By Rev Roberto Ochoa
On Sunday morning of May 3, 2026, it was my honor and privilege to confirm four young men at my home church, First Congregational Church in Pierre SD. It was a festive celebration as George Olson, Christian Woitte Kellar, Gunner Diedrich, and Ryken Langdeux completed a two-year study and presented themselves with their statement of faith to congregation. Each one of them then received their confirmation stoles by their parents, and with family and friends laying hands on them, I offered a prayer of encouragement as they begin their journey into Christian maturity and faith.
Prior to the confirmation service, I had the additional privilege and honor to provide the sacrament of baptism to George and Gunner with their parents by their side.
Congratulations and blessings to George, Christian, Gunner, and Ryken in their confirmation to our faith.
As this is Confirmation season, I had the honor to visit and preach at Jewell UCC and at Alden UCC for Mother’s Day on May 10th. I was an opportunity to celebrate all the mothers and mother figures at these churches, with the men of Alden UCC serving a Mother’s Day brunch. While in Alden UCC, Pastor Bob Miller and Pastor Kerryn Oliver introduced me to this years’ Confirmands and I enjoyed visiting them.
Congratulations and blessings to Landon Barber, Elijah Kinnetz, Rory Reifschneider, Isabella Schlachter, and Tate Thies who will be confirmed on Sunday, June 7th 2026.
This past year, I have been able to visit various congregations with confirmation classes, which gives me great hope for the future of our churches in the United Church of Christ, I like to invite all our South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa congregations that are having Confirmation services to send the names and pictures for us to recognize the achievement of our young people in our Fast Five newsletter. Send them to my attention at info@ucctcm.org by June 22nd, and we will publish pictures and Confirmand’s name and church in the Fast Five for the week of June 29th Let us celebrate the great achievements of our UCC youth.
Also, recent Confirmands or those being confirmed for 2027 and your parents/guardians are encouraged to save the date of September 18 and 19th for the Confirmation Youth Rally to be held at First Congregational Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Come and share your mission projects on the theme Living Together as Neighbors in Christ and experience music, creative workshops, youth centered worship and meet other youths in the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences. Look out for more information the first week of June.
May the blessings of God through the love of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit be upon y’all, always.
Bendiciones y Paz,
Rev Roberto