Scoot over, parents! Your kids are staying in the pew with you this week!
This Sunday at TCC – and the last Sunday of every month – is Family Sunday!
On most Sunday mornings, TCC offers a TCC Kids class for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. They’re getting age-appropriate, engaging biblical teaching in that class – and we love that!
But once a month, on Family Sundays, those children will have the opportunity to sit alongside parents and friends for the entire worship service. (TCC's nursery and preschool will be available for our younger children.)
Why does it matter that our elementary school-aged kids attend the worship service (at least occasionally)?
In the worship service, kids are learning what church is like. We want our children to love the church, not just now but for the rest of their lives. Keeping them for the full worship service gives us the chance to begin training them in that direction. If your kids are young or brand new to church, simply begin by teaching them to follow the motions of a service: sitting, standing, closing eyes during prayers, opening Bibles, etc. Remember that you are teaching them skills you hope they'll teach their children someday.
In the worship service, kids are hearing the Bible. There is something powerful about showing your child that the Book in their lap is the same as the one on the pulpit and all around the room. On Family Sundays, we demonstrate for our kids how to love and revere the Bible. We’ll also be mindful during the sermon that kids are in the room; we’ll provide a clear outline and a note sheet for them.
And on Family Sundays at TCC, kids also get to witness and (if they are Christians) participate in the ordinance of communion. Communion (or, the Lord’s Supper) at TCC is open to anyone who has repented of sin, believed the Gospel of Jesus, and been baptized. Of course, that includes some children, and so we want those kids who are saved to also be able to partake on Family Sunday. (Learn more about communion at TCC at the end of this blog post.)
We know that church is different with a kid in the room. But we also know that it’s worth it to worship together!
If you have any questions about Family Sunday, contact us here.
How does communion happen at TCC?
Communion (or, the Lord’s Supper) at TCC is open to anyone who has repented of sin, believed the Gospel of Jesus, and been baptized. Communion is one of two ordinances of the church, instructed by Jesus (the other ordinance is baptism).
TCC participates in communion on the last Sunday of each month. Near the conclusion of the service, communion elements (a small piece of bread and a small container of grape juice) are distributed throughout the worship center. Led by the pastor, the ordinance of communion involves Scripture reading, prayer, and instructions about when to eat and drink the elements.
Those elements (the bread and the juice) are a tangible representation to us – they are symbols – of the body and the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, who died on a cross in the place of sinners to save us from sin and death.
Communion is intended to remind us of the crucifixion of Jesus, of how Jesus unites us to each other in the church, and of the promised return of Jesus.