Come To The Welcome Table

A guide for preparing children to participate in Holy Communion

Holy Communion at Temple Lutheran Church is offered to all baptized Christians, regardless of age or catechetical preparation. Parents are invited to discern with their children an appropriate age to begin their participation in Holy Communion. The Pastor and congregation will offer all needed support for this discernment process. 

Below are a list of questions that may be helpful to you during this important process.

At what age should my child begin participating in Holy Communion?

This is a question many parents ask as they strive to raise their children in the church. Once we are baptized, regardless of our age, we are initiated into God's Church and welcome to receive Holy Communion. Once a child is born into God's family, that child is welcome to participate in Holy Communion. This represents a change for many of us as parents that may have had to wait until Confirmation or other instructional opportunities before receiving Holy Communion for the first time. The decision to begin receiving Holy Communion is a decision to be made by parents along with their child. Parents should expect, and are freely offered, ample support from the congregation and pastor in making this important decision.

How will I know when my child is ready?

The Lutheran answer to the question of "readiness" is as simple as this: God is ready for us! God longs for us. God seeks after us. At God's Welcome Table, we receive the real presence of Christ, we receive forgiveness, we are empowered by God's Holy Spirit to experience "new life." God's table is the birthright of the baptized.

Beginning at birth, children come to the communion rail every Sunday. At some point they begin to show interest in receiving Holy Communion. They hold out their hands for the bread, like those around them. Or they will begin to ask questions like: "Why can't I have some 'Jesus read'?" When they do this, children are telling us that they already know something very important about this holy meal. They understand that to eat the bread and drink the wine means that they are a part of God's family. It is only natural that they do not wish to be excluded from such an important event. Their desire presents an opportunity to discuss Holy Communion with them.

Has your child asked about Holy Communion? Have you asked your child if he/she wants Holy Communion? Does your child watch what you do at the communion rail and, perhaps, imitate your actions? Has your child put his/her hands out to receive? These are good signs that your child is ready.

How should I instruct my child when he/she begins to show signs of interest in Holy Communion? 

How we learn and understand things changes throughout our development. As we grow in years, maturity and life experiences, our understanding of Holy Communion deepens and changes. God calls us to teach children (and people of all ages) on a level that they can understand.

When you sense a desire for Holy Communion (from your child or within yourself), talk to your child about it. Explain that Holy Communion is a very special time for our church family. When we eat the bread and drink the wine we know that Jesus is very near. Explaining what Holy Communion means should not be done just once, but on a regular basis. Family meal times might be a good time to talk about what Holy Communion means. Parents and older brothers and sisters can offer their own insights. Children should be encouraged to tell you what they think about Communion as well. Here are some conversation starters to help you in instructing your child:

• Holy Communion is a celebration of Jesus' love. At the communion rail we remember Jesus' love. During Communion, God feeds us with God's love.
• Parents provide food for us because they love us. God feeds us with this special food to remind us that God loves us.
• Eating together is a pleasant family time. We eat this special meal to remember that we are all a part of God's family. 
• Food we eat at home helps our bodies to grow and give us energy. This special food helps us to grow in faith and gives us energy to do the good things that Jesus wants us to do.
• When we misbehave, our parents become angry with us. It feels good to be hugged and reminded that our parents still love us. Holy Communion is a reminder that God forgives us any wrong that we have done. Like a hug, it tells us that God loves us and always will.
• When we receive Holy Communion, we remember that Jesus gave his life for us on the cross. He shares this life with us each time we receive Holy Communion. This is why we say that we eat his body and drink his blood: because he gives us his life!

What other ways will my child learn about Holy Communion?

First and foremost, children learn from attending worship. At worship, they can see and be a part of the service and begin to understand what they are seeing, hearing, and saying. Additionally, from your actions and discussions with your child, he/she sees that Holy Communion is important and that participating in Holy Communion is something you do on a regular basis. Children recognize your reverence at the altar from your body language. For them to imitate you and your actions indicates that they have some understanding of Holy Communion's importance. This is evident in the youngest of our children, even before they have had any formal Christian education. 

As they grow in their faith, your child receives formal education about Holy Communion in several important ways including Sunday School classes, Holy Communion classes, Confirmation Classes, sermons, and retreats. These opportunities strive to increase their knowledge and understanding, using the foundation that you as a parent have laid. If you feel that your child might not receive adequate education about Holy Communion from you, don't worry: attending church and actively participating will provide your child with many opportunities to grow in their understanding of Holy Communion.

Please note: Formal preparation is an important part of learning about Holy Communion that everyone is encouraged and expected to participate in. It is NOT, however, a requirement for receiving Holy Communion. Every baptized Christian is called to learn throughout life.

What help is available for parents? 

Our congregation has promised to be an active partner in the lifelong faith formation of every member. Helpful resources will be made readily available to assist families in the task of discernment. Parents are encouraged to seek support from one another and from other members of the congregation. This is a wonderful conversation to include others in as we grow in faith together! The pastor will also gladly offer assistance to any family discerning this important matter. Your own active participation in worship and adult faith formation programs (such as Sunday School and Bible Study/Spiritual Formation events) is also a valuable source of assistance.

How can we make our child's first Holy Communion special?

Your child is welcome to begin receiving Holy Communion at any time. You may, however, want to mark their first Holy Communion with a special event. It may also be helpful to structure your discernment process around a particular schedule. For these reasons, Temple Lutheran Church will host an annual "First Communion Sunday" during the season of Easter. This event will always be preceded with age appropriate Holy Communion classes and formal preparation for the event.

Please note: these classes are NOT required prior to receiving Holy Communion. Children who begin receiving Holy Communion at other times during the year will also be invited to attend these classes and be recognized on "First Holy Communion Sunday". Even if it is not the very first time they have received Holy Communion, it is still reason for our family of faith to celebrate with them!

What does our Lutheran denomination have to say about Holy Communion?

Our denomination (The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) includes the following in the doctrinal statement The Use of the Means of Grace (1997):

• "Admission to the sacrament is by invitation of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized."
• "In all cases, participation in Holy Communion is accompanied by catechesis appropriate to the age of the communicant. When infants and young children are communed, the parents and sponsors receive instruction and the children are taught throughout their development."
• "Catechesis, continuing throughout the life of the believer, emphasizes the sacrament as gift, given to faith by and for participation in the community. Such faith is not simply intellectual understanding but trust in God's promises given in the Lord's Supper"
• "There is no command from our Lord regarding the age at which people should be baptized or first communed."
• "The members of this church are encouraged to make the sacrament a frequent rather than an occasional part of their lives."

Making Communion open to all who are baptized makes a strong witness to what we, as Lutherans, believe about God's grace. We believe that the gifts we receive in Holy Communion are given freely by God. That is, that God doesn't demand that we earn or deserve them as the "price of admission". They are gifts to which God calls us as God's people. God meets each of us where we are and brings us to where God wants us to be. All God asks is that we believe that these gifts are "for us."

Communing younger children is Biblically sound, faithful to our Lutheran heritage, and clearly expresses the heart of the Gospel: the love of God given to all of us freely in Christ. It is an important way that we live out our mission together: To know Christ & make Christ known.

Jesus, our host at the table, told the disciples: "Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

[Mark 10:15]

If the kingdom belongs to them, it is right that they share the meal of the kingdom!

If you have any questions or concerns about preparing for or receiving Holy Communion, you are encouraged to share them with the pastor and other members of Temple Lutheran Church. The pastor can be reached via email at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .