Lutheran Confirmation as a guest
What to expect at a Lutheran Confirmation Sunday as a friend or extended-family guest, across ELCA and LCMS practice.
01 Before the day
A Lutheran Confirmation is celebrated at a Sunday service of the congregation, often on Reformation Sunday, Pentecost, or another significant Sunday. The service typically lasts about 90 minutes for a moderate class.
02 Attire and gifts
Church-formal Sunday attire is typical. A religious gift for the confirmand is conventional: a Bible, a Lutheran devotional book (Luther's Small Catechism in a presentation edition is traditional), a cross or medal, or a framed copy of the candidate's Confirmation verse.
03 At the service
Guests typically arrive 15 minutes before the service begins. The candidates and their families are seated together at the front of the sanctuary. The service follows the normal Sunday order, with the Confirmation rite incorporated. The candidates renew their baptismal vows; the pastor lays hands on each candidate and prays for the Holy Spirit; the pastor and candidate exchange specific words from the service book, incorporating the candidate's Confirmation verse.
Communion follows in many congregations (Lutheran services often include weekly Communion). ELCA practice is typically open communion; LCMS practice tends to be closer to closed communion.
04 After the service
Family photographs after the service are typical; a family reception often follows.
Last reviewed against primary sources: May 17, 2026