1. Children and Communion

2. What is a sacrament? A sacrament
An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof
Book of Common Prayer
Two sacraments were instituted by Jesus:
Baptism & Communion
The other 5 (confirmation, confession, marriage, ordination, and the anointing of the sick (unction) are not all held as sacraments – some are seen as sacramental acts.
Sacraments not only convey the grace of God but are a sign to reassure of the grace of God as well.

3. What is a sacrament? A sacrament Incarnational
Rooted in earthly things but conveying a heavenly truth
The use of physical material to convey the spiritual reality eg water washing us clean, refreshing us
Making clear the unbreakable link between the divine and human, using actual or material form to embody a spiritual reality.

4. What is a sacrament? A sacrament Incarnational Divine action
Not dependent on the changing or subjective response of the human recipient but on obedience to the divine will
The efficacy or effectiveness of the sacrament is not dependent on the person receiving it, nor is it dependent on the worthiness of the minister. God’s action is above and beyond human frailty

5. What is a sacrament? A sacrament Incarnational Divine action
Mediated through the Church
Not private and personal, but belonging to the whole people of God and celebrated publicly
Sacraments are not private and personal. The Church gives the space and opportunity for them to be celebrated publicly and within the community.

6. The sacrament of Baptism
A sign and seal of new birth
Adding to those whom the Lord calls
The start of a life-long journey of faith
Calling out of darkness
Dying to sin and rising to new life
Claimed by Christ
Cleansed from sin
Received into the Church
Touched with God’s love
Welcomed into the fellowship of faith
Images found in the Common Worship Baptism service
Just some of the phrases from the Common Worship Baptism Service – rich imagery

7. Signs and Symbols of Baptism
Light
From darkness to light
The light of Christ
A place with the saints in light
Walking in the light
Understanding
The symbols used in the baptism service pick up the imagery – they give visual and physical reminders of the invisible grace being conveyed

8. Signs and Symbols of Baptism
Water
Creation
Freedom
Cleansing
Refreshing
Sustaining
New life

9. Signs and Symbols of Baptism
The Cross
The cross of Christ
Sign of salvation
The Christian’s invisible badge/mark
A way of life

10. Signs and Symbols of Baptism
The Oil of anointing
A sign of strengthening
A sign of blessing
A sign of marking out
A sign of God’s Spirit

11. The sacrament of Holy Communion
‘Do this in remembrance of me’
Luke 22.19
‘Day by day they broke bread at home…and ate with glad and generous hearts’
Acts 2.46
‘For I received from the Lord……you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’
1 Corinthians
‘Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup in an unworthy manner…..’
1 Corinthians 11.27
Neither Jesus in his institution, nor Paul in his recollection of the institution, used full understanding or spiritual maturity as a pre-requisite for receiving communion.
Paul’s rebuke is to the adult community who treated the celebration as a private indulgence and in doing so forgot those who were less well-off and of whom the Gospel speaks so eloquently

12. The sacrament of Holy Communion
Sharing in the body of Christ
Though we are many, we are one body
Draw near with faith
Remembrance
Thanksgiving
Feeding/sustenance
Cleansing
Images found in the Common Worship Holy Communion service
Many images are used in the Communion service – it is a richly complex yet simple sacrament.
Is there the possibility that in our desire to keep it ‘special’ we have shrouded it in too much mystery? Yet a mystery is what it is – and a mystery cannot be fully comprehended. Hence the need for faith.

13. The sacrament of Holy Communion
Sacrifice
Forgiveness
Trusting in your manifold and great mercies
Covenant of grace
We are not worthy
Telling the story – that all are children of GOD
Sending out into the world
Images found in the Common Worship Holy Communion service

14. Signs and Symbols of Holy Communion
Bread
Freedom from slavery
Manna in the desert
Feeding the 5000
Bread of life
Broken for us
Bread – the very basics of life

15. Signs and Symbols of Holy Communion
Wine
Offerings to God
Wedding at Cana
The true vine
Shed for us

16. History New Testament Baptism is the sole entry rite into the church.
No explicit teaching on children and communion.
The Bible records that whole households were baptised and given Christ’s teaching on the place of children and importance of caring for them. Accordingly, this implies the inclusion of children.

