My Faith My Life

The greatest gift we can give those who are being  confirmed is our loving presence~an unexpected but intentional phone call that says that we care about their life, a trip to a museum or to lunch, a walk in the park, or a hand-written card. Through these acts of love we show God's love. Through these acts we tell our children that we honor and respect them and are available to them for conversation and guidance.

One friend of mine gathered 12 adult friends to celebrate her daughter's thirteenth birthday. Each friend gave the girl a coupon for time together to be redeemed each month of her thirteenth year. Once a month, for a year, she celebrated her birthday with adult friends. Embraced in love and conversation, she deeped her relationship with adults around her. This coupon book that nutured relationship was a priceless gift. Consider a similar gathering to mark your son's or daughter's confirmation.

Other items such as jewelry or books can also tell confirmands that we honor the day they affirmed their belief in God and Jesus Christ. Below are some suggestions.

Books

Book of Common Prayer. ($20)

Anglicans around the world are bound by common prayer. Every adult Episcopalian ought to have their own copy of the Book of Common Prayer to support a daily life of prayer.

Prayers on My Pillow by Celia Straus ($12.95).

Nearly one hundred and fifty prayers encourage girls to look inward for the strength to heal hurts, calm fears, and reconcile with family and friends.

Saint Benedict's Prayer Book

A collection of ancient and contemporary prayers for all occasions, including morning and evening, prayers for reading the Scriptures and walking the Stations of the Cross, prayers for the sick, and more.

2000 Years for Prayer compiled by Michael

Tracing two thousand years of Christian spirituality, 2000 Years of Prayer contains prayers from every era, every continent and every tradition.

The Anglican Family Prayer Book by Anne E. Kitch ($17.95)

A resource for Episcopal families who want to pass on Anglican prayers and traditions to their children and teach faith in everyday settings.

The Gift of Faith by La Vonne Neff ( $12.95)

Brief reflections on faith that are as meaningful and lasting as those most extraordinary events in life. The passages are taken from the classic writers in the Anglican tradition, making this especially appropriate as a remembrance for confirmation.

Unceasing Prayer by Debra K. Farrington ($12.95)

A book of "short Scripture-prayers" to invite readers to pray and acknowledge God's presence throughout the day. There are Bible verses for jogging, for taking a shower, for moments of anger, for expressing thankfulness at a happy family gathering.

Way to Live by Dorothy C. Bass and Don C. Richter ($16.96)

A book of essays by youth-adult teans about daily life and its connection to faith: food, stuff, play, work, time, welcome, creativity, creation, justice, music, etc.

Jewelry and Other Gift Items

James Avery

Well-crafted religious jewelry for young men and women.

Mobius strip bracelet. ($65)

A really neat gift for a young person who loves math. A mobius strip is a three-dimensional strip with only one side. This one-sided bracelet is inscribed with the Lord's Prayer. You can find one-sided bracelets with other prayers, for example, St. Francis' and St. Patrick's.

Icons

Icons are wonderful tools for prayer, particularly in this age of visuals. Trinity Stores provides a brief biography of all the saints portrayed in their icons. Choose an icon that relates to the interests of the confirmand.

Saint medals

As baptized members of the Church, each of us is a saint with a lowercase "s". Saints throughout the ages provide examples of how to live into our Baptismal Promises. These saint medals can be a daily reminder of our life in Christ.

Confirmed in Christ Cross ($15)

Ceramic Cross "Confirmed in Christ"