The document shares perspectives from children about receiving communion or participating in church services. Some children feel left out for not being able to take communion. Others see communion as a way to feel close to Jesus or feel part of a community. The children also provide other insights such as enjoying carrying items for communion, baptisms making them feel like a new baby has joined the family, and some finding choir singing distracting from praying.

1. Children’s Voices Things real children have said

2. What they say…… … .where children do not share the bread and wine.

4. ‘ It’s not fair I can’t have some bread and wine. I love Jesus just as much as anyone else.’

6. ‘ Why does the vicar say we are one body because we share one bread, when I don’t get any?’

8. ‘ I think if I had been in that room with Jesus and the disciples, and I was hungry, Jesus would have given me something to eat and drink the same as the others.’

10. ‘ There are lots of things I don’t understand yet. But my family still feed me.’

12. And what they say…. … ..if they do share bread and wine.

14. Q ‘Why do you think Jesus wants us to share bread and wine?’ A ‘So that He can be really near us.’

16. A. ‘That Jesus is with us. It’s a good feeling. Yeh!’ Q. ‘What do you think about when you are having the bread and wine?’

18. Q. ‘What do you like about having Communion?’ A. ‘It makes us feel happy….and not alone.’

20. Q. ‘What do you think about when you have the bread and wine?’ A. ‘Being at the Last Supper with Jesus and His friends. It’s like being one of them.’

22. Q. ‘What do you like about the Communion part of the service?’ A. ‘Doing it with everybody else.’

24. ‘ I like carrying the bread or wine up to the front. It’s like you’re helping Jesus get things ready for the supper.’

26. Q. ‘Does the communion part of the service feel different?’ A. ‘Yeh. Everyone joins in. Individuals feel special.’

28. ‘ I like it when we have a baptism in church. It’s a bit like having a new baby in your family.’

30. Q. ‘Anything else you want to say?’ A. ‘When the choir sings it’s a bit off-putting if people want to pray.’

32. ‘ I felt really special when I got confirmed…..and really…. well, energetic. A bit hyper really. I wanted to go out and shout to everyone, but they would have thought I was mad!’

34. Thank you for listening to us