First Communion

Communion comes around once a month at our little country church. We came from an Anglican church in Orange County where we took Communion every week, so Communion Sunday is a special time for us.

Different Christian traditions, churches, and families have different beliefs and ideas about Communion and kids. Matthew and I have decided to wait to let our kids partake until we think their hearts are ready with belief and their minds are ready with understanding. My husband said the other day that he would rather they miss a couple of Sundays of Communion while being ready than partake in it a couple of times without being ready. We don't believe it's wrong for them to partake before then, we just want our kids to believe in Jesus and to understand the meaning of Communion, forgiveness, and the sacrifice Jesus made for us by suffering and dying in our place. We're not trying to hold Communion hostage. We're hoping to foster a meaningful experience for them instead of a rote one. We also want to communicate the reverence they should have in coming to the Lord's table and the ownership they should have regarding their own faith decisions.

Communion is so fascinating to little ones. The little bits of bread and cute little cups full of juice. My kids' eyes glitter when they see these items coming down the aisle. It looks like a feast made just for them. And, in a sense, it is. They would often feel kind of bummed at not being able to partake. But it served as an opportunity for conversation, questions, and a better and deeper understanding each time.

This year my 7 year old took his first Communion. No big ceremony. Nothing formal or fancy. Just a little boy sitting in the back row with his family taking Communion for the first time with tears in his mama's eyes.

Mateo reading the Book of Common Prayer (much of which he doesn't understand)

Our 5 year old is still in process. He doesn't quite understand what Communion means yet. Sometimes he feels a little bummed that he doesn't get to have some of that little bread and cute little juice in that cup that's just the right size for his little fingers. But it's another opportunity for conversation and questions and deeper understanding.