Monday 10 May 2010

Children's Eucharist

A week ago I held a Communion Service for our younger people (upper end of primary school) and the others who attend their evening service - youngest person was a babe in arms, old was in their eighties. Looking for a child-friendly Eucharistic Prayer (I didn't find one), I came across some references to a trial going on in some churches, of a prayer that  may be authorsied soon.

Does anyone know any more about this prayer?

5 comments:

  1. OK my turn to ask, does the Eucharistic prayer have to be authorised? So extempore communion would be a no no?

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Eucharistic Prayer has to be authorised - we have a choice of eight, none of them really engaging for this age group. In every other circumstance I use the full version of an authorised prayer, but on this occasion I took an authorised prayer and filleted it (Gary's phrase), and explained as I went along, what I was doing. It was well and reverently received, but I would have preferred an authorised and 'suitable' option.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Helen

    we have been authorised to use the two new prayers, and have tried them out. Can't pretend to be at all happy with them, but with (authorised) tinkering one might be acceptable.
    I will look them out tomorrow and see if I may send them to you! I'll also send what we use by preference - not authorised (and don't believe everything Bishops try to insist on regareding authorised texts!)

    ReplyDelete
  4. @Sally
    Extemporised is definately a no-no. Amending existing prayers is controversial - we were told at ERMC (and again by the Bishops here) that the EP's must be used as is. However there is nothing in Canon Law that exempts EPs from the minister's right to make 'variations which are not of substantial importance'.

    ReplyDelete
  5. We've been authorised to trial them too up until the end of June but we are not supposed to pass them round sorry. I think the second prayer is slightly better but still fairly wordy. There is a part in it for the children to ask question eg Why is it right to give thanks and praise?...The children like it if it is their turn to ask.
    I am not sure they are any better than prayer H.

    ReplyDelete