By Graham Parkins

What better day to get confirmed than a lovely Summer evening in May.  The confirmation service at St Mary the Virgin Church in Hambledon was the culmination of some weeks preparation for the candidates.  In a number of sessions led by the clergy from the various Churches in our team ministry and helped by our sponsors, we found out just how hard, but rewarding it was to be a Christian.

As time went by, the grand picture has sort of began to emerge and we can now see the journey before us.  A characteristic of the sessions was how often we left with more questions than answers!  Nonetheless I think we now have the confidence to work out for ourselves how and where to go finding some answers.  I think that's part of the fun.

For some of us, we were only recently baptised, and so it really has been a very spiritual experience.  Things will never seem quite the same again.  For myself, I now feel much less an outsider of the Church in which I have sung for the last 10+ years.

The confirmation service itself perfectly performed.  Peter Knotts sermon was a sit up and listen affair which I would imagine really gave a sense of optimism to all who listened.  I think the part we all both dreaded and looked forward to the most was actaully taking communion.  This I am happy to say passed without a hicup and was in the end rather profound.  Hambledon is a very cosy church and we were made to feel very welcome there.

Thank you to all who have helped us.  In particlular our sponsors Joy, Alan and Anne.  Thank you also to everyone in the congregation who came to support us.

On a side note:  I can report that the Stag and Huntsman does serve 6X and is arguably closer to the church than the Two Brewers is to All Saints.