English confirmation school 2025

WHAT IF I DON’T SPEAK FINNISH or want a more international experience? ECS 2025 is the answer! Olari parish (Espoo) and St. Matthew’s International Lutheran Church (Helsinki) together organize an English Confirmation School in Hvittorp, 28.7.-4.8.2025. Confirmation is in Olari Church 9.8. at 14 o’clock.
For details, please contact pastor Anna Poutiainen anna.poutiainen@evl.fi or 050 308 0803.

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Confirmation school in the context of the Finnish Lutheran Church

Confirmation school offers a unique opportunity to get to know the activities of the church, to learn about the Christian faith, to think about what this faith means to oneself and how it looks like in day-to-day life and in the Finnish society.

Confirmation schools are organised by the local parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland. Also, some church related youth organizations organise confirmation schools. A vast majority of Finns attend in the year when they turn fifteen. Also, those who do not belong to a Christian church or are not baptised are welcome. Attendance does not obligate to become a member of the church and it does not require any prior knowledge. It is enough to commit yourself to completing the whole course. After completion, all participants receive a certificate, even if they do not participate in the actual rite of confirmation.

Confirmation school is required for participation in the rite of confirmation. Confirmation is a celebrative worship service in which the young confirmands confess their Christian faith together. All baptised church members can be confirmed. Those who have not been baptised yet can receive baptism while attending confirmation school. Thus, confirmation school offers an opportunity to make a personal commitment to membership in the church and to living life as a Christian.

After the confirmation service, the young confirmed may celebrate the event with family, godparents, and friends. Often, the confirmed receive gifts. The most typical and most meaningful gift is a pendant in the form of a cross.

"How you like confirmation school, that is actually up to you. It depends on how open your mind is."

Confirmation school generally lasts for six months and includes various meetings and gatherings with the group. A central part of the confirmation school is a one-week camp at a camp centre. City confirmation schools do not include a camp; instead, the group meets in the premises of the local parish for ten days. In confirmation school students study, play, pray, discuss, eat, sing, laugh, talk, read, and study life, the Bible, and God. The leaders are trained church staff including at least one pastor. The assistant leaders (“biggies”) are older youth that have attended confirmation school earlier and have received special training. Exceptional care is taken to safeguard the well-being and safety of all participants.

It is also possible to attend confirmation school privately or in small groups. This is common especially for adults who have not attended confirmation school as teenagers. It is also possible to attend confirmation school as a family. Special confirmation schools are organised for youth with learning disabilities or other special requirements.

The cost for confirmation school including a one-week camp is 180 €. Some special confirmation schools, such as hiking confirmation schools, cost 250 €. The city confirmation school costs 70 €. The fee includes teaching, study materials, insurance, transportation, and full boarding at the camp centre. It is possible to apply for a discount or fee waiver on financial grounds. Registration is open from 9 to 31 October 2024.

"This is much better than I expected" Read the article from the Kirkko ja kaupunki magazine.Linkki avautuu uudessa välilehdessä

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