What is Confirmation at SunHouse / La Jolla Pres?

Confirmation is an opportunity for students to learn more about their own faith, Church history, our unique La Jolla Pres. community, the Presbyterian (PCUSA) denomination, and what it looks like to spend a lifetime in a flourishing faith community. Confirmation is significant step in a child’s ongoing faith formation and development as a disciple of Jesus! Over the past few years, our youth staff has witnessed students becoming increasingly interested in asking complex questions and taking responsibility for their own faith commitments: we hope this course will be a valuable tool to empower them!

In partnership with Rev. Dr. Paul Cunningham (lead pastor at La Jolla Pres.), Abraham Musto (Director of Middle School Ministry) and Sophie Nicles (Director of High School Ministry) will be leading an immersive Confirmation experience for 8th-12th grade students over the weekend of March 7th-9th, 2025.

Important Confirmation Dates:

November 2024 Confirmation interest forms will be made available at the top of this page (click here to see the form)

January 1, 2025 Confirmation interest forms are due

January 2025 We will contact you to set up a confirmation “interview”

March 7th-March 9th, 2025 (Confirmation Weekend).

March 16th, 2025 (Student confirmation/baptism Sunday).

Student & Family Expectations:

-Attendance of Weekend (March 7th-9th). All students who desire to be confirmed must attend the entirety of the Confirmation weekend. Cost, itinerary, and weekend details are coming soon!

-Attendance of Confirmation Sunday (March 16th). All students who desire to be confirmed must attend Confirmation Sunday at La Jolla Pres. This is where we will celebrate our students’ commitments to faith within the community of our caring congregation! We hope your friends & family will be able to join us for such a special milestone! Interested in being baptized on Confirmation Sunday!

Confirmation Weekend Details:

REGISTERING FOR CONFIRMATION WEEKEND:

You will be sent a confirmation weekend registration link once we’ve received your interest form (due by 1/1) and conducted your confirmation interview (January 2025). We've worked to make confirmation accessible and affordable for students and their families: A fee (TBD) will cover curriculum materials, the house accommodation, and 5 meals. Payments may be made by cash or check to our staff or the church office. Please make checks out to "La Jolla Presbyterian Church" with "Confirmation + your child's first & last name" in the memo space. We don't want money to be the reason a student misses out on any SunHouse event; please reach out if financial aid is needed.

WEEKEND ITINERARY:

Last year, we stayed at an AirBnB in La Mesa. This year’s confirmation location is TBA soon.

PACKING LIST:

Students attending confirmation should pack personal clothing & toiletries needed for a weekend, a sleeping bag, pens + a journal if they have one (otherwise we will provide one), their Bible if they have one (otherwise we will provide one), and any snacks they would like for the weekend. Any medications should be turned in to the staff upon arrival.

Confirmation Sunday:

March 16th, 2025. After completing the weekend, students who discern that they will proceed with being confirmed at La Jolla Presbyterian Church, will be acknowledged and prayed over during our Sunday morning worship services. We hope this will be a special milestone for your whole family; please plan to attend alongside your child on this day!

Baptisms:

If you are interested in your child being baptized in addition to confirmation, please return our baptism interest form so that we have adequate planning time.

Confirmation FAQ’s:

  • Our staff has chosen to host Confirmation 2024 over the course of one weekend instead of over the course of several weeks or months with the belief it will offer the most comprehensive and meaningful confirmation experience for our SunHouse students. This immersive weekend of faith-shaping content will allow students to engage without disruptions.

    Our experienced youth staff has seen how powerful transformation occurs in the hearts of students during camp trips, largely because students are free from cell-phones, schedule-conflicts, and daily routines. Our hope is to offer the same type of high-quality experience during this Confirmation weekend.

  • No, baptism is not a prerequisite to confirmation, however the two often occur together! La Jolla Pres. will be having SunHouse student baptisms on Sunday, March 17th. Considering baptism for your child? Click here for more info!

  • After carefully considering the goals and objectives of the confirmation experience, our staff determined that the content, curriculum, and comprehension expectations will be most appropriate for our students currently in 8th-12th grade.

    Student ministry at La Jolla Presbyterian Church is intentionally structured to move students into faith practices of greater depth over time. During 6th grade, 7th grade, and the beginning of 8th grade, we observe students setting up building blocks of their faith. As students get to the second half of 8th grade and look toward high school, they start to “move those blocks around,” reprioritize values, and ask increasingly complex questions.

    Do you have questions about whether your child should participate this year or wait for Confirmation in the future? Contact us! We’d love to chat.

 “Confirmation comes from two Latin roots: firmare, “to make strong or steadfast,” and con, “together.” In other words, confirmation means “to make strong or steadfast, together.’ How might our congregation come together to help youth become “steadfast” in their commitment to God—or, more accurately, help them recognize and experience God’s steadfast commitment to them?”