​Communion before Confirmation

 
"Being able to share first Holy Communion with the children felt like a real privilege. The service was so very moving and also inspiring, when thinking of a future generation of young people joining our family within the church." This is a quote from one of our congregation after a First Communion Service.
 
In this parish, we welcome children to receive Holy Communion before they are confirmed. Communion before Confirmation separates receiving communion for the first time and being confirmed (confirming your Christian faith for yourself).  It’s thought that children will look to be confirmed when they are older, from about the age of 16, at a time in their life when they are ready to make a lifelong commitment.
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The Eucharist has been a distinctive mark of the worshipping church since its beginnings, and the experience of being part of the regular congregation at a Eucharist draws us all into a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian.
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The Eucharist (which means thanksgiving) is an outward sign of the work of the Holy Spirit in all of our lives. In the bread and wine, we are drawn closer to Jesus and the love he shows for each of us through the cross.
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Each year, we invite children (usually aged 7 and upwards) to undertake the 4-week preparation course to begin receiving Holy Communion.
 
For more information, or if you have any questions, please email our Children & Families Minister Phil Harper at phil@stratford-upon-avon.org