St.Mark's,Westford
3/14/10

Joshua 5:9-12
Fs.32
2 Cor.5:16-21
Luke 15:1-3,11b-32

HE 2B/Ser. &
2 Baptisms 10:00
RCL

HOLY COMMUNION INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN - II

(Children come in during Gospel hymn and gather around the altar).

Last week I asked how many had planted a seed in a pot or a garden. And you have to water it or it won't grow.

So when was the seed of God's love planted in you? (BAPTISM) Notice your Baptism day as much as your birthday. And we'll see two Baptisms happening today in a few minutes.

We water the seed planted at Baptism through receiving the Bread & wine at Holy Communion.

For the bread, hands out flat, one on top of other as we said last week.

For the wine, you can dip the bread in it and then eat the bread. Or we can dip it and place it on your tongue - so you have to open your mouth!

Or you eat the bread and STAND UP to take a sip from the cup - just enough to moisten your lips.

It's more loving to your neighbor, if you have a cold or a runny nose, to dip the bread rather than to drink from the cup.

Now, a couple of thoughts to tune us in to what happens in Holy Communion - like the dog whistle - dogs can hear the high note.

So: MAGNET AND NAILS:

As you receive Communion more and more, people will notice a special quality about you - a magnetic power which flows through you to others (one nail) - and to others (2nd nail attracted to 1st) and even to people further from you (3rd nail on second). If YOU get lazy and say, O let's forget Communion, you cut yourself off from the power - and pretty soon your friends will drop away from Jesus too.

OR: LIGHT SOCKET:
The power of God's love is invisible but real. Like the electric power in the socket and wire. You can't see it but you know it's there because it lights bulb. Likewise, you can't see the friendship when people shake hands, or the love when people kiss. But friendship and love are very real.

And you can't see Jesus in the bread and wine, but He's very real, and you get to know Him better each week and month when you receive Communion.

Now, we're going to plant the seed of God's love in a little baby and in a grownup through Baptism.

(HYMN)