Creative Communion
The first part examines what it means for the congregation to meet as a worshipping community, through six all-age workshops or activity mornings.
The second part comprises a six-session course designed to help young people live out the Eucharist in daily life.
Both sections are based on the pattern of a service of Holy Communion: preparation, penitential rite, ministry of the word, offering, sacrament and departure.
Additional Material
The worksheet templates come with photocopy permission and are available to download and print as a pdf. (Right click the link and choose 'Save target as...' to download.)
Margaret Withers is formerly the Archbishop's Officer for Evangelism among Children and has also worked as Diocesan Children's Adviser for Rochester and Chelmsford dioceses. She is a trained music teacher, having taught in several Inner London schools.
Tim Sledge is the Mission Enabler for the Diocese of Peterborough. Previously, he was vicar of three parishes near Halifax. Tim is co-author of Youth Emmaus 1 & 2 and Mission Shaped Parish.
From The Methodist Recorder - 10 April 2008
Written in response to the need for people to be enabled to understand and share in the Eucharist, Anglicans Margaret Withers and Tim Sledge have written Creative Communion - Engaging the whole church in the journey of faith.
Part One, Living the story, contains chapters discussing the shape of the Eucharist and the place of children and young people in the service; Part Two has six workshops designed to enable all ages to come together and examine the whole Church approach to Communion, with ice-breakers, teaching and activities; Part Three consists of a further six sessions for young communicants where the suggested activities include food to share and celebrate.
The authors stress that none of the material - useful as it is, with suggestions for drama, props, music and songs - is prescriptive: it is there to be adapted to particular situations and groups.
There are three appendices: Eucharist prayer, templates (downloadable from the Barnabas web site) and suggestions for further reading. Lots to consider, use and adapt.
Reviewed by Margaret Daniels
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- View other titles by Margaret Withers, Tim Sledge