Letter from Pastor Ross about Confirmation

Confirmation is one of the most sacred experiences of a young person’s life. Confirmation does not only present young people with the opportunity to explore their faith and to grow in their understanding of Christianity; the confirmation process empowers young people to claim their faith for themselves. Confirmation is more than a rite of passage; rather, it is a blessed opportunity for young people to discover God’s unique love for them.

Summerville Methodist’s Confirmation classes will begin Sunday, March 23, 2025. I will be the lead teacher. Our classes will be held from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM at the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Confirmation Sunday will be held on Pentecost Sunday, which is June 8, 2025.

Your student does not need to bring anything with them to the first class. They will be provided with a Confirmation 2025 notebook which includes the curriculum. They will need to keep up with this notebook and bring it to the following classes. If your student has a Bible, they are welcome to bring it. We will provide Bibles for any student who does not have one.

Classes will not be held on Easter Sunday (April 20). I am including a list of the class schedule and themes for each class. You are welcome to sit in on the first confirmation class so that you can get a better feel for the work that we will be doing.

I hope to prepare two additional outings: 1) Worship within another denomination or tradition; and 2) a service-oriented project. More information will be provided closer to those events.

In addition to myself, your student will be working with a confirmation mentor. These servers will help your students during the confirmation process by offering support and encouragement along this journey! Unique to this year, we are welcoming other Middle and High School students, who have already completed confirmation course, to serve as Jr. Mentors! 

My confirmation classes are designed to empower our young people to make a well-informed decision about their faith. The material covered in each of these classes is essential to the overall confirmation process. For that reason, attending the confirmation classes is required to participate in Confirmation Sunday. Your student will be allowed no more than two (2) absences from the confirmation classes. Your child must schedule a make-up session with their mentor or me for any classes that are missed.

The Confirmation process is truly a special time and one that most all of my students have thoroughly enjoyed! I hope your child will be able to participate.

SMC is still in the process of creating our communications outlets. We will have separate communications for our children’s ministries and youth ministries as those programs are established. Please help us by sharing this email/information with parents of students you believe may be interested in participating in the class. 

Please let me know if you have any questions. Please confirm with me if your child intends to participate in Confirmation 2025. I can be reached by cell/text (843-214-0616) or by email (ross@summervillemethodist.org).

The Curriculum:

• March 23, 2025 — An Introduction to Confirmation

• March 30, 2025 — The Triune God

• April 6, 2025 — A Fallen Humanity

• April 13, 2025 — The Hope of the Resurrection

• April 20, 2025 —No Class (Easter Sunday)

• April 27, 2025 — The Primacy of Holy Scripture

• May 4, 2025 — The Wesleyan Way of Salvation

• May 11, 2025 — A History of the Christian Faith

• May 18, 2025 — The People Called Methodist

• May 25, 2025 — Methodism in America

• June 1, 2025 — Claiming You Faith

• June 8, 2025 — Confirmation Sunday (Pentecost)ost)

Blessings to all,

Rev. E. Rossiter Chellis

Summerville Methodist Church

Summerville, SC