Worship – Carrollton United Methodist Church

Joy Filled Worship

10:00 a.m. each Sunday

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Children & Worship

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Holy Communion

Known by various names, “Holy Communion”, “The Lord’s Supper”, “Eucharist”, this holy sacrament is central to our faith. It speaks to us of Christ’s sacrificial giving of Himself for the redemption of our sins.

We celebrate Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month and at other special occasions.

In the United Methodist Church, the Lord’s Table is open to all those who desire Christ regardless of denominational affiliation. This means United Methodists welcome to the Lord’s Table Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Episcopalians, and all those who truly seek the Lord.

Though we traditionally speak of the two elements of Communion as “bread and wine,” United Methodists use grape juice rather than wine. The bread may be in the form of a thin wafer or a loaf of bread. Here at Carrollton UMC we generally use a loaf of bread.

We do not believe that the bread and the wine become the body and blood of Christ. Instead we acknowledge that they are the great symbols of Christ’s body (broken for our sake) and blood (shed for our sins). We do not believe that Christ is in the bread and the wine as much as we believe that He is in “The Gathered Community of Faith” through the experience of the sacrament.

We observe the Sacrament of Holy Communion in a variety of methods. Usually worshippers will be directed to the alter area where they will be offered the bread and the wine. If there are those who cannot come down to the front of the church, those serving will take the loaf and the cup to them in the pews.

Children and the Sacrament of Holy Communion

In the United Methodist Church children are welcome at the Lord’s Table. We remember the mandate of Jesus, who invited the children to come fully into his presence (Luke 18:15-17). Likewise in the parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24), Jesus taught that the outcast, the “little people” of society, would commune with God in the coming kingdom.

No wonder Charles Wesley wrote: Come, sinners, to the gospel feast; Let every soul be Jesus’ guest; Ye need not one be left behind, For God hath bidden all mankind.

Indeed, John Wesley admitted to the sacrament any child he believed was honestly seeking an experience of God’s grace.

Children should be invited and encouraged to commune at celebrations of Holy Communion.  Children learn by doing first, reflecting later.  Communing from an early age will help them grow comfortable at the Lord’s Table and become ready, with greater maturity, to understand the mystery of the sacrament.

Parents can help their children experience Communion as a time of thanksgiving for God’s gifts, as a meal of love within the church family, and as food which gives us strength to love others during the week. Conversation with children, both before and after the service, can help them sense their parents’ appreciation for this special meal.  And, in addition to receiving the elements children can participate in Communion by helping to bake bread, by bringing it forward to the Table, and by sharing in the leadership of the service.

The entire congregation can encourage children’s participation by welcoming them warmly to the Table. The pastor and Sunday School teachers can help boys and girls reflect on Communion experiences and meanings.

No one wants to sit down at a dinner table and then not be allowed to eat. The same is true for the person who hungers for God’s grace at the Lord’s Table. Let us both sing and practice in the spirit of the Wesleys:

Sent by my Lord, on you I call; The invitation is to all.

Written by John Cameron West, this information is part of the series, Children in the Faith Community, published by Discipleship Resources, P.O. Box 840, Nashville, Tennessee 37202.
For further reflection on the place of children in Holy Communion see Children in the Worshiping Community, by Ng and Thomas (John Knox Press), chapter 2; and Liturgy and Learning through the Life Cycle, by Westerhoff and Willimon (Seabury Press), chapter 2.

Children's Time and Activities

Our goal is to provide an excellent experience for all of God’s children. On the second and fourth Sunday of each month there will be a Children’s Sermon followed by an opportunity to leave the sanctuary with our Children’s Leaders Demi Allen and Brittany Hays for some age-appropriate crafts and activities. The children will be brought back to the sanctuary during the last hymn to join their parent(s)/guardian(s).