Welcome to St. Thomas Episcopal Church
3602 Hawthorne Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23222
Confirmation Class FAQs for Youth and Parents
What is a sponsor?
Your confirmation sponsor is a trusted adult who you are inviting to join you on your faith journey. Confirmation is not the end of your journey, it's a stop along the way, and your sponsor should be a person who you feel will guide and support you. Sponsors need to be present for the last two hours of the retreat class on June 19th, and for the confirmation service on June 27th. If your youth isn't sure there's an adult who they're confident inviting to be their sponsor, let Katie Cosby know! She can suggest some great adults from St. T!
Can Katie or Dave be my sponsor?
No. As much as they love all of our youth, Dave and Katie are already on the journey with them, and we want them to widen that circle.
My family can't be at the confirmation service on June 27th, can that date be changed?
If not, can my youth still be confirmed?
No, the date cannot be changed. The diocese is playing catch up with a lot of churches, and we don't really have any say over when the bishop comes. If your youth completes the class, but can't be at the service, they can be confirmed at another church, or at our next bishop's visit.
Does my youth have to be at all of the events above in order to be eligible for confirmation?
Yes and no. We have consolidated this class as much as we can in the interest of sensitivity to people's time, and the slightly short notice of our bishop's visit. Interested participants should plan to come to both classes and the Saturday retreat. If your youth absolutely cannot prioritize ones of these dates, they will need to contact Herbert to arrange make up work/classes.
Do I HAVE to get confirmed if I complete the class?
NO! Nobody can make you get confirmed, the decision is 100% up to each person as they explore the classes. Even if your youth knows for sure that they aren't interested in being confirmed, we hope they'll still join the class and see what it's all about!