“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast”. ~Ephesians 2:8-9
Do you feel ready to tell the world that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour? Then you are ready to be confirmed.
What is “Passport to Faith”?
The Passport to Faith program is new to Knox, but has already taken root in a number of other Presbyterian congregations. It seeks to engage Youth not only on a theological basis, but also on a practical ‘hands on’ level as well. While the Passport to Faith is designed to educate, equip, nurture and guide young people on their journey towards the public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ, it is also designed to integrate participants fully into the life, work and play of Knox Oakville.
So, what’s different?
In the Passport to Faith program, participants embark on the journey only when they feel ready to publicly profess their faith. This means that youth in the Passport to Faith program could be of varying ages. That’s okay! Also, because in the Presbyterian Church in Canada we simultaneously invite new “Confirmands” to officially take membership in the church which they presently attend, participants will notice that a major emphasis in their preparation for Confirmation is intentional integration into the ministries of Knox Oakville. These two unique features are what make Passport to Faith such a success wherever the program is implemented!
What are the requirements?
When a young person feels ready to embark on the journey towards their Confirmation, they will commit to completing the following Passport to Faith modules within the academic year:
- Module 1: A minimum of 75% attendance to regular Sunday morning programming (i.e. Youth Class or worship).
- Module 2: Participation in 5 fellowship activities with Knox Oakville (i.e. Advent Family Event, Pancake Dinner, Feed Your Faith, etc.).
- Module 3: Participate in 4 service projects with Knox Oakville (i.e. Kerr Street Dinner, Evangel Hall deliveries, etc.).
- Module 4: Attendance to a special mid-week Catechism series (approximately 4-6 weeks in length, to be held in the spring).
- Module 5: Participate in a weekend retreat preceding Confirmation Sunday (exclusive to Passport to Faith participants)
The confirmation program concludes each year with the celebration of Confirmation during worship on the last Sunday in May.