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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 9:12:44 PM
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LaurainAL
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This conversation is quite timely as we had communion (We Southern Baptist call it the Lord's Supper) yesterday and my 4 year old daughter asked so many questions and was really upset that she "couldn't eat it too".
Does your denomination restrict communion to only those who have made a profession of faith? At our church, the pastor usually asked that those who are believers take part but you certainly don't have to be a member of our church. It doesn't matter what denomination you are affiliated with, just as long as you are a believer.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 9:16:51 PM
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isaacsmom
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quote:
Does your denomination restrict communion to only those who have made a profession of faith? At our church, the pastor usually asked that those who are believers take part but you certainly don't have to be a member of our church. It doesn't matter what denomination you are affiliated with, just as long as you are a believer.
Yes, that's how it is at our church. It is for those who have made a profession of faith, anyone, not just members. I remember being little and my mom would take some milk and saltines for us during the communion service so we wouldn't be a distraction because we wanted to partake, too, LOL. Laura, we also call it the Lord's Supper, and we partake at Easter and Thanksgiving. We attended a non-denominational church a few years ago where we had communion every Sunday.
eta: Free Will Baptists also still observe Washing of the Saint's Feet, as Jesus did before the Last Supper. This is very rare, I believe, among denominations. I think maybe only some General Baptists and some Methodists still observe? I'm not sure. It's such a beautiful thing. The men go in one room and the women in another and we sing praises to the Lord and wash one another's feet. Very humbling.
< Message edited by isaacsmom -- 6/30/2008 9:27:17 PM >
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 9:20:36 PM
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Sideways
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Lutherans take communion after they do confirmation (around age 13), but the liberal and moderate synods open communion to all baptized adults who share their beliefs about communion. Nobody takes a poll at the door, nobody asks to see your Lutheran card, they just have a small statement about what they believe about the nature of communion.
The ultra-conservative ones ask that you be a member so they know for sure what you believe, but I think that's incredibly stupid.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 9:25:11 PM
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nicole6598
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We don't have restrictions on communion (AOG). Kids can partake, but not every parent lets them. I let Grace have some of mine now she is old enough to know about Jesus and she knows that its a symbol of his body and blood and what he did for us.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 9:30:15 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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quote:
Does your denomination restrict communion to only those who have made a profession of faith? At our church, the pastor usually asked that those who are believers take part but you certainly don't have to be a member of our church. It doesn't matter what denomination you are affiliated with, just as long as you are a believer.
This is all they ask at our church, you don't have to be a member nor is there an age requirement. I have seen some 5 and 6 yo's taking communion and never thought anything of it since that is about the age when I first became a Christian.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 9:32:45 PM
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isaacsmom
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quote:
I have seen some 5 and 6 yo's taking communion and never thought anything of it since that is about the age when I first became a Christian.
Yup, same here.
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<<< My littlest punkin'
*~*~*Rachel*~*~*
pirtlefarm.blogspot.com
Beware of posing as a profound person -- God became a baby. ~Oswald Chambers
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 9:35:40 PM
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nanato3
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My dh & I were both raised in a Southern Baptist Church. We were members of a interdenominational church for about 10 years, both of my daughters were baptized by immersion in this interdenominational church. When we moved we found our church home which was a Southern Baptist Church. This church is very different from what we grew up with. In our church Our pastors do not wear suits women all wear pants, some don't but thats up to the person. My daughters when they joined the church their baptism was accepted they did not have to be rebaptized. We were also members for a while of an independent Baptist Church, they are very different from Southern Baptist, You have to be rebaptized at their churches if in a different denomination, no pants So conservative they make the Southern Baptist look ultra liberal. At our church if you are a believer you can take communion or ( Lords Supper) you do not have to be a member of the church, just a believer.
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**Kimberley**
<--My medium-sized grandchild, Luke.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 10:43:31 PM
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lexie
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From: Toronto
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quote:
eta: Free Will Baptists also still observe Washing of the Saint's Feet, as Jesus did before the Last Supper. This is very rare, I believe, among denominations. I think maybe only some General Baptists and some Methodists still observe?
I belong to a non-denominational church that practices the washing of Saint's feet. I remember after my first Lord's Supper service, I was shocked by it because I had never heard of it being done, and Dh decided that he would surprise me with it, and when he was explaining Lord's Supper service to me, he left that part out. I love that part of the service though. We are a very small church and sometimes it ends up that there is only one woman there. In that case the husband and wife do it, and for Dh and I it's a unique and humbling expression of our faith together.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 10:47:32 PM
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isaacsmom
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quote:
ORIGINAL: lexie
quote:
eta: Free Will Baptists also still observe Washing of the Saint's Feet, as Jesus did before the Last Supper. This is very rare, I believe, among denominations. I think maybe only some General Baptists and some Methodists still observe?
