‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ (Luke 22.19b)
The Eucharist is the main act of worship in most churches, and receiving communion is a significant part of the spiritual life of most Christians. At the Eucharist we thank God for his goodness, we proclaim Christ’s death and resurrection, and we eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of him.
Until recently in the Church of England, communion could only be received after confirmation, but individual parishes may now choose to admit baptized children to communion before this, following a period of instruction. In the Diocese of Southwark baptized children may be admitted to communion from the age of seven, and in the Parish of Putney we usually run classes every year for children and their parents.
Baptized children are full members of the church, and admitting them to communion before confirmation allows their spirituality to develop further before they are asked to make the serious commitment of confirmation.
We usually hold an information session for First Holy Communion in December, followed by classes in January and the First Holy Communion in February. These are usually for those in school Year 3 and above.
If your child is interested in being admitted to communion, we would love to hear from you. The best person to contact is Antonia, via weddings.baptisms@parishofputney.co.uk or Hannah, via hannah.deasy@parishofputney.co.uk
