Confirmation Class of 2015

Several years ago my son McBride, who was 8 at the time, and I had the privilege of attending two worship services where his two best friends were baptized. After the second service McBride said to me, “was I baptized? I don’t remember being baptized.” In the Presbyterian church we baptize infants. The ancient ritual of infant baptism makes a profound and powerful statement about God’s grace, that we do not deserve it and can not earn it and so parents make a profession on behalf of their children. The goal and the desire is the same if one practices infant baptism or believer baptism: that the precious child will grow up and claim that faith as their own.  

Ten weeks ago at Downtown Church our adult leaders, George and Heather Jenkins, Anna and Bert Kemper and Pam and Stewart Rawson, began a journey with our amazing group of 10 confirmands: Rosemary Angel, Heyward Clayton, Lamont Grandmason, Ada Jenkins, Emily Jenkins, Hamilton Jenkins, Graham Kemper, Avery McQueen, Joshua Quay, and Isabel Quinn. Together we studied the Biblical story of God’s people, the history of the church, the distinctiveness of the Presbyterian Church, our nature as children of a gracious and loving God, the power of sin in the world, the mystery of the Holy Spirit, the importance of prayer, fellowship and worship and we studied about our calling to be God’s people and to serve God and to care for others. And now it is the privilege and opportunity for our confirmands to claim on their own their faith in God.

“It has been my privilege to work with this incredible group of young people. They are inquisitive and bright and committed. I have been inspired by their knowledge of the teachings of the church and by their willingness to be challenged and to grow. I wholeheartedly endorse them for membership in Christ’s church.” 

—Stewart Rawson