Children and Communion

Children and Communion

For 10 years, this parish has enthusiastically welcomed children into full communion at the altar.  Children who have undertaken a specially designed course of preparation run by experienced teachers in the parish, receive bread and wine each Sunday at the Eucharist alongside their parents, friends and adults of all ages.  The preparation finishes with a special service involving parents and godparents at which the parish celebrates with great joy people of all ages being “in full communion” with each other and with our Lord.

If you know a child who would like to take this course, please speak to one of the clergy.

Responses to frequently-asked questions:

The Church of England has been considering whether children should receive Communion before Confirmation for more than 20 years.  Our Bishop is now encouraging parishes in the diocese to explore the issue; a number of parishes have already put it into practice.

Children in the church: this initiative is based on the theology of baptised children being full members of the faith community.  It is an opportunity for our parish to build on our strategy for including children and young people in the whole life of the church.

Involvement: children are not going to be obliged to have Communion or attend the preparation course.  If parents do not wish their child to take Communion, then it is their prerogative to make that decision.

Age: The Bishop of Guildford recommends age 7 for children to begin receiving Communion before Confirmation because this represents a significant point in child development.  This is a helpful guideline, but is not meant as a rule since each child’s personal circumstances and stage of spiritual development are other essential factors.

The role of parents and the family: the family is fundamental to the development of a child’s faith.  This initiative is an opportunity to strengthen the support our parish gives to church families by enabling and encouraging parental involvement in their child’s preparation for Communion.  In cases where the family is unable or unwilling to be involved, a godparent or sponsor might take on that role.

Confirmation: Parents and godparents undertake at baptism to bring their godchild to Confirmation. Children who receive Communion before Confirmation do so in the context of that undertaking.  An essential part of the programme of preparing children to receive Communion,  is to maintain the historical link between Baptism, Confirmation and Communion.  It is the experience of other parishes that when children receive Communion before Confirmation, it leads to a strengthening of their Confirmation as the moment when they publicly declare their faith. 
The current practice for Confirmation preparation will continue for the next few years to provide for children who expect to be Confirmed before taking Communion.Practice will evolve as children who have received Communion before Confirmation reach the stage when they wish to be Confirmed.