17. History
3rd Century
Anointing and laying on of hands added to baptism. Children shared in all of this – including communion
Several of the early church Fathers make mention of infant baptism, which at that time would also mean receiving communion. The two rites went together. Often there was (for adults) a preparation time through Lent and then baptism and communion would be administered and celebrated on Easter Day.
This would be a bishop’s duty.

18. History 4th & 5th Centuries Augustine of Hippo and original sin
Growing size of Dioceses
Baptisms performed by local priests
Laying on of hands delayed until the bishop’s visit
Admission to communion associated with baptism
St Augustine of Hippo developed the doctrine of original sin – without it being washed away through baptism, heaven was not assured. So infants were encouraged to be baptised as early as possible.
However, with the growth of the church, Dioceses were becoming too large for bishops to travel round freely. So the baptismal rite was divided. The local priest performed the part where water was poured over the infant (or the infant was dipped in it!) and signed the child with the cross.
Laying on of hands and anointing with oil was delayed until the bishop's visit.
However, receiving Holy Communion was still associated with the water of baptism, not the bishop’s laying on of hands.

19. History Eastern practice Western practice
Priest performed full baptismal rite, including infant Communion (oils blessed by Bishop)
Western practice
Baptism was performed locally but anointing and imposition of hands was delayed until a visit from the Bishop
As the Eastern and Western churches developed their own traditions, the Eastern practice was that the priest performed the full baptismal rite, using oils blessed by the bishop. Orthodoxy still continues with this, with the baptised receiving communion from the moment of baptism.
Western Christianity has followed the practice of local baptism but laying on of hands by the bishop.

20. Baptism – Communion - Confirmation
History
The Middle Ages
Baptism – Communion - Confirmation
Growing theology of the ‘real presence of Christ’
Laity denied the wine
Children sometimes denied both bread and wine
The continuing pattern was baptism – communion – confirmation, but the growing doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the consecrated communion elements meant that the wine was withdrawn from the laity and sometimes children were denied the bread as well

21. History 13th Century 1281 16th Century
recommended age for Confirmation varied from 1 – 7 years
1281
regulation that those not Confirmed should be barred from Holy Communion
16th Century
communicating unconfirmed adults and children was finally abolished (Council of Trent)
Bishops were still not able to travel easily around their Dioceses, so although the recommended age for confirmation was between 1 – 7 years, the chances of a bishop turning up were not great. So more and more of the laity were not getting confirmed.
In 1281, Archbishop Peckham was so fed up with this, that he issued a regulation that unless you could give a good reason, those who had not been confirmed should not be able to receive communion.
And at the Council of Trent in the 16th century confirmation was held as necessary for receiving communion. Adults were only to receive communion in one kind, and children had no need to receive communion at all:
Finally, this same holy Synod teaches, that little children, who have not attained to the use of reason, are not by any necessity obliged to the sacramental communion of the Eucharist: [Page 143] forasmuch as, having been regenerated by th by the laver of baptism, and being incorporated with Christ, they cannot, at that age, lose the grace which they have already acquired of being the sons of God. Not therefore, however, is antiquity to be condemned, if, in some places, it, at one time, observed that custom; for as those most holy Fathers had a probable cause for what they did in respect of their times, so, assuredly, is it to be believed without controversy, that they did this without any necessity thereof unto salvation

22. History The Reformation Catholic View Protestant View
Emphasis on what God does – imparting the Holy Spirit
Protestant View
Emphasis on a person’s response – individual response of faith
The Reformation brought a divergence of emphasis, rather than a polarisation of views. The Catholic view, emphasised sacraments as conveyers of God’s grace. The Protestant view emphasised they were to be administered on evidence of a personal response of faith. Both acknowledge grace and response. Understanding became an element in both communion and confirmation
Cranmer’s 1549 Prayer Book emphasised the Catechism as the pre-requisite to Communion
‘there shall none be admitted to Holy Communion until such time as he can say the catechism and be confirmed’

