Godly Play: The Good Shepherd and the Worldwide Communion

Well, I'm back after a short pause from blogging. Sometimes you just have to take a break every now and then to find fresh inspiration.: )

This week at our church's bi-weekly brunch, we heard the story, "The Good Shepherd and the World Communion". I actually like the German title better: "Der Gute Hirte und die weltweit Einheit der Christen", which translates to "The Good Shepherd and the Worldwide Unity of Christians". This story is from the liturgical genre and connects the Parable of the Good Shepherd to the Eucharist (Communion or Lord's Supper, depending on which tradition you come from). The Eucharist, like the Lord's Prayer, is something that almost all Christians with few exceptions (although there are some) observe. Hence, my tendency to favor the German title. 

This is a story with little text. As an inexperienced Storyteller, I used to rush it, because I was uneasy with the silence. If you can learn to be content with the silence, the children will be attentive as well and enjoy the silence. 

The Good Shepherd leads his sheep out of the stall. They know his voice and follow him.

He goes before them to show them the way.

He leads them to green pastures.

This is the Good Shepherd's table.

This is the bread and wine of the Good Shepherd.

Sometimes people from all over the world come to the Good Shepherd's table. And the children come, too.

The text above is, of course, not the actual text. It's just enough to give you a taste of what the story is like and show you what the movement in the story is like. 

The image of the Good Shepherd seems to be an image that children are naturally drawn to. Berryman based his Good Shepherd stories on the work of Sophia Cavaletti (who developed Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, the forerunner of Godly Play), who in her research repeatedly found that children were particularly interested in the idea of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. I have found this to be true in my work as well. 

All of the children who heard the story today had heard the Parable of the Good Shepherd at least once before. Some have actually participated in Communion before. But interestingly enough, the children did not seem to make a direct connection between communion in the church and the Good Shepherd's table. One child, however, wondered if there was a connection between the Good Shepherd's table and the Passover feast (which she had been learning about in religion class at school). 

One of the questions in the Wondering was whether or not the people at the Good Shepherd's table were happy. That led to a lively discussion about whether or not we are always happy when we come to the table or when we leave. 

Here is a look at some of the creative work that we did afterwards.

One child wanted to hear the Parable of the Sower, so I told it to her. Then she pulled out the Second Creation story and put it together with the Good Shepherd and the World Communion. I would love to know the story that she was going through her head. 

Another child made wool pictures. 

Other children painted.

I am thrilled to have a child who is developmentally young enough for Montessori Practical Life activities. She is practicing "dry pouring" with lentils, an activity that encourages fine motor skills. 

This was one of our more harmonious Godly Play Sundays, and one in which I pondered again how much I love my job! 

Linked to Montessori Monday at Living Montessori Now

Children and Communion

Play figures from Godly Play:
"The Good Shepherd and the World Wide Communion"

Should young children be allowed to participate in holy communion? An interesting and potentially controversial question, depending on what faith tradition you come from. 


Before I had children of my own, I was of the firm opinion that children should not be allowed to participate in communion until they understood in an age-appropriate manner what they were doing.  This was partially influenced by the Protestant denomination that I was raised in where children were not encouraged to participate in communion until they had been baptized as older children, teenagers or adults.  (In fact, if I am completely honest with myself, a huge motivating factor in my wanting to be baptized at age 12 was the desire to be allowed to take communion and not be left out!) Another factor was my very different understanding of child development at that stage of my life.


However, since having my own children and working full-time with children, I have completely changed my opinion on the whole matter.  Montessori, Godly Play, and my own observations of children have helped me see how children learn about and internalize abstract concepts. I became aware that children learn in a sensorimotor way, that is, through their five senses and by doing.  


Because of this, I became open to letting the children in our church come to the communion table with their parents and partake of the elements together. I felt that this "learn-by-doing" approach would make communion more meaningful for them as adults when they would finally come to the communion table alone. 


Most of the children in our church plant are already aware of the communion table and connect it to the Jesus through the Godly Play story, "The Good Shepherd and the Worldwide Communion".  Also, the Feast element in our Godly Play worship services is a symbolic preparation for taking communion. 


That having been said, I would not want the children to come alone to the communion table. I feel it is very important for them to do this with their parents who can explain and guide them through it.  This helps keep holy communion from being confused with a snack time.  


Coming to the Good Shepherd's table together has become a beautiful thing for our family. No doubt, my children do not understand everything that takes place when we are at the Lord's table together, but neither do we as adults understand everything either!  My 8-year-old son at the very least understands that we are remembering what Jesus did for us by going to the cross and that is certainly a start.  


If you are from a Christian tradition that takes a much different stance on children and communion, please know that I respect your opinion and am not writing this as a "must". It is simply my opinion and what our church has chosen to do. But I am curious . . . 

How do you feel about young children taking holy communion with their parents? 

What does your faith tradition do?