Eleanor's Confirmation

A couple of days ago we had another special event in the family: Eleanor, the older one of our nieces, was being confirmed. I thought it was a strange idea to do that in the evening in the middle of the week (our confirmation was at the Cathedral on a Sunday afternoon) but apparently, that's how they do it now: having confirmations more often so people don't have to wait for them so long, and choosing another local church each time. So this one was in New Haw (a very cute old tiny little church). Sean came along as he is Eleanor's Godfather, and I sang in the choir which was mixed from the churches who sent Confirmation Candidates. The service was very moving and joyful, and afterwards we all met in the Hall where the New Haw church people had put up a splendid buffet. Everybody was joining in there (the Hall is twice as big as the church!), chatting and enjoying the food, even our Bishop! Hopefully it will stay a memorable event for Eleanor.

This is a LO I made a couple of years ago of our own comfirmation - both Sean and I, as well as his sister Fiona (Eleanor's mother) and a cousin, Kim, were confirmed then. The papers used are all from the Club Scrap kit "Extra Extra" which was a news headline type kit and seemed to suit the event well as it was a big confirmation with over 80 candidates.

Journal reads:"Guildford Cathedral Confirmation; Sunday,16 May 2004 at 3pm
We believe! 80+ Confirmed at Guildford Cathedral, 13 from St Peters Shared Church, Chertsey
Sunday, the 16^th of May 2004, was a busy day at Guildford Cathedral as 80+ candidates lined up to receive their confirmation from the Bishop of Dorking. Although slightly unwell, the Bishop performed this service at Guildford in place of the local recently retired patriarch. Spirits were high on Cathedral Hill as the instigator of the occasion had blessed the day with beautiful unseasonably hot weather. Sunlight flooded the tall arches of the cathedral which, holding some 2000, was full almost to the last seat. The event was spiritually charged, despite the impressive array of clergymen in formal attire, holding a personal note for each participant before the candidates processed out behind their parish clergy to assemble on the Cathedral lawns for photos and gift exchange…"

Another LO I made of this occasion (2-page LO; top page is left): this one is done with a Scrapgoods kit and the left page holds all the names of the Chertsey candidates (i.e. from our church) while on the right is a pocket with all the memorabilia of the day.