23. History 19th Century 20th Century
The rise of the railways! Bishops no longer had to rely on horse power to get around
Confirmation became seen as the completion of baptism and therefore the gateway to Communion
20th Century
The growth of the Parish Eucharist Movement meant children were visible in church and present at the Communion service
Railways meant that Bishops were able to travel more easily. There was no excuse for not getting confirmed – you didn’t have to wait years for a bishop to come along.
Confirmation became seen as the completion of baptism – and had to be administered before Communion could be received.
20th century saw the rise in the Parish Eucharist movement. Matins and Evensong had been the normal diet of worship for most Christians. Communion services were not the main service. But the growth of this movement meant they were! So what about the children who appeared at the Communion rail again and again?

24. History 1954 1971 1985 1991 Baptism and Confirmation Today
Christian Initiation: Birth and Growth in the Christian Society (the Ely Report)
1985
Children and Communion (the Knaresborough Report)
1991
the House of Bishops brought a report on Initiation before General Synod
20th century saw a growth in the Parish Eucharist movement, making children visible and bringing their place in the community of faith back to the forefront.
1954 – report affirmed the inherited order – baptism – confirmation – communion
1971 – The Ely Report – concluded that baptism is the complete sacramental initiation into Christianity and should be the basis for admittance to communion.
However, Synod voted 60:40 not to proceed with a change
Some Diocese became ‘experimental’ and started admitting children to communion.
The Knaresborough Report – recommended that regulations for admitting baptised persons to communion should be drawn up and approved. Synod ‘took note’ but did nothing further
1991 – The House of Bishops brought a report on initiation to Synod. Their motion for early confirmation was accepted, but their request that the experimental Dioceses stop their experiments was rejected.

25. History
1993
Three ‘experimental’ Dioceses, including Peterborough, had been admitting children to Communion prior to Confirmation.
1995
On the Way was published, encouraging parishes to review their patterns of initiation.
1996
The House of Bishops published Guidelines on the admission of children to Communion
The three experimental Dioceses reported that a substantial majority of the parishes who had been admitting children to communion were convinced of the positive value of such a practice
1995 – On the Way was a national report that encouraged parishes to review their patterns of initiation. This included considering whether it should be admissible to admit children to communion and reserve confirmation as an adult rite of commitment and the beginning of adult ministry
1996 – The House of Bishops published Guidelines on the admission of children to communion. These were welcomed by Synod.
They made clear that each Diocese could make its own decision as to whether to follow them.

26. History
2005
Synod received a report on the current state of play in England
Most Dioceses permit parishes to admit children to Communion before Confirmation
The Diocese of Peterborough has done this since the 1980s
2006
The Guidelines become Regulations and are included in the Canons of the Church of England
Following the General Synod of February 2006, the Guidelines have become Regulations, bringing them under the Canons of the Church of England (though NOT effecting a change in Canon Law)

27. Theological issues The priority of grace
Baptism as complete sacramental initiation into Christ
Children as part of the covenant people of God
Understanding or faith?
Is grace a gift offered freely by God or a reward for the recipient’s understanding and knowledge?

28. Liturgical issues
Parish Eucharist means children attending communion but how do they participate?
Need to make sense of their place in the service as a whole
Eucharistic prayers for use with children present
Continuing teaching about the Eucharist

29. Pastoral issues Baptism Parental support
Involvement of children’s leaders
Teaching on the meaning of communion
Regular parochial opportunities for renewal of baptismal vows
Parents who have chosen thanksgiving for the birth of their child

30. Pastoral issues The school Eucharist
An overall culture which enables children to be worshippers
Children wanting to emulate their peers
Inter-parochial mobility
A minimum age?
The place of confirmation

31. The next step….. Each PCC must resolve what to do
Foundation governors in church schools must decide how to proceed, in discussion with their PCC
Advice is available from the Children’s Missioner and the Diocesan Board of Education for PCCs and schools
PCCs and schools should follow the Diocesan policy which sets out how to proceed. It includes details of the administrative process that must be followed.