Bishop blesses 77 confirmands at district rally

Seventy-seven Corpus Christi District youths participated in the annual District Confirmation Rally April 2 at Asbury UMC, Corpus Christi.
Confirmands, their families, sponsors/mentors, pastors, Christian educators and youth directors attended the celebration. Theme for the event was Jesus Dynamite!
Bishop Joel N. Martinez presented each confirmand a wooden cross from the Holy Land and blessed him or her.
The Rev. Barbara J. Ruth, district superintendent, led the worhsip service along with Asbury associate pastor Trudy Paul.
Light the Night Praise Team and Dynamite Rockers from First UMC, Portland, provided praise music before and during the worship service. Ruth led the service of Holy Communion.
Josh Shroyer, youth ambassador for the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, spoke about his life and how the influence of Christian love and faith have changed him forever.
The offering, which was designated for the Methodist Children’s Home, totaled $815.81 and has been matched by an anonymous donor.
Confirmands from each congregations had significant roles in the service:
First UMC, Beeville: opening prayer.
Grace UMC, Corpus Christi: prayer of confession.
First UMC, Portland: younger disciples’ time with pastors.
First UMC, Aransas Pass: scripture prayer.
Wesley UMC, Corpus Christi: scripture reading.
First UMC, Refugio: Affirmation of Faith.
Asbury UMC, Corpus Christi: collection of offering.
First UMC, Goliad: Wesley Covenant Prayer.
St. Peter’s by the Sea UMC, Corpus Christi: benediction.
The service was awesome and truly a blessing to all who participated and attended. Thank you to Asbury UMC for being hosts for the event, to the Portland praise teams for the wonderful music, to Robert Rios for taking pictures of the confirmands and to all pastors, confirmation leaders, parents and confirmands who attended.