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Children
will be encouraged to take part in Communion Services at Redland Park. The
church meeting on September 18th, 2002 approved the idea which has the
backing of Junior Church leaders. The recommendation from the Junior
Church team supported the idea whilst urging that both children and their parents should be properly prepared. And the views of parents and carers
should be taken into consideration. – including awareness that children
differ in maturity and their level of understanding of what they are
taking part in.
The decision follows a discussion paper from the Minister which laid out
the issues involved.
He points out that Redland Park has an “open” policy to communion. Anyone
can come in off the street to join “this central celebration and sacrament
of the church”. So, he argued: “If any visitor can do so then there is no
reason why one of our own children should not do so as well.”
The paper makes clear that children`s participation in Communion will be
after some preparation. It was recognised that, in some churches,
communion was part of a “right of passage” - baptism, confirmation/church
membership, communion. But Charles Wesley described Communion as an
“evangelising” sacrament. On that basis it could, therefore, precede
confirmation and play a part in bringing people to faith.This “sat well”
with Redland Park`s “open policy”. It was a theological understanding that
our Minister described himself as “very happy with”.
From the
Recorder, October 2002.
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