On Saturday, April 26th the third annual Taking Flight – Confirmation prep day took place at Christ Church Cathedral
The day got underway with a welcome from Dean Peter Elliott who informed the confirmation candidates that they would be part of history as the first cohort to be confirmed by Bishop Melissa Skelton. Prior to introducing the Reverend Marnie Peterson who would give details of the running order of the day’s events, Dean Peter introduced the facilitators for Taking Flight – 2014; for those who self- identified as “adults” they would be led by two guests from the Church of England; Canon Rosie Harper, the Vicar of Great Missenden in the Diocese of Oxford and Chaplain to the Bishop of Buckingham, and the Bishop of Buckingham, the Right Reverend Dr. Alan Wilson who is suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Oxford. That group of 15 would meet downstairs in the Cathedral’s Park Room whilst the younger cohort would remain in the chancel to be led by, Caitlin Reilley Beck, Youth Ministry Coordinator at St. Philip, Dunbar and Cameron Gutjahr, Youth Ministry Coordinator at St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale.
The Reverend Marnie Peterson posted some flipchart paper displaying the day’s agenda and guided the candidates through the scheduled program which would run from 10am – 2:30pm with a break for lunch.Next, Bishop Melissa addressed this representative group of her first-ever confirmands. She revealed that she was baptized at age 10 in the Presbyterian Church and that her family were not church-goers. In her early 20’s she came to faith and was confirmed in the Episcopal Church. She went on to speak briefly about the differences between the Episcopal Church where she is from and the Anglican Church of Canada. The Bishop then asked all those present to find someone that they did not know and speak with them, share names and parish affiliations, their expectations for the day and a little bit about how they viewed their approaching confirmations.
Following these duo dialogues different people stood up and shared their stories, focusing on what has and who have brought them to this point in their faith lives.Then it was time for the two groups to form. Beginning the young people’s session, Caitlin and Cam assured the group that this would be a “safe place” and that there would be “no wrong answers.” Cam led the youth in some exercises to loosen up and relax, and through games and shared information the younger cohort of the 2104 confirmation candidates began to build a community.
Downstairs in the Park Room Bishop Alan and Canon Rosie began the day with the older candidates sitting in a circle and they went around the circle sharing their stories and how they have come to this point in their faith journey.Although this report is only a fraction of what the confirmation candidates experienced on April 26th the focus of the day is to acclimatize them to the physical surroundings of the Cathedral and to create a sense of community as Christianity is a faith deeply rooted in being together.
The Confirmation Liturgy will take place at Christ Church Cathedral, Sunday, June 22nd at 4pm.
Images: Top and homepage, Cam Gutjahr, Youth Ministry Coordinator at St. Mary's, Kerrisdale leads a warm-up to help loosen up the younger candidates for the prep day ahead. Upper right, duo dialogue groups. Lower left, the day's agenda. Lower right, Bishop Alan Wilson and Canon Rosie Harper - PHOTOS, Randy Murray