FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
THE FOUNDATION FOR CHRISTIAN FORMATION
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FAQs
 
Q. What is Confirm'11?
A. It is a series of weekend events for young confirmands of the UMC and their adult counselors and mentors, sponsored jointly by the Pfeiffer School of Religion and the Foundation For Christian Formation, a team of United Methodist resource persons, among them: the Rev Chris Hughes, DMin, UM Elder, author & teacher, the Rev Kathleen Kilbourne, MA, UM Deacon, Director of the Masters of Arts in Practical Theology at Pfeiffer University and coordinator of the Center For Deacon Education, a Wesley Theological Seminary / Pfeiffer partnership, Ed Kilbourne, MDiv, nationally known recording artist, storyteller and folk theologian, and the Rev Gloria Hughes, MCE, UM Deacon, Christian Educator, musician, sacred artist and Executive Director of the Foundation For Christian Formation.
 
Q. Who and what is the Foundation For Christian Formation?
A. The FCF was formed as a non-profit foundation in 2005 by Chris & Gloria Hughes and Ed & Kathleen Kilbourne, to design and lead events that invite people to follow Jesus Christ and encourage and equip them as Christian disciples.
 
Q. What is the relationship between FCF and Pfeiffer University?
A. Pfeiffer University is a United Methodist undergraduate and graduate school whose mission statement is "to be be recognized as the model church-related institution preparing servant leaders for lifelong learning". The School of Religion offers undergraduate degrees in Youth Ministry and Christian Missions and the Masters of Practical Theology program serves career adults in Christian ministries. Chris Hughes is the former pastor to the University at Pfeiffer and Kathleen Kilbourne is currently the Director of their Masters of Arts in Practical Theology degree as well as the coordinator for the Center For Deacon Education. The former president of the University, Chuck Ambrose, and the previous Dean of the School of Religion, Ed Trimmer, encouraged Chris and Kathleen to establish and lead the Confirm series and students from Pfeiffer University assist at FCF events.
 
Q. What are the goals and main features of the Confirm'11 weekends?
A. Confirm'11 will help confirmands claim their identity as Christ-people in Christ-community, the Church, as they move toward owning for themselves the faith claimed on their behalf at their baptism. Program features include:
 
Our signature "stole making" small group process through which we help confirmands recall highlights of their faith journey and witness to their emerging faith in their own words and symbols
 
Exploring and understanding the sacraments of baptism and communion, preparing to answer the claim and call of God in our lives
 
Interactive workshops focused on the vows of membership in the United Methodist Church, "Promises To Keep -- Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service & Witness"
 
The culminating service of Receiving the Stoles - a sign of calling and commitment as part of the "ministry of all Christians"
 
The leadership of pastor and confirmation event designer, Chris Hughes
 
Gospel storytelling by folk-theologian and musician, Ed Kilbourne
 
Process teaching with career Christian Educators and UM Ministers, Kathleen Kilbourne & Gloria Hughes
 
The music & worship leadership of "The Traveling Chancel Band"
 
Q. Are there any guidelines or restrictions on the ages of confirmands?
A. In our experience, while 11 & 12 year olds may be ready to begin the confirmation process, many, if not most children this age are too young to grasp concepts or invest in experiences inviting them to Christian discipleship and church membership, such as a Confirm Retreat. And they may not have the maturity to take that final step of confirmation and church membership until they are 13 or older. The desire to be confirmed is a free and informed response to the invitation of Jesus Christ and His Church. Too often, church, parent and peer group agendas push young people along and they are unclear as to what they are doing or why. A forced response is meaningless to the church and to the child and they may become resistant or at least indifferent to participation in confirmation classes or events such as our retreats. Having said this, we realize that the majority of UM churches confirm young people around the age of 12 and therefore this age group is a large segment of our retreats. In the future, FCF may offer a weekend limited to youth in 7th or 8th grades but as yet, we haven't taken this step. At the very least, care should be taken to be sure that the youth that come on a confirmation retreat have made the decision to participate on their own.
 
An over-night retreat with early teens may be the first such trip they have made. Commitment to structure, discipline and to the schedule is important. Combine a lack of commitment or maturity, undeveloped social skills, with too little sleep and too much sugar, and you are in for a very long weekend. Experienced supervision must be in place and behavior covenants announced and agreed to before you leave home. Ministry with youth is always a worthwhile venture but it can also be an adventure.
 
Q. What do we expect of the adults that participate in a Confirm'11 weekend?
A. An FCF Confirmation weekend is designed for the adult counselers and mentors as well as youth. Adults that attend are expected to participate in every gathering and activity. A Confirm'11 weekend will have a deep spiritual impact on each adult and will equip them in their ministry with youth and in their Church. Their role in the culminating service of Receiving the Stoles, is one they will never forget.
 
