By: Heather Campbell, Diocesan Youth Minister
In February 2024, a dedicated team gathered to develop a “buzz-worthy, highly accessible, theologically sound, and engaging diocesan-wide youth confirmation preparation process”—a key initiative aligned with our Diocesan Youth Ministry Five-Year Goals.
This team included Rev. Canon Greg Baker (Christ Church Cathedral), Rev. Holly Rankin-Zaher (St. Paul’s, Evansville), Rev. Jen Oldstone-Moore (St. Andrew’s, Greencastle), Diocesan Youth Minister Heather Campbell, and Ministry Architects, the consulting firm guiding our Diocesan Youth Ministry Vision. Together, they outlined a vision for the youth confirmation process and created a curriculum to support it.
The curriculum was piloted from January through March at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Carmel, where ten youth and their mentors engaged in a seven-week journey of faith exploration. This process helped participants understand the roots of their faith and make it their own. Feedback from both youth and mentors was overwhelmingly positive. Notably, all ten youth from the pilot were confirmed at the Regional Confirmation on April 26 or will be during their next bishop’s visit on June 6.
With this successful pilot, the curriculum is now undergoing final revisions and will be available for diocesan congregations starting in fall 2025. Recognizing the value of a diocesan-wide experience, we are excited to announce the first-ever Youth Confirmation Retreat at Waycross Camp and Conference Center from March 8–10, 2026. This retreat will be open to all high school youth, culminating in the opportunity for confirmation at the April 2026 Regional Confirmation or during their next bishop’s visit.
We are grateful for the many voices and hands that have contributed to this project and look forward to making this curriculum widely available soon!