I belong to a non-denominational church that practices the washing of Saint's feet. I remember after my first Lord's Supper service, I was shocked by it because I had never heard of it being done, and Dh decided that he would surprise me with it, and when he was explaining Lord's Supper service to me, he left that part out. I love that part of the service though. We are a very small church and sometimes it ends up that there is only one woman there. In that case the husband and wife do it, and for Dh and I it's a unique and humbling expression of our faith together.
Wow, that is so awesome. 
_____________________________
<<< My littlest punkin'
*~*~*Rachel*~*~*
pirtlefarm.blogspot.com
Beware of posing as a profound person -- God became a baby. ~Oswald Chambers
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 6/30/2008 11:44:24 PM
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uponeagleswings
Posts: 1713
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From: Out here in the desert
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quote:
ORIGINAL: LaurainAL
Does your denomination restrict communion to only those who have made a profession of faith? At our church, the pastor usually asked that those who are believers take part but you certainly don't have to be a member of our church. It doesn't matter what denomination you are affiliated with, just as long as you are a believer.
Our church is non-denominational, but I couldn't say what the "official" communion policy is. I would assume any believer is welcome to partake, but no one polls you at the door. We pass the platter up and down the rows of chairs, as opposed to going up to receive. Most of the kids are in their own Sunday school, so I couldn't tell you when they start doing communion.
Speaking of which...how much do you agree/disagree with kids being in separate Sunday school programs as opposed to being with the rest of the congregation (aka big church)? Growing up Catholic we didn't do Sunday school- we sat and knelt through Mass along with my parents, then would usually talk about it afterwards.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 2:53:55 AM
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ThursdaysChild
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Our church back home is ELCA and we practice open communion. We have a statement in the weekly bulletin and the pastor makes an announcement when welcoming visitors that says what we believe about communion and all who believe are welcome. There are Lutheran synods that practice "close communion" who want only Lutherans to take communion with them. I think, however, that if a visitor spoke with the pastor about it, and the pastor felt they had the correct view (basically not taking communion to their judgement) that they'd be allowed. There are Lutheran churches that only allow members of the congregation to take communion. I prefer open communion, I can accept the argument for close communion so long as there's the opportunity for non-Lutherans who have the same understaning to partake, but that last one I have serious problems with.
In our church back home as well as the Anglican church we attend where we live now we have communion every Sunday since it's more scripturally correct.
Stacy, on response to your question, our church back home has only begun in the last few years offering something for children during the service outside of the nursery. Sunday School is separate from the service. This is more of activities for the children. I have mixed feelings. I think kids too old for the nursery need an alternative if they're just too active or squirrelly for church. It's not always a matter of behavior and how on top of things the parents are. Some kids just don't do well in a regular church setting and this provides an opportunity for them to have a lesson similar to what's being shared in church but with some activity involved. If it's done well it can be beneficial.
Our church in Kuwait has Sunday School during this time. I send the kids for fairly selfish reasons...I want to hear the sermon. E is big enough, I think, to stay, but if he did I'd never get the twins to go.  They have Sunday School during the service for the kids at the church we're visiting here in Lebanon. E gave me a synopsis of the lesson they had before they played games this Sunday and it seemed to be a good lesson. Someone translated for him and he loved it.
So while it's not my preferred way of doing things, I'd prefer to have well-behaved children listening to the sermon with me, I remember being younger and bored with sitting still and listening to a sermon that I didn't get so well. I would have loved to have had the chance to have heard the same message in a more kid-friendly format myself.
But it should be definitely a junior version of what's going on in church. Not just babysitting for kids who can't behave themselves. They often don't behave any better there than in the service and can distract those there to learn.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 9:09:07 AM
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isaacsmom
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quote:
Speaking of which...how much do you agree/disagree with kids being in separate Sunday school programs as opposed to being with the rest of the congregation (aka big church)? Growing up Catholic we didn't do Sunday school- we sat and knelt through Mass along with my parents, then would usually talk about it afterwards.
Our Sunday school hour is before our main worship service, so the different age groups (adults included) have different SS classes. This is fine, to me. I like the fact that my little ones go to a class where they can get milk and I go to my class where I get meat. However, worship service is a little different. I think it's important for children to learn to sit in the worship service. I don't expect them to understand the sermon, but they can learn the order of service, they can sing, etc. I don't have a problem with children's church (our church currently doesn't have one, but may in the near future), as long as children who are old enough to listen to the sermon aren't back there just to be entertained. Some churches I've attended have children'ts church for ages 4 yrs through 2nd grade or so (7-8 years?). I think that's OK. Some churches I've been to allow kids up to 6th grade to be in children's church. I do NOT agree with that. Most 10-12 year olds are mature enough to sit quietly in a service and actually listen to and understand the sermon. Hubby and I are teaching our son to sit quietly, he's 3 1/2. He does pretty well. But if there was a children's church, we'd let him go.
