Please contact the Parish Office to enquire about the next Confirmation Preparation Programme.

Confirmation is an important milestone in the Christian life and completes the journey that begins at Holy Baptism. Through Baptism we become members of Christ’s Body, the Church. In Confirmation, we publicly renew the promises made at our Baptism, profess the Christian faith for ourselves, and receive the strengthening gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by the Bishop.

The Anglican Church teaches that in Baptism we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection, forgiven our sins, and born again by water and the Holy Spirit. At Confirmation, we pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to strengthen and equip us for a life of faithful worship, Christian witness, and loving service.

Confirmation is therefore much more than a ceremony or a graduation from Sunday School. It is a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and to His Church. Candidates declare before God and the congregation that they reject evil, renew their baptismal promises, affirm the Christian faith into which they were baptised, and commit themselves to living as faithful disciples of Christ.

During the Confirmation Service, candidates publicly renew their Baptismal Vows by:

• Renouncing the devil, evil, and all that opposes God’s will.
• Affirming their faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
• Promising, with God’s help, to live in obedience to Christ as faithful members of His Church.

Following the renewal of these promises, the Bishop lays hands on each candidate and prays that they may be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit. Using words similar to those found in the Anglican Prayer Book, the Bishop prays:

“Lord, confirm and strengthen with your Holy Spirit this your servant and empower them for your service.”

This ancient apostolic act of the laying on of hands is a visible sign of God’s grace, asking that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide, strengthen, and equip each confirmed person for a lifetime of Christian discipleship.

Every year St Thomas’ Anglican Church offers a comprehensive Confirmation Preparation Programme for both teenagers and adults. Depending on the number and ages of those enrolled, preparation takes place in separate groups. Candidates participate in a formation programme approved by the Diocese of Johannesburg, where they explore:

• The Christian Faith and the Anglican tradition.
• The Holy Scriptures.
• The Sacraments.
• Prayer and Christian worship.
• The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
• Christian ethics and discipleship.
• The life and mission of the Church.
• Stewardship and Christian service.

The preparation programme is designed not simply to impart knowledge, but to deepen each candidate’s relationship with Jesus Christ and encourage active participation in the worship and ministry of the Church.

The Confirmation Service is normally celebrated by the Bishop during his annual pastoral visit to St Thomas’ Anglican Church, usually during October or November. It is always a joyful occasion as the parish gathers to celebrate those who publicly affirm their faith and are strengthened by the Holy Spirit for Christian service.

Confirmation also opens the door to many areas of ministry within the Anglican Church. Those who have been confirmed are encouraged to continue growing in faith and may become eligible for various ministries and leadership roles within the parish.

If you have been baptised and would like to take this next step in your Christian journey, we warmly invite you to enrol in our next Confirmation Preparation Programme.

For more information or to register, please contact the Parish Office. We look forward to walking with you as you continue to grow in faith, deepen your relationship with Christ, and serve Him faithfully within His Church.