All-In Communion
Worshipping and receiving Communion together as a church family
At Christ Church, we want children and young people to be fully part of the life of our church family. That's why, three times a year, our All-In service will include Holy Communion.
All In Communion is an opportunity for the whole church family — adults, young people and children — to worship Jesus together, pray together and share in the life of the church together.
Being part of Communion is about much more than receiving the bread and wine.
Coming forward to receive Communion is one part of our journey with Jesus. But listening to God's word, joining in the prayers, singing, worshipping together and simply being present as a family are all important parts of what we do.
So whether your child is ready to receive Communion or is still exploring what it means, we want them to be completely at home in our All-In Communion services.
Who can receive Communion?
We are opening up Communion to children and young people before Confirmation, but there are two important guidelines:
To receive Communion, children and young people must:
be baptised, and
be in School Year 3 or above.
These guidelines reflect Church of England guidance and have been agreed by our PCC. They are intended to help children approach Communion with understanding and as an act of worship that is appropriate to their age and stage.
There is also an important element of discernment: we want each child and their parents to feel positive that they are ready, so we ask that you talk about it with a member of the Children & Youth team or clergy team.
If your child meets these criteria and you think they are ready to receive Communion, please let us know by completing this online form.
We will keep a simple register of children and young people who have been accepted to receive Communion before Confirmation. Children who complete the process will also receive a certificate confirming their eligibility to receive Communion in other Church of England churches.
What if my child isn't ready yet?
That's absolutely fine.
Your child might not yet be in Year 3. They might not be baptised. They might meet both criteria but simply not feel ready to receive Communion yet.
None of these things means that they are less part of our church family.
We want children and young people to see Communion as part of their journey with Jesus — something to explore, understand and grow into, rather than something they need to rush towards.
Taking time to ask questions, learn about Jesus, understand Communion, grow in faith and, where appropriate, be baptised is a good thing.
If your child isn't baptised
If your child isn't baptised, an All In Communion service might be a good opportunity to start a discussion about baptism as part of their Christian journey.
If you'd like to explore this, please speak to a member of the clergy team or Children & Youth team.
What happens if my child isn't receiving Communion?
Children and young people who aren't receiving Communion are still very much invited to participate.
We warmly encourage children to come forward for a blessing when Communion is being distributed. If they would rather stay in their seat, that's absolutely fine too.
They might also want to come forward with the rest of their family simply to see what's happening and experience Communion alongside them. That's welcome too.
There is no pressure to receive.
The important thing is that we are together, worshipping Jesus together.
How can we prepare as a family?
One of the best ways to help your child engage with Communion is simply to talk about it together.
You could ask:
What do you think Communion is?
Why do Christians eat bread and drink wine when we worship?
What do you notice when we celebrate Communion?
What do you think Jesus is doing when we receive Communion?
Is there anything about Communion that you don't understand or want to ask about?
Our Explorers & Climbers groups will also spend time exploring Communion in the run-up to our All In Communion services, looking at what Communion means, why we do it and what the bread and wine represent.
Earlier in 2026, the whole church also spent time exploring Communion during Lent and Holy Week. Our All In Communion services are part of that ongoing journey of learning and growing together.
Helping your child take part in the service
When we worship All In, children aren't expected to behave like miniature adults!
We want them to participate, to ask questions, to sing, to pray, to wriggle and occasionally to make a bit of noise. They are not disrupting the worship — they are part of the worshipping church family.
During the Communion service, you might help your child engage by:
whispering the upcoming responses to them before the congregation says them;
helping them spot the different things happening during the Communion prayer;
talking quietly with them afterwards about something they noticed or wondered about;
encouraging them to join in with prayers, responses and singing as much as they are able.
You don't need to keep them entertained through the service. There is plenty for them to see, hear and take part in.
And if they fidget, get distracted or make some noise along the way, that's okay. That's part of being an All In church family.
A journey we're making together
Our hope is that All In Communion helps children and young people develop a deeper understanding of Communion and of what it means to follow Jesus.
For some children, receiving Communion will be the right next step. For others, it will be something they grow towards.
There is no rush.
Whether your child receives the bread and wine, comes forward for a blessing, watches from their seat, or simply joins in the prayers and worship with their family, they are fully part of our church family.
We're on this journey with Jesus together.