Communicant's Class
When Should My Child Join the Church?
A guide for parents from the Session of Pinewood
One of the purposes of our Children’s Ministry at Pinewood is to prepare young people and our covenant children* to become communicant members** of Pinewood by publicly professing their faith and affirming the Five Declarations of Membership of the Presbyterian Church in
These Five Declarations of Membership are taught and explained as well as basic Christian theology during our Communicant’s Class. Classes will be offered at least twice a year. When a covenant child reaches the 5th grade, he or she may attend one of our Communicant’s Classes.
We recognize that many children, especially covenant children, profess faith in Jesus Christ prior to the 5th grade, but membership in the church requires more than a profession of faith. Participating in the Lord’s Supper requires, as the Apostle Paul writes, an ability to “discern the Lord’s body” and spiritual self-examination.
In terms of salvation and membership in the
In joining the church, a covenant child is declaring that he or she will now personally fulfill the promises and obligations made on their behalf by their parents at the time of their baptism. In affirming the Five Declarations, the child takes responsibility to live out their faith and be held accountable by the church. In joining the church the elders are able to determine if someone can partake of the Lord’s Supper without eating and drinking judgment upon themselves.
As such, a covenant child will have to meet with the Session and give a credible profession of faith and articulate an understanding and willingness to live by the Five Declarations without the coaching or assistance of parents who are present.
Church membership is not required for salvation but rather it is a statement of understanding and willingness to personally come under the oversight and accountability of the church. Therefore Pinewood encourages parents to call their children to repentance and faith in Jesus as early and as soon as possible, but to wait until a child is fully ready to stand alone in his or her relationship and membership with the church.
*A Covenant Child is someone who has been baptized as a child based upon God’s covenant promise to Christian parents who are members of an evangelical church like Pinewood by public profession of faith.
**A Communicant Member is someone who has been examined for membership in the church by the elders and is able to partake in communion through the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
What to do next?
If your child is in 5th grade and you feel your child is ready for church membership, contact Wendy Malone, Director of Children’s Ministry, for information about the next Communicant’s Class.