2025-2026 Confirmation Pathfinders

Setting Out on a Distinctive Journey on the Lifelong Path of Faith

Our 2025-2026 Confirmation pathfinders begin their journey on Sunday, Sept 7, 2025!

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About | Youth expectations | Parent Expectations | Mentor Expectations | Calendar | FAQs

Your Youth’s Next Step in Faith

Is your youth reaching an age, typically around 6th to 8th grade, where they're starting to ask bigger questions about faith, God, and what it means to be a Christian? Confirmation Pathfinders might be the perfect next step for them – and for your whole family.

More Than Just a Class: It's a Journey of Discovery

Confirmation Pathfinders dedicate themselves to a special time of intentional preparation and exploration. It's designed to help young people:

• Understand the Core of Christianity: Pathfinders will delve into the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith from a United Methodist perspective. This includes learning about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and the rich history and traditions of our church.

• Explore What it Means to BE a Christian: We believe faith isn't just about what you know; it's about how you live. Confirmation Pathfinders focuses on what it looks like to follow Jesus in day-to-day life. We discuss and practice how to live out our faith through our actions, words, and choices.

• Build a Sacred Community: Confirmation Pathfinders is a supportive and caring environment where pathfinders build meaningful relationships with their peers, adult mentors, and church leaders. It’s a safe space to ask tough questions, share doubts, and grow together in faith. Each pathfinder has a responsibility to support and encourage one another.

• Encounter God: Through study, discussion, prayer, worship, and often special activities like retreats or service projects, our goal is for pathfinders to have genuine encounters with God and deepen their personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Making a Personal Commitment

The Confirmation Pathfinders journey culminates in a significant moment where pathfinders decide if they are ready to make a public profession of faith and become a full, professing member of the United Methodist Church. This involves committing to uphold the church with their "prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness."

For Those Already Baptized

Confirmation is the opportunity to reaffirm the covenant God made with them in baptism and to formally join the church as a professing member.

For Those Not Yet Baptized

If a student has not been baptized in any Christian tradition, they will have the opportunity to be baptized as part of their Confirmation, signifying their entrance into the family of Christ and the church.

A Foundation for Lifelong Faith

Whether a pathfinder ultimately decides to be confirmed at the end of the journey or chooses to wait, our hope is that the Confirmation Pathfinders experience will equip them for a lifetime of growing in their faith, experiencing God more deeply, and actively participating in the life and mission of the church. They will be better prepared to continue down their path as followers of Christ, ready to serve and lead.

We invite you to prayerfully consider if this is the right time for your teen to explore their faith more deeply through our Confirmation Pathfinders program. 

Please don't hesitate to reach out to Ryan Clements, Director of Discipleship & Service, you have any questions!

To make Confirmation Pathfinders an amazing experience where youth can really grow, here’s what they will experience:

Confirmation Blessing

Get a special shout-out during our 10:30 AM worship service on Sunday, September 7, 2025!

Confirmation Kick-Off & Covenant

Right after worship on Sunday, September 7, 2025 (around 11:30 AM), we’ll have a big Kick-Off bash for all Pathfinders, parents/guardians, and our amazing mentors! To show we’re all in for this journey of fun, discovery, and growth, youth & parents will sign a special “Confirmation Pathfinders Covenant.”

Regular Discovery Sessions

Join 22 Confirmation lessons spread throughout the year. These are packed with cool discussions and activities, so we don’t want youth to miss more than 4 – they won’t want to miss out!

Mentor Group Meetups

Connect with their Mentor Group for at least 12 awesome sessions during the year. The group gets to decide the best times and places to meet up – maybe even more often if they’re all for it!

Be Part of the Sunday ExperiencE

Worship is where our church community really gets connected to each other and to God. Hanging out with us on Sunday mornings is key to feeling connected. (No strict attendance checks, but being around more often than not helps everyone. If youth find they’re missing a lot, we’ll just have a chat to see how we can help.)

Serve Our City, Together!

With your Mentor Group, you’ll get to roll up your sleeves and make a real difference by helping out at least once with CHUMC's Food & Friendship Ministries AND our Migrant Ministries.

Epic Confirmation Retreat

Get ready for an unforgettable overnight adventure! This awesome retreat runs from a Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, packed with fun, friendship, and faith explorations with pathfinders and mentors. (Exact date coming soon!)

Take the Lead in Worship

Our Confirmation Pathfinders will get the incredible opportunity to plan and lead a whole CHUMC worship service sometime before May 17, 2026!

The Big Day – Confirmation Sunday!

Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 17, 2026. This is a special celebration for everyone in Confirmation Pathfinders, whether you decide to officially be confirmed or not. It's a day to celebrate all you've learned and experienced!