Pastor Matt and Julia Corbett, Children, Youth & Families, Director will be leading the 1st-5th grade students AND THEIR PARENTS on an exploration of the meaning of the "The Lord's Supper." The purpose of this interactive workshop is to nurture and instruct the parent and their child(ren) in this Sacrament. The goal is to prepare children to join their parents each month for The Lord's Supper. Pastor Matt has this to say on the Lord's Supper and Children:
"The Lord’s Supper is a real and mysterious way that God draws near to us. "Sacrament" is the word we use to describe this “visible sign of an invisible grace.” It is a wonderful and regular place where we meet Christ, in a deeply personal way but also as a gathered community. It’s so important, that we want to make sure that our children and youth are experiencing it too.
"For the past two years, we have intentionally included our middle and high school youth in worship (sharing in worship leadership) on the first Sunday of the month. Our desire is to cultivate an active and engaged participation in this central sacramental act of the church with them. This year, we will go further and invite our elementary school students (1st grade and up) to regularly join us as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Starting the first Sunday in October, children 1st - 5th grades, will not go to their regular classes, but combine to participate in a “Jubilee” worship service with singing led by Deanna Neidlinger in the LC. Then, the children will be welcomed back into the worship service, after the sermon, to join with their families to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
"At Trinity, we welcome children to the Lord’s Table, but we leave to the parent’s discretion when their child will partake of the Sacrament. We all know that kids develop and mature physically and emotionally at their own pace - and that is very true for their faith as well. There is no “magic age” when a child is “now ready” to receive the Lord’s Supper. (In fact, I don’t know if we ever completely understand the mystery of what’s happening in those moments!) Our Presbyterian Book of Order is helpful here. It reads: “Baptized 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.”
"So the Table is open for children. For parents who might choose not to have their child participate at this time, my hope is that the child’s presence at the Lord’s Supper will cultivate interest and curiosity in the sacrament - and I think hunger and desire for that is a good thing. Our goal is to intentionally create occasions for important faith conversations for you to have with your kids. We encourage all children to come forward in the communion line, either to partake or to receive a word of blessing from a server. I’m excited to see how God will use this in the life of our kids, as they see that they too, are a part of the great gathering of God’s people at the Table."
