Children’s book author Glenys Nellist offers five ideas for helping children celebrate World Communion Sunday on October 6.

GLENYS NELLIST
Dearborn: First UMC

Every year, on the first Sunday in October, Christians from many different denominations gather across the world to celebrate World Communion Sunday.

Honoring and recognizing this special day presents an excellent opportunity to help children appreciate our unity as Christians.

Here are five ideas for helping children celebrate World Communion Sunday:

1. Gather as many kinds of bread as possible, including colors, shapes, and sizes. Ask which one is their favorite. Talk about how God’s people, gathered around the globe to take communion on this day, are like this bread. We are all different, but God doesn’t have favorites.

2. Read a picture book about communion. Two recommended titles that reflect the beauty and diversity of God’s people are:

• • We Gather at This Table, by Anna V. Ostenso Moore and illustrated by Peter Krueger, helps children explore why breaking bread with others is central to our Christian faith.
  • The newly released Gathered at the Table: Celebrating Communion by Glenys Nellist includes World Communion Sunday in its pages. For older children, the entire text may be read. For younger children, read just the rhyming portions. Many helpful resources can be found in the accompanying free, downloadable Activity Pack.

3. Instead of trying to explain the meaning of communion to children, use open-ended, wondering questions to help them explore this sacrament’s mystery for themselves. Some examples might be:

• • I wonder why Jesus chose bread and wine as a way to remember him . . .
  • I wonder how God feels when people all over the world share communion . . .
  • I wonder what it means to eat the bread of life . . .

4. Bake bread together. Click here to find four simple recipes.

5. Use this simple but powerful responsive liturgy, or peruse the many World Communion Sunday resources for children from Illustrated Ministry.