Confirmation Service at Christ Church @ 3pm, Sunday 11 May

I'm vary rarely in the church building at 2:30 on a spring afternoon, so I've probably never seen the church look like this before. The sun was strong, and the pattern generated on the red cloth at the from of the church gave it a really amazing look. As I took the picture the church was starting to fill with people. It being a Confirmation service people have to arrive early to make sure they know what they're doing. The band were practicing, and the church was filling up with many people who hadn't come before. Around 200 people in the end made the church feel full, and as it was a warm day, quite hot towards the end. It was a celebration of a step of faith being taken by about 20 confirmation candidates. Bishop Laurie reminded them of their baptism, most of them can't remember it because they were babies at the time. Now they have come to the point in their lives where they are ready to stand up (well kneel in front of the Bishop, so perhaps I should say publicly declare their faith) and be counted amongst the believers in the church. No all the candidates come from Christ Church, of course. Some are from further afield. They have all brought friends and supporters in various guises - family, friends, associates, and youth leaders. They are all ages too, from the possibly retired, to the senior school children, and lots in between. I'd love to collect their stories. How have they come to know Jesus, what was it that got them to the point of this public profession?

On Pentecost Sunday we have held a service at which the Bishop lays hands on people and confirms that the Holy Spirit is living in them. We rejoice. We give thanks to God for them. We look forward to the way they will enhance the life of the church.