First Communion Preparation for the children of St Wilfrid's Parish, York.

For most Christians, faith is rooted in a family experience. Most learn about Jesus not in a classroom, but in the words and deeds of parents and other believing adults. From them, children learn that God exists, what it means to be a Christian and what God has done through the long history of our human family. The first and most important teacher of the word of God is not the parish priest, the bishop or the pope, but parents who believe.

Faith is then, a family affair, not in its ultimate acceptance, which is essentially personal, but in its beginnings. It is this family centeredness of faith that the Church celebrates in each child's baptism, first communion and confirmation - the sacraments of initiation.

Children are introduced to Jesus not only by their parents, but also by observing kindly people who love them. They learn prayer by watching people praying at Church as well as at home. They learn what it means to serve others by listening to the stories of those who have spent their lives serving other people in simple - and sometimes heroic - ways. They learn the traditions of the Church and the wonders expressed in the Bible both from their parents and from those in the Church who teach them.

We want our children to begin to recognise God's presence in the actions of daily living and in the people who share that living. For it is through the ordinary actions of family life that we live the Eucharist.

It also is through the simple actions of everyday living that we choose to grow. Through these growth experiences we build self esteem, recognise the gifts of offer moments of thankfulness, stand in awe of creation, reveal a basic stance that life is a gift to be celebrated. Through family living we develop with our children the skills of resolving conflicts, of forgiving, of healing, of listening to another with the heart.

The Table of the Lord consists of 10 units. Within each one, three interconnected actions are offered: the actions of Jesus revealed through scripture stories, the actions of the Eucharist, and the actions of daily family living.

The theme, the scripture story used to illustrate it and the part of the Mass introduced, are listed below:

Celebrating: The Wedding at Cana - Introductory Rite

Forgiving: Zacchaeus - Penitential Rite

Listening: The Good Samaritan - The Gospel

Caring: The Daughter of Jairus - General Intercession

Giving: Martha and Mary - Preparation and the Gifts

Sharing: Jesus Feeds the 5,000 - Eucharistic Prayer

Remembering: The Last Supper - Memorial Acclamation

Belonging: The Breakfast at the Lake - Sign of Peace

Receiving: The Road to Emmaus - Communion Rite

Serving: Jesus in Others - Concluding Rite

For more information on First Communion preparation please contact us.