As we prepare as a congregation to celebrate World Communion Sunday on October 7th, our second-grade disciples have been learning about communion in the Welcome to Worship class. Second-grade children are transitioning from attending Godly Play into participating in the full worship experience. They participated in a three-week worship preparation class with their parents taught by Allison Kelly and Kelly McCord. Families explored baptism, communion, parts of the sanctuary, seasons of the church year, prayers, and creeds together. They also met with Elder, Susan Peacock to learn how to prepare the communion elements for the sacramental feast. As part of their exploration of communion, the children incorporated symbols of our two sacraments on the communion cloth to be displayed on the table this Sunday. Children who participated in the class will be bringing in the communion elements and leading the Prayer of Thanksgiving during the 9:00 am Contemporary and 11:00 am Traditional services.
According to the Book of Order, “…children who are being nurtured and instructed in the significance of the invitation to the Table and the meaning of their response are invited to receive the Lord’s Supper, recognizing that their understanding of participation will vary according to their maturity.”
A to Z Children Worship Guidelines
Children participating in the class:
Loretta Sutton
Landon Sutton
Daughter of Levi and Leandra Sutton
Thomas Armstrong
Son of Dave and Leah Armstrong
Emily Buntyn
Daughter of Daniel and Kelly Buntyn
Liza Greer White
Daughter of J.D. and Lucy White
Nevaeh Abdnour
Daughter of Christopher and Nicole Abdnour
John Hutchens
Son of John and Jeannie Hutchens
Mac Taggart
Son of Joe and Mary Taggart
Henry Smith
Son of Trey and Teale Smith
Jeremiah Van Heyst
Son of Greg and Cindy Van Heyst
Prayer of Thanksgiving led by the children for October 7, 2018
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Child: Why do we give thanks at this table?
People: We give thanks for God’s creation. We give thanks because God’s Son, Jesus, came to show God’s amazing love for us.
Child: What do we remember at this table?
People: We remember God’s Son, Jesus. He called the disciples and blessed the children, he healed the sick and fed the hungry, he welcomed strangers and ate with outcasts, he proclaimed the good news of God’s great love and died on the cross to save us from our sins. He gives us new life!
Child: Why do we eat bread at this table?
People: Jesus took bread, blessed it, and gave it to his friends.
Child: Why do we drink from the cup at this table?
People: Jesus gave the cup as the promise that our sins are for¬given.
Leader: Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and juice that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ…