholic) church, confirmation, like first communion, floated free of baptism and gradually came to be celebrated to mark the end of a process of Christian education.
Today, the Rite of Confirmation is offered to those baptized persons – usually teenagers – who have already been admitted to communion and who have completed a period of instruction in the faith. While Lutherans take confirmation very seriously, it is not considered a sacrament in our church because; unlike Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, it is not mandated by our Lord in scripture.
At Trinity Lutheran Church, the Rite of Confirmation concludes a two-year period of instruction, during which students are taught the Bible and Luther’s Small Catechism and prepared to take responsibility for their own lives of faith. Classes meet weekly during the school year for 1½ hours, and students are required to attend worship and perform community service.
Confirmation, like baptism and marriage, operates within our local church family, and therefore is usually open only to those who are members of Trinity Lutheran Church. Exceptional circumstances may be discussed with the pastor. Registration forms for the confirmation program are available at the ushers’ station and from the church office.