Committee to Study Child Communion

Synod 007 decided not to adopt the proposal of Synod 2006 that would have opened the way for all baptized children to take part in communion, whether or not they had made a public profession of faith.

But synod did not reject the proposal either. It appointed a Faith Formation Committee with the mandate “to deepen the integration of biblical teaching; confessional norms; church polity; and liturgical, educational, and pastoral practices in the CRC” with respect to participation in the Lord’s Supper and public profession of faith.

The committee will be asked to “formulate a clear statement about the participation of baptized children at the Lord’s Supper.” It also will report on ways that congregations are experiencing intergenerational faith formation and sacramental practice in a variety of contexts.

Rev. David Kromminga of Classis Grand Rapids East said the committee would help synod “to gather resources from churches in our denomination who can help us on this.”

The Faith Formation Committee also will be asked to:

• network with CRC and CRC related agencies to determine appropriate educational resources;
• provide “guidelines, liturgical materials, and pastoral advice on these topics in collaboration with Faith Alive;”
• serve as a resource for discussions taking place on the congregational and classical levels.

It is to report back to synod each year for the next five years. Delegates decided that, based on the committee’s work, a future synod will be in a better position to decide whether or not to allow all baptized members to participate in communion.

Synod also decided not to adopt a recommendation from its advisory committee that would have allowed congregations to start admitting baptized children to the Lord’s table while the Faith Formation Committee does its work.

Elder Merwin Tanis of Classis Greater Los Angeles said participation by children “has been a wonderful thing in our church.” Rev. James Poelman of Classis Chatham added: “It’s not so much about how I love Jesus, or even how my child loves Jesus, but about how deeply Jesus loves my child.”

But other delegates advised caution. Rev. Jake Kuipers from Classis Quinte said that starting the practice before the committee has done its work would set the church on “a path [we] cannot reverse five years from now.”

(Bob De Moor)