Family Communion Class
This fall our church held the first (annual, I hope!) Family Communion Class. Families were invited to participate in this together (no dropping of the kids and going out for dinner yourself!) and it was great!!
Week 1: God’s Love Frees – The Passover Story
- Storyteller Station: Tells story of Moses & Passover, including symbolism of mezuzah.
- Creation Station: Make Mezuzahs.
- Active Station: Passover Games.
- Table Talk Question @ Dinner: Describe your favorite family celebration. Does it involve a special meal?
- Name tags and coloring pages table: (Passover coloring pdf book - link).
Week 2: God’s Love Remembered – Last Supper link
- Storyteller Station: Tells story of Last Supper using toy figures.
- Creation Station: Make personal chalices and a family bread cloth.
- Active Station: Crushing grapes and making grape juice.
- Table Talk Question @ Dinner: What’s your favorite thing about going to church? And/or What’s a meal that your whole family can prepare together?
- Name tags and coloring pages table: https://calvarycurriculum.com/registration/ (Note: membership required) (Name tag link removed - no longer works).
Week 3: God’s Love Today – Communion at Our Church link
- Storyteller Station: A Deacon tells how Communion is prepared and served at our church.
- Creation Station: Illustrate bulletin covers for World Communion Sunday.
- Active Station: Bake bread and use Communion cup filler to fill some cups.
- Table Talk Question @ Dinner: Describe the first time you took communion. Is there one feeling or one moment during that experience that stands out for you?
- Name tags and coloring pages table.
Schedule:
5:30-6:00 p.m. Dinner
6:00-6:25 Station 1
6:30-6:55 Station 2
7:00-7:25 Station 3
7:30 p.m. Go home
Resources:
- Get Ready, Get Set, Worship! by Jean Floyd Love (et al) Geneva Press.
- Communion A-Z: Feasting At God's Table by Phyllis Wezeman (et al) Active Learning Associates.
- Touch the Water, Taste the Bread: Exploring the Sacraments with Children.
- Side by Side: Families Learning and Living the Faith Together.
- A Special Meal with Friends by Susan Isbell (sadly, no longer in print).
- God, Kids & Us by Janet Marshall Eibner & Susan Graham Walker (has a wonderful story of family holiday meals at the beginning of the chapter on children and worship – a great parable with parallels that can be draw to the idea of children and communion.)
- Come Unto Me: Rethinking the Sacraments for Children by Elizabeth Caldwell, Published by Round Table Resources (CT Conference, United Church of Christ, 125 Sherman Street, Hartford CT 06105 860-233-5564).
- For families and church schools: Do This To Remember Me! A book for families on the Sacrament of Holy Communion by Rosemary Turner.
- For children and parents: Communion With Your Child by Bette Anne Crowell.
- For Pastors and Christian Educators: Jesus Loves Me: The Young Child and Communion by Donna Papenhausen.