bath & wells: services for children and young people:
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Children and Communion

Admission to Holy Communion before Confirmation

The Bishop of Bath and Wells Regulations and Guidance

Bishop's Direction

In accordance with regulation 3 of the Admission of Baptised Children to Holy Communion Regulations 2006, I, Peter, Bishop of Bath and Wells do so direct that from the 15th day of June 2006 applications from parishes made under the said Regulations may be made in this Diocese of Bath and Wells.

The New Regulations

The General Synod has agreed new regulations for the admission of children to Holy Communion before Confirmation.

There are two important preliminary points that we all need to understand.

• Children already receiving Holy Communion and remaining in good standing with the church should not be deprived of the sacrament and will continue to be able to receive Holy Communion
• The previous Guidelines have now been superseded by the Regulations. All parishes who wish to use this opportunity must apply under the terms of the Regulations. Parishes which have such policies in place must now complete the forms and return them to Jane Whitcombe, the Children's Adviser

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Children and Holy Communion in the Diocese

Parishes should be encouraged to consider the opportunities this ministry affords to them for strengthening our ministry to children and to their families. Every parish needs to have a clear strategy for its ministry among children. The Gospels record Jesus' welcome to children and his encouragement to them to come to him. The church needs to reflect this Gospel invitation.
These new regulations provide all parishes with an opportunity to take a fresh look at their ministry with children and their families. This offers us a door into a more inclusive ministry in this field.
In the Regulations and in the Bishop's directions no age limit is being set. It is important that children and their parents are properly prepared. It is also important to note that these regulations are not intended to diminish the ministry of Confirmation. This ministry and that of Confirmation are an outworking of Baptism. The grace of God is offered to us through these ministries. So we need to give deep and prayerful attention to how the parish orders its ministry for children and for their families.

The regulations have three important rules within them:-

• No person may be admitted to Holy Communion unless they have been baptised
• The person who has parental responsibility for the child has to be content for their child to be admitted to Holy Communion
• Children already receiving Holy Communion before Confirmation must continue to benefit from the sacrament whilst they remain in good standing in the church

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The Bishop's Regulations

In the Diocese of Bath and Wells parishes seeking to take advantage of these provisions will need to have the support of the Bishop and to have consulted with the Diocesan Children's Adviser. In the light of their comments and encouragement the Bishop will give the necessary permission.

All parishes wishing to engage in this ministry must have a clear resolution of the PCC supporting the reception of Holy Communion by children before Confirmation and then make application to Bishop Peter. The Application (.doc format - see below) should be sent to Jane Whitcombe, Diocesan Children's Adviser.

Parishes seeking this ministry will need to consider the following:

• That they have had a clear programme of teaching in the parish leading up to the Resolution passed by the PCC
• That they have a coherent programme for the education and nurture of children and their families from Baptism, through the welcoming of children to Holy Communion and including the place of Confirmation in the ministry of the parish.
• That parental consent has been sought and given
• That a proper time of welcome is provided for those who are new to this ministry
• That each child receiving Holy Communion is in possession of a certificate demonstrating that they are entitled to the sacrament of Holy Communion in the Church of England

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