We're actively refreshing every Faith Stepping Stone. Updated Stones are released as they're completed, and are available for immediate download to current members.
Holy Communion
Holy Communion is one of the church's richest gifts, and children are curious about it. This Stone helps families explore the meal's roots in the Passover and what it means today, and invites them to practice living forgiven through a nightly “I'm sorry” and “I forgive you.”
What families will do
Over the course of this Stone, parents and children come together to share, laugh, and learn about:
- The roots of Holy Communion, from the Passover to the Lord's Supper, and what the meal means for us today
- Living a forgiven and forgiving life, and a simple family practice of confession and absolution
- Building a strong foundation for faith at home through the nightly FAITH5 practice (share, read, talk, pray, bless), now with “I'm sorry” and “I forgive you” before the lights go out
The three sessions
Each session follows the same shape (an Opening, a Presentation, Small Group Time, and a Closing) and is built around one part of the story of Holy Communion.
Passover to Lord's Supper
ObjectiveHelp guests understand and experience the Lord's Supper and its roots in the Passover, and lead parents and children toward the commitment of saying “I'm sorry” and “I forgive you” to one another every night, as part of the FAITH5.
The Meaning of the Meal
ObjectiveHelp guests understand and experience the meaning of Holy Communion, and lead parents and children toward the commitment of saying “I'm sorry” and “I forgive you” to one another every night, as part of the FAITH5.
Living Forgiven
ObjectiveHelp guests understand and experience the importance of living a forgiven and forgiving life, and lead parents and children toward the commitment of saying “I'm sorry” and “I forgive you” to one another every night, as part of the FAITH5.
Stone 5 is written for children and parents to learn together. Children stay with their families throughout, so no separate children's team or room is needed.
Built to scale down, not just up
An optional Theme Team can set up and lead the sessions, and optional Table Hosts can help the small groups formed during the course keep meeting afterward. Neither is required: a single volunteer can run this Stone just as well, using the provided Leader's Guide and PowerPoint. If your congregation is small, don't let the idea of a “team” hold you back from starting.
A Stepping Stone Blessing
Many churches choose to close the course with a worship service, “A Blessing for Holy Communion,” where parents and children serve one another at the altar and promise to confess and forgive each other every night. If your congregation does not commune children this age, the same service adapts easily into a blessing service. An editable Word version is included, so your congregation can use its own Lord's Prayer, baptismal promises, and other wording.
Optional, and easy to adapt to your church's own tradition and your pastor's guidance.
A quilt that grows for eighteen years
If your congregation has been growing a Graduation Quilt, this is a fun place to add to it. Panels can carry symbols of Holy Communion, such as a chalice, a dove, bread and wine, or a cross, and your families and quilters club may come up with others that represent living a forgiven, forgiving life. It's a lovely tradition if someone wants to run with it, but entirely optional, and no part of Stone 5 depends on it.
Get started with Stone 5 - Holy Communion
Everything you need is included: Leader's Guides, Guest Handouts, PowerPoint presentations, drama skits, theme music, and the Blessing liturgy.
$199 per year — includes all 8 Faith Stepping Stones, cradle to graduation.