John+:

I enjoyed your first response and found these thoughts interesting.  Thanks
for your input.

Bill+
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Longcamp" <jlongcam@...>
To: <faithandlife@...>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 11:10 PM
Subject: Re: [FaithandLife] interesting link


> Bill+
>
> My first, light-hearted response was unworthy of your question.  So I
answer
> again.
>
> Having had the privilege of worshipping and communing at Peter Manto+'s
> church, where paedocommunion was practiced. I can say with conviction that
I
> believe the children who communed there did so with more understanding and
> reverence than would be likely in our congregation--had we any children.
>
> I say this because of the deep understanding of Peter's congregation.  We,
> on the other hand, still have too much of the old Episcopalian thinking:
> About junior-high age children are confirmed, then they begin to take
> communion--that is how it works--period.  Put even more irreverently: Here
I
> come, ready or not!  I have been confirmed.
>
> I have been taught communion as you state it, Bill+.  I agree with this in
> theory, and that is how I practice it.  But it in no way guarantees
> receiving worthily.  Though none of the children at Peter's church were
> mentally retarded, it reminds me of an incident from my Missouri Synod
> Lutheran days.  A 20+ year-old young lady with Down's Syndrome from a
devout
> family worshipped faithfully every Sunday with her family.  She asked the
> pastor to be confirmed, because she wanted to receive communion.  She was
> able to articulate a simple but sincere faith.  He repeatedly refused and
> gave as his reason that she could not sufficiently understand.  Therefore
> she could not receive worthily.
>
> There was no question in my mind that she would have come to the altar
with
> a purer heart than most, if not all, of the rest of us.  Would Jesus have
> refused her--I think not.  (And please don't confuse this with the claim
of
> homosexuals that Jesus would not turn them away; it is not the same issue,
> for by that they mean welcoming their life-style.)
>
> It would be wonderful (or maybe it wouldn't, for us mortals) to be able to
> see into the heart of each who comes to communion to know whether he or
she
> is worthy.  But since we can't, one way to try to avoid unworthy reception
> is to require instruction and confirmation as a prerequisite.  Another is
to
> build such a community of faith that even the young have a personal
> relationship with our Lord.  Such truly 'discern'.
>
> I will not change my practice, for that is not APA practice, but I have no
> problem with those who permit paedocommunion when they see evidence of
> faith--that child-like faith that Jesus desires from all of us.
>
> A change of heart often comes before full understanding.  And as important
> as understanding is, I believe the change of heart is more important.
>
> John+
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "William H. Perkins, Jr.+" <wperkin2@...>
> To: <faithandlife@...>
> Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 9:51 PM
> Subject: [FaithandLife] interesting link
>
>
> Hi Guy's+:
>
> Came across this interesting link.
>
> http://www.paedocommunion.com/churches/
>
> To the REC's out there, I would like to ask if this is a mistaken
reference
> to the REC or do you believe in paedocommunion?  To the APA guys what is
> your view on paedocommunion?
>
> To get the discussion going, I will say I do not believe it is right due
to
> St. Paul's comments 1Cor:11:29: For he that eateth and drinketh
unworthily,
> eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
a
> person has to be old enough to "discern" and I agree with the traditional
> view of having them wait for confirmation. I understand RC first
communion,
> Greek orthodox practice and of course ECUSA.
>
> Interested in your comments,
>
> Bill+
>
>
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