Communicants FAQ

When Can My Child Start Taking Communion?

In our church the way for a child to start taking communion is to become a “communicant member,” which is a member of NSF that takes communion.

Near the end of the school year, the 5th grade Sunday School will cover the Communicant’s Class material.  This material will cover all 5 membership vows:

  1. Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving his displeasure, and without hope, except through his sovereign mercy?
  2. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and trust Him alone for salvation as He has offered in the Gospel?
  3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?​
  4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?
  5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the church and promise to further its purity and peace? ​

The 1st through 3rd vows establish a working trust in Jesus for salvation and for obedience.  The 4th and 5th vow introduce a young member into the worshipping life of the church in submission to his authorities.

After taking that class, a parent may contact Jenn Stewart (jenn@nsfellowship.org) to set up a regular interview with a pastor.

If a parent thinks that their child is ready to take communion before that class, they may contact Jenn Stewart to set up a teaching interview with a pastor.  This will be a longer interview that includes some of the teaching material they will cover in the Communicant’s Class, and will focus primarily on vows 1-3.

In either case (before or after the class), if the pastor determine in the interview that the child has a credible profession of faith and an age-appropriate understanding of communion, the pastor will recommend that the session approve the child for membership.  If approved by the session, Jenn Stewart will arrange a service for the child to become a communicant member.