Extracts from A Prayer Book for Australia
Confirmation
TOGETHER WITH PROVISION FOR REAFFIRMATION OF BAPTISMAL VOWS AND RECEPTION
1A hymn, psalm or anthem may be sung.
2The Greeting. The bishop greets the congregation.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
And also with you.
or
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
or
From Easter Day to Pentecost
Christ is risen. [Alleluia.]
He is risen indeed. [Alleluia]
3A Sentence of Scripture appropriate to the day or the occasion may be read, or the following dialogue used.
There is one body and one Spirit;
there is one hope in God’s call to us.
One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism,
one God and Father of all.
4The minister says
Let us affirm our trust in God’s mercy,
and confess that we need forgiveness.
[Let us pray.]
A pause for reflection
Lord God, you created this world, and made us in your own image. Forgive us when we turn away from you.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord God, through your Son you overcame evil and death. Rescue us from slavery to sin.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord God, by your Spirit, you restore us to fellowship
with you and with one another. Breathe your love and
freedom into our lives.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The bishop says
Almighty God have mercy on you,
forgive you your sins,
and keep you in life eternal. Amen.
5This Hymn of Praise or another may be said or sung.
Glory to God in the highest
and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One:
you alone are the Lord:
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
6The bishop says
Let us pray.
The community may pray silently.
The Collect of the Day or the following is said or sung.
Everliving God,
your Spirit made us your children,
confident to call you Father.
Increase your Spirit within us
and bring us to our promised inheritance
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
7The Reading(s) from the Old Testament and/or New Testament as appointed.
After each reading the reader may say
Hear the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.
Silence may follow each reading.
A Psalm, hymn or anthem may be used between the readings.
8All stand for the Gospel Reading.
The deacon or other reader may say
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The reader says
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to ...
[chapter… verse… ]
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
After the Gospel, the reader says
This is the Gospel of the Lord,
or [For] the Gospel of the Lord,
praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
9The Sermon
Silence may follow.
A hymn may be sung.
10The bishop invites all candidates and their sponsors to gather in view of the congregation.
11The bishop invites the sponsors of confirmation candidates to present the candidates.
We welcome those who have come to be confirmed. I invite their sponsors to present them now.
The sponsors answer
We present name(s) who come(s) to be confirmed.
12The bishop invites the sponsors of reaffirmation candidates to present the candidates.
We welcome those who have been baptised and confirmed, and now come to seek God’s blessing as they reaffirm their faith. I invite their sponsors to present them now.
The sponsors answer
We present name(s) who come(s) to reaffirm their faith.
13The bishop says to those who are to receive the laying on of hands
Before God and this congregation, you must affirm that you turn to Christ and reject all that is evil:
Do you turn to Christ?
I turn to Christ.
Do you repent of your sins?
I repent of my sins.
Do you reject selfish living, and all that is false and unjust?
I reject them all.
Do you renounce Satan and all evil?
I renounce all that is evil.
14The bishop says to the candidates
Will you each, by God’s grace, strive to live your whole life as a disciple of Christ, loving God with all your heart, and your neighbour as yourself?
I will, with God’s help.
15The bishop says to the congregation
You have heard these our brothers and sisters renew their response to Christ. Will you support them?
The congregation answers
We will.
16A hymn may be sung.
17The minister says
Let us pray for those who have affirmed their baptism and are to receive the laying on of hands.
Merciful God, deliver them from all evil that they may walk in the way of truth and life;
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Open their hearts by the Holy Spirit to your grace and truth;
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Keep them in the faith and communion of your holy Church;
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Send them into the world to witness to your love and justice;
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Bring them and us all into the fullness of your peace and glory;
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Other prayers may be added and/or silence may be kept as the congregation prays for those who are to receive the laying on of hands.
18The bishop says to the candidates
I now ask you to affirm as yours the faith of the Church.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in God the Son?
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
from there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
The bishop says to the congregation
This is the faith of the Church.
The congregation responds
This is our faith:
We believe in one God:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
19The bishop says
Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
Blessed be the name of the Lord
now, and for ever. Amen.
The bishop continues
Almighty and everliving God,
you have given your servants
new birth by water and the Spirit,
and have forgiven them their sins.
Strengthen them, we pray, with the Holy Spirit
that they may grow in grace.
Increase in them the spirit of wisdom
and understanding,
the spirit of discernment and inner strength,
the spirit of knowledge and true godliness,
and fill them with wonder and awe at your presence,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
20Those who are to be confirmed kneel before the bishop, who lays a hand upon each of them saying
Strengthen, Lord, your servant, name
with your Holy Spirit.
[Empower and sustain him/her for your service.]
And each of them answers with the congregation
Amen.
The congregation joins with the bishop in saying this prayer after all the candidates have received the laying on of hands, or the bishop alone may use this prayer instead of the prayer ‘Strengthen, Lord…’ when laying hands on each candidate.
Defend, O Lord, these your servants
with your heavenly grace,
that they may continue yours for ever,
and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more
until they come to your everlasting kingdom. Amen.
21Those receiving the laying on of hands for reaffirmation kneel before the bishop, who lays hands upon each saying
Name, may the Holy Spirit
who has begun a good work in you
direct and uphold you
in the service of Christ and his kingdom.
God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve and keep you.
And each one of them answers with the congregation
Amen.
22Baptised, communicant members of other churches who wish to be received into communicant membership of this church may now be presented to the bishop according to the service of Reception into Communicant Membership (see page 95).
23The bishop prays for those upon whom hands have been laid.
Almighty and everliving God,
watch over these your servants
upon whom we have now laid our hands.
Let your Holy Spirit always be with them
and lead them to know and obey your word,
that they may serve you in this life,
and dwell with you in the life to come:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
24All stand. The Greeting of Peace is introduced with these or other suitable words.
We are the body of Christ.
His Spirit is with us.
The bishop says
The peace of the Lord be always with you,
and also with you.
25The service may continue with a hymn.
Where the Holy Communion follows, any authorised Thanksgiving Prayer is used.
Where there is no Holy Communion, the bishop continues
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
As our Saviour has taught us, so we pray,
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
26Before the final blessing the bishop may say to the congregation
All who have been baptised and confirmed are called to study the Bible, to take part in the life of the Church, to share in the Holy Communion, and to pray faithfully and regularly.
We are called to share with others, by word and example, the love of Christ and his gospel of reconciliation and hope.
We are called to love our neighbours as ourselves, to honour all people and to pray and work for peace and justice.
I invite all of you to commit yourselves anew to this calling.
We will gladly do so,
in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
27The bishop then blesses the congregation using the appropriate seasonal blessing, or the following
Go forth into the world in peace;
be of good courage;
hold fast that which is good;
render to no one evil for evil;
strengthen the faint hearted; support the weak;
help the afflicted;
give honour to all; love and serve the Lord,
rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
Notes
1 Christians should be willing to confess their faith publicly (Romans 10.9-13). Those baptised as infants need to profess for themselves the faith into which they have been baptised. The Anglican tradition provides for this in confirmation in which a person affirms and renews those promises and receives the strengthening of the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of the bishop’s hand.
2 Candidates for confirmation should have at least one godparent or sponsor to help them prepare. One sponsor should be a member of the congregation.
3 The readings are normally those of the Day. The following readings are also suitable.
Jeremiah 31.31–34; Isaiah 61.1–9; Psalm 139.1–9
Ephesians 4.7, 11–16; Romans 12.1–8
Matthew 5.1–12; Luke 4.16–21
4 The Presentation. When there is a large number of candidates, they may be presented as a group. The bishop may vary the words of invitation as is most suitable to the occasion.