This May Day morning at St. Lawrence's Episcopal Church in Libertyville, Bishop Jeffrey Lee laid his hands on 7 of our St. Gregory's parishioners for the reaffirmation of their baptismal vows.
Ida was received into "the fellowship of this Communion," Earl reaffirmed his baptismal vows, and his fiancée Maryellen was confirmed.
After the Sacramental Rite of Confirmation and Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows, Maryellen and Earl stood with the Bishop for a photo op. Two other publicity-seeking clerics inveigled their way into the picture.
The last in this trinity of photographs shows the Confirmands in all of their glory:
Here we have, left to right, Philip (confirmed); Meredith and Bill (proud priests); Elizabeth (confirmed); Bishop Jeff Lee; Earl and Maryellen; Lukas (interested party), standing in front of his mom, Ida; Jaden (interested party), standing in front of his mom, Erika (received); Laila (interested party), on her mom's arm; and Anita (confirmed).
Erika also participated in the Liturgy by reading the lesson from Romans 12:1-8.
Not pictured: Erica, our Youth Minister, who taught the Youth Confirmation Class with me, and who also presented the Candidates to the Bishop along with Meredith and me.
And special thanks to Barbara, who represents St. Gregory's each year by attending our Deanery Confirmations; hers is a wonderful ministry of presence and an example of Christian companionship.
If other photographs are forthcoming for this most excellent event, I will post them as well.
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