< Message edited by isaacsmom -- 7/1/2008 9:15:11 AM >
_____________________________
<<< My littlest punkin'
*~*~*Rachel*~*~*
pirtlefarm.blogspot.com
Beware of posing as a profound person -- God became a baby. ~Oswald Chambers
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 9:11:09 AM
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lexie
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In our church, on Sunday mornings we have an hour for bible class and then the service. The bible class is split between adults and children, and then everyone is together for the entire service.
I like it this way. I think it is possible for a child to sit through a sermon and take away a few things from it (provided the parent has taught them the proper behaviour for church....some who read the parenting thread on children in church will know my issues). The bible class provides the kids with specialized learning for them.
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I want to be more than an ordinary servant.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 1:00:12 PM
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Ps103
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The only churches I have ever been to that had Sunday School *during* the service had more than one service--like an 8 and a 10'o'clock service, with Sunday School at 9.
Most churches I have been to have had some sort of dismissal of children during the parts of the service that were "over their heads," and they went to another part of the church and had "children's church," where the same Scripture readings the adults heard were read and explained to them on a level that was appropriate to their understanding. They came back for Communion, regardless of whether or not they received.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 1:12:05 PM
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TwinCityGirl
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My dad is a pastor and he and my mom used to always feel sad about the parents who never went to church themselves but always dropped their children off for Sunday school (free babysitting for an hour?). It's hard for a kid to stay wanting to go to church when their parents don't go and set the example.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 1:54:48 PM
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Sideways
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Ps103
They came back for Communion, regardless of whether or not they received.
Our children only go out if they are in nursery (and very few do this as our nursery is awful, so lots of parents and kids are in the back lobby area).
But all children approach the alter for communion. Kids who've not been confirmed receive a blessing. Even if an adult, who for some reason does not wish to partake, can approach, but keep their hands at their sides and receive a blessing from the pastor.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 1:57:39 PM
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SweetLittleErin
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At our church we gather at 10am. Have a responsive reading (scripture where the leader reads, congregation responds, they are in our song book). Have a "dismissal prayer" then go to Sunday School, split by ages. At 11, everyone gathers back in the sanctuary for worship service(singing, offering, prayer requests-we do this out loud since we are small, preaching). When the pastor goes up to preach, there is an option for the youngest kids to then go to 'Children's Church', which is lead by one of the adults, usually on a roational basis. Some kids stay in the sanctuary with their parents, that is left up to the parent's discretion.
It is sad, the kids who are dropped off at church. I was one of them for years. My parents, though Christians, were "too busy" for church with the farm. They still are, its still sad.  Its not that they NEVER went to church, they just stopped going, because they got busy (so they say).
ETA...as far as communion...we only do it quarterly or so I think...maybe less than that. And the way its done its passed around (plate of bread and plate of little cups of juice). Its usually left up to the parents whether or not kids participate. No one in the leadership will say "no you cant". Some parents dont care and let their kids do it, some let them do it and make sure and explain it, others dont let them at all. My mom never did until we were old enough to "get it" ourselves. And I've seen some parents let little bitty (2-3 year olds) have "juice and crackers."
< Message edited by SweetLittleErin -- 7/1/2008 2:04:58 PM >
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 2:09:15 PM
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Georgia-Peach
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From: Georgia on my mind
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quote:
Speaking of which...how much do you agree/disagree with kids being in separate Sunday school programs as opposed to being with the rest of the congregation (aka big church)? Growing up Catholic we didn't do Sunday school- we sat and knelt through Mass along with my parents, then would usually talk about it afterwards.
Growing up we always had age divided Sunday School separate from the adults so it is nothing new to me. What is new to me and part of me does wish was different about our church is the fact the children go straight from Sunday School to Children's Church. Growing up we participated in praise and worship with the adults in the "big church" then there was a dismissal and we went to Children's Church. I do know that at our church they do praise and worship, hear a sermon, and basically have a age appropriate service of their own.
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A Mother holds her child's hand for a moment, but holds their heart forever.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 3:08:50 PM
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nanato3
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From: down south
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In our church we have 2 services 2 sunday schools, the bed babies through 4 year olds are in the preschool section. The first hour 2-4 year olds have sunday school with Bible stories & special programs. For the kindergartners to 5th grade they have what they call Blast They divide the kids K-2, 3-5 they have special music praise & worship mainly with age appropriate lessons,games, etc. Blast is held both hours but the first graders on up go to Blast for one hour first hour or second, The other hour they go to church with their family, so the children can experience church also. They do have activity sheets, for the children when they may get bored. I think this is a great idea, seems to be working out great.
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**Kimberley**
<--My medium-sized grandchild, Luke.
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RE: Kicka, part 3 - 7/1/2008 4:33:17 PM
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KatMack
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I wouldn't like that, either.