Q. What do we expect to happen in the local church to prepare confirmands for a Confirm'11 weekend?
A. It is assumed that confirmands will be in a process of Christian Education (confirmation studies or classes) in their local church designed to help them understand and respond positively to an invitation to Christian discipleship and church membership.
 
Q. What do we expect to happen when confirmands return to their church after a Confirm'11 weekend?
A. They will continue in their confirmation studies and process and be better prepared to respond positively to the invitation to Christian discipleship and church membership. However, it is not assumed that they will do so right away or ever, if that is their choice. For that decision to have true validity, we feel that they may have to continue on the journey until such a time as maturity and intention have developed to the point that they can make their profession of faith in their own words, in their own time.
 
Q. What is the schedule for a Confirm'11 weekend?
A. In the 3-day format, we begin our first session at 8:30 on Friday evening and will have everyone on their way home by 10:30 Sunday morning. Groups are on their own for supper on Friday evening. Saturday meals and Sunday morning breakfast are served at the event. Saturday morning, after the large group gathering, we divide into breakout groups (Holy Clubs - workshops on the vows of membership in the UM Church) Saturday morning and early afternoon. There will be free time before supper and a large group gathering on Saturday night. Closing worship begins at 8:30 on Sunday morning and we will be on our way home by 10:30.
 
Q. Are any parts of the weekend optional?
A. No. If a participant, youth or adult, can not attend from beginning to end, 8:30 Friday night through 10:30 Sunday morning, participating in every session, they should not register for a Confirm'11 weekend. The content and group relationships build from beginning to end and arriving late or leaving early significantly impacts the confirmand and the event community. While it is said there are exceptions to every rule - we make no exceptions to this one. Okay. One exception - pastors who must return to their church for Sunday morning services. Even then, we prefer that they stay and encourage them to be a part of the closing worship and blessing.
 
Q. Is there any relationship between the FCF weekends and the other confirmation events such as the IGC series at Lake Junaluska?
A. No. The Confirm'11 series (look for our sign) is put on by the Foundation For Christian Formation in partnership with the School of Religion of Pfeiffer University. Sometimes there are other organizations (such as the Intentional Growth Center at Lake Junaluska) and individual churches using a conference facility for events the same weekend. While confusion is understandable, signing up or checking in with the wrong organization can be a more than embarassing. It can be a great disappointment. Be sure you are signed up and checked in with FCF. Registration for Confim'11 is done through this website, with FCF Director, Gloria Hughes, not through the conference center.
 
Q. How might an FCF event differ from weekends offered by other groups?
A. FCF has an intentionally distinct design for the leadership, content and schedule of its confirmation weekends. First, the Confirm'11 Series are events for United Methodists so our team is made up exclusively of United Methodist ministers, UM Christian educators, and resources with membership and credentials from the UM church. Each of our up-front people have at least 20 years of experience in large and small group process, as communicators, worship leaders, teachers and artists. Second, we design our events to engage both the young people and the adults that accompany them and we in turn encourage and expect full participation and respectful behavior by every participant. Third, we make the "stole-making" track a part of each large group session, Friday night through Sunday morning. This experience, first introduced by Chris Hughes, continues to be held in high regard by those who have been in confirmation events led by Chris, Gloria, Ed and Kathleen through the years. Finally, the size of each Pfeiffer/FCF Confirm'11 weekend is limited to between 80-160 participants. In our experience, when confirmation weekends are larger than this, the content is compromised and the attention span and participation, in other words the quality of the weekend, is diminished.
 
Q. What is the cost of a Confirm'11 weekend?
A. There are different plans and packages for each event location. Please consult the individual registration form for details. A deposit is required to register. Your balance is due 30 days before an event begins. Plan for at least one adult to attend with each 5 youth.
 
Q. How can I register my group and what does it cost to register?
A. Again, registration for Confim'11 is done through this website, with FCF Director, Gloria Hughes, not with a conference center such as Springmaid, Lake Junaluska or Epworth-By-The-Sea. A non-refundable registration deposit of $65 for each attendee (confirmands & adults) is required to secure a group's reservation. We can not reserve your rooms or confirm your participation in an event until we receive your completed registration form and deposit.
 
Q. What are the provisions for cancellations or individual "no shows"?
A. While we realize that a variety of circumstances arise that can change your plans or the size of your group, remember that when you register, we begin saving a place for you and turning others away. If a registered group cancels 90 days or more before an event, they will receive a complete refund. If a registered group cancels within 90 days of an event, the registration deposits will not be refunded. If a group brings fewer people to an event than were registered 30 days before an event, the registration deposits for the "no shows" will not be refunded..
 
Q. Will there be a Confirm'12 & Confirm'13 series?
A. Yes. The FCF/Pfeiffer team plans to lead confirmation events in 2012 & 2013. The dates of these events, as well as registration info, will be available on this web site.
 
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