Personal Narrative: Confirmation

My faith journey at Mary Queen of Peace has made me closer to my classmates, family members, and Jesus Christ who gave his own life for us. In have made two of the sacraments and preparing for the final Sacrament of Initiation, Confirmation. I am excited to be enlightened by the power of jesus like the disciples on Pentecost. After my First Communion I would count which Communion I was at, upsetting my

Whatever happens at confirmation, the moment for those who are confirmed is a

My preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation has been incredible. There were times when it seemed that I had better things to do instead of

This night was one of the best nights there ( and not just because I was leading it). This night was the night that people opened up the most, and let there walls down, and let one another see each other's brokenness, that we may be healed by the Lord, keep each accountable, and pray for one another. This was the first time that I knew that I was supposed to go into ministry, although I had thought about it before. Here on this mission trip was also when I knew that I was going to be baptized for the second time. I was baptized once before, I knew that I had realized that I was not completely aware of what I was doing. I told my youth pastor that I wanted to be baptized aging, and he was very happy for me. We got back from our mission trip, and about a month later I was baptized by my youth pastor on July 31, 2016. The only way I could describe how I felt afterward was “complete”. It made with special experience even better, that I was able to share it with all of my church family, that has supported my through my walk with

Furthermore, my first memory of attending the Church of God and Christ is the day that my dad was baptized.

My family and I got up, got ready, and drove less than a mile down Old Hickory Boulevard to Forest Hills Baptist Church, like we had always done. Except, that day I packed my swimming trunks. On August 5th of 2007, I was baptized by a minister at my church. I was eager to get started. With both of us cloaked in white, the minster and I stepped into the baptism “tub” during the worship service. Colorful rays of light were beaming through the stained glass windows, the water was warm, and my mother was standing beside of me for comfort and reassurance; I was at peace. Out of the opening, I could see the watchful eyes of the choir, worship leader, congregation, and my family; I was at peace. As part of tradition, I was getting ready to be immersed into the water; I was at peace. While in the water, an extraordinary sensation of purification swept through my body. I, for the first time in my eight years of life, had truly felt cleansed from head to toe. This feeling was a direct action of the Holy Spirit entering and presiding in my vulnerable self permanently.

Confirmation is a hard, difficult process that comes with many sacrifices. At my school getting confirmed was a huge deal, but I never understood why. I thought it was just a redo of my baptism. As it turned out, it was a lot more important than I thought, and the journey leading to my confirmation was a very critical one.

Transitioning from my denominational church of the Baptis faith, to the Church of Christ was

Last summer, I went to summer camp with my church. By the end of the week, I was changed completely. Every morning, and every evening we heard a message preached by various pastors. Every service, the Holy Spirit changed something inside me.

Yesterday, I attended the Baptism of my second-cousin, Harper Grace Beal. All around her were Christians with smiles and hope for the future of this tiny, precious gift of God. People stood up to bless her and commit themselves to helping her grow in love in the world and in God. In that instant, with the dimmed Church lights and the twinkling Christmas lights just outside of the stained glass windows, I know that God was present for Harper. It was as if a cloud of calmness and clarity rolled over us, raining down the happiness that God offers to all of us. After learning about grace in this chapter, I know that Harper Grace received a lot of it, and all present witnessed it. Everyone spectating this sacrament reaffirmed their Baptismal promises,

In a contemporary Christian environment one of the most prominent practices to have a significant contribution to Christianity as a living religious tradition is Baptism. Baptism is of utmost importance for most Christian denominations. It has profound significance for the individual who is baptised and is also important for the Christian community as a whole. As a sacrament of initiation, Baptism calls its adherents to become missionary Disciples of Christ. It is through baptism that one’s faith journey begins and Christians are called to follow and live their lives in the light of Christ.

Equally important, I have been preparing for this sacrament through instruction through what I have learned

We had just moved across town from League City, Texas to Cypress, Texas, and my husband Mark and just moved his business from Downtown, Texas to Cypress, Texas. And this is the part where God was working, as we were seeking the place where He wanted us to be. I had been talking with my sister, who was helping me settle into our new house, and telling her that we were interested in finding a non-denominational church, and wouldn’t it be wonderful if it could be close by. While my sister was reading the “subdivision newsletter”, and this was all taking place while we were talking about where to attend church, she jumped out of the chair she was sitting in, ran over to me and said, “Bunnie, here is the church you are looking for, it is right in the neighborhood”. Of course, I was so excited, and promptly told my husband we have to go and check this church out. So, that Sunday we went to what started out as Fairfield Christian Fellowship, and today is known as Fountain of Life Church of God, pastored by John and Kerry LaLonde. The church met at that time in the pastor’s home, so it was a smaller church body, with about 30 people in attendance that particular Sunday. Everyone was welcoming and friendly, the praise and worship was wonderful, the uncompromised word of God preached, that is when we knew this is where God wanted

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: OUR FRIEND, COMFORTER, TEACHER, AND PART OF THE TRINITY

I chose this particular project, because I thought it would be an interesting way to reconnect with a way of life which I had once known. Today, more than ten years after confirmation, much of my family is still involved in the church. I developed