Giving children communion?
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 2:49 am
I was raised with the understanding that partaking of communion is only for baptized believers. The church I was raised in held this view as far as I know. The church I am currently attending holds this view as well, although in recent years they have begun to make a notable exception. There is a separate "children's church" program that happens during the main church service (not Sunday school). They have the practice of taking communion there, even though lots of the kids aren't baptized. They don't make a point of excluding those kids from taking the emblems.
I have mixed feelings about this. What are your thoughts? I have been thinking about how the OT Passover ceremony was to be used as a teaching moment for children (Ex 12:26-27). The Lord's supper commemorates the New Passover, so might it be appropriate for families to do this together in order to spark conversations? However, kids taking it in a separate service doesn't seem like the same thing.
I've also considered 1 Cor 11:29, but I don't think Paul had in mind the issues that I'm talking about here.
Thoughts?
P.S. For reference, I have 3 daughters, the oldest of which is 5 and does not yet attend the children's church service. Aside from the communion issue, I'm not sure how I feel about "children's church" in general. When I was a kid, I had a Sunday school class, but i always sat in the worship service with my parents.
I have mixed feelings about this. What are your thoughts? I have been thinking about how the OT Passover ceremony was to be used as a teaching moment for children (Ex 12:26-27). The Lord's supper commemorates the New Passover, so might it be appropriate for families to do this together in order to spark conversations? However, kids taking it in a separate service doesn't seem like the same thing.
I've also considered 1 Cor 11:29, but I don't think Paul had in mind the issues that I'm talking about here.
Thoughts?
P.S. For reference, I have 3 daughters, the oldest of which is 5 and does not yet attend the children's church service. Aside from the communion issue, I'm not sure how I feel about "children's church" in general. When I was a kid, I had a Sunday school class, but i always sat in the worship service with my parents.