NUMC Celebrates Confirmation Sunday

The efforts of 17 young adults were celebrated when Newtown United Methodist Church celebrated Confirmation Sunday on May 31.

This year’s confirmands were Lydia Beiter, Cassidy Carlson, Caitlin FitzGerald, Brandon Ghent, Richard Greenwood, Collin Hall, Dylan Hanson, Morgan Maschino, Cameron McCleary, Megan McDermott, Katie McManus, Claire Miles, Karly Oliveira, Lyndsey Pearlman, Leah Pinckney, Drew Sullivan, and Evan Swain.

The class had been meeting with the Reverend Mel Kawakami, the church’s senior pastor; the Reverend Richard Yerrington, associate pastor; and the Reverend Sue Klein, deacon, each Tuesday afternoon since November. They each had an adult mentor who met regularly with them as they explore the traditions of their own church, and the faith held in common with all Christians.

Each confirmand participated in 25 or more hours of community service and met with Bishop Jeremiah Park at the New York Conference Rally on May 2. The group also visited Adath Israel synagogue for a Sabbath service, where they learned more about their Jewish heritage.

They did some Bible study, had a session on the Hymnal, and talked about what it means to be a faith community. In the last few weeks the confirmands wrote their own statement of faith, and took an open-book test on what they have learned over these seven months.

Confirmation Sunday started with a breakfast hosted by last year’s confirmation class parents, as is the tradition at NUMC. After breakfast, each mentor stood up and introduced his or her confirmand and talked about what they learned together, and what makes that particular young person special.

The pastors were each presented with gifts of thanks from the confirmands and parents. The congregation was also presented with a gift from the confirmands, a new Welcome mat for outside the Sanctuary entrance doors.

This confirmation class builds a cohesive group of young people who go on to enjoy fellowship together as a Senior High Youth group for the next three years.