Communion Instruction

In answering the question, “What is the Sacrament of the Altar?”, Martin Luther wrote in the Small Catechism, “It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself for us Christians to eat and to drink.” Jesus gives us his very self, and promises to be present for us! How amazing!

Communion instruction is a special time in the faith journey of a child and his/her family. In the past, this has often been called “First Communion,” but we are calling it “Communion Instruction” for the simple reason that some parents allow their baptized children to commune before formal instruction, while others do not. Both are fine practices, and should be left up to the parents or guardians. However, whether a child has communed before instruction or not, a time of instruction is nonetheless important either way.

The goal of Communion Instruction is to strengthen the Christian faith of both children and parents, to convey the importance of Holy Communion in our Lutheran tradition & what our tradition teaches about this sacrament, and to offer instruction about how to commune. Upon completion of our sessions together, the children will commune together on a Sunday morning to be recognized by the congregation.

This course is comprised of three sessions which will involve the child, as well as parents. We will be using a curriculum entitled The Welcome Table, published by Augsburg Fortress. The sessions will include Bible reading, discussions, becoming familiar with the altar in the sanctuary, and baking bread!

Here is what the Lutheran Church teaches about Holy Communion:  http://catechism.cph.org/en/sacrament-of-the-altar.html

Communion Instruction meets three times a year, and upon completion of instruction, the class communes as a group at Sunday worship for their “First Communion.”