The NRC Sunday School will be holding a Communion Workshop for students in 3rd grade and above in March. This workshop will teach students about the Holy Sacrament of Communion, and prepare them to participate in this beautiful ritual with us in the future (they will also get to make a stole to take home!).
The Communion Workshop will be held on March 13th at 11am.
Here is a brief excerpt from the Reformed Church in America regarding the inclusion of children at the Lord’s Table:
Who may participate in communion?
Christ is the host and invites us to his table. All who have been baptized into Christ are welcome to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Local boards of elders have been given the responsibility to decide at what age and under what circumstances young children may be served.
In 1988, the General Synod encouraged boards of elders in RCA churches to include baptized children in the celebration of communion (1988 Minutes of General Synod, p. 385). Because this sacrament is such an important part of our faith, we consider how we might include our children in the Lord’s Supper.
Adults don’t need a complete understanding of the covenant and grace to partake in the Lord’s Supper. Neither do our children. It is beyond understanding. The sacrament is a mystery in which the bread and wine are visible signs of God’s invisible grace.
What can we, including children, understand about communion?
Christ is the host at communion. He invites us, welcomes us, gives us food. At the Lord’s Supper, we are all guests. We show respect.
Communion is a family meal and shows that we belong to the church family. Invite children to think of special meals during visits with relatives—the tablecloth is spread and the good dishes are set out, maybe even with fancy napkins. During communion, we share in a special meal as part of the family.
Communion is the church’s thanksgiving to God. It is a special time to thank God for Jesus and his sacrifice to forgive our sins. From a young age, children begin to learn right from wrong. They know what it means to say they are sorry, and they know what it means to try to do better next time.
Communion is a way to remember. Some families have photo albums, videos, and other keepsakes that remind them of who they are. When we celebrate communion, we do the same things Jesus and the disciples did at the Last Supper, and we remember God’s promises. We remember who we are—and whose we are.
During communion, we think of the future realm with Christ. We don’t just look back at Jesus’s death, but we also look ahead to the future. An important feature of the covenant is promise and expectation.
For more information, please visit: https://www.rca.org/about/worship/communion/ or contact Sabrina.