Please read the responses from our pastoral team:

1.  From Shaymala Raveendran:
   The Bible is largely silent about the relationship of children and church life – particularly with reference to faith experience. Although children may have been present in some worship activities in both old and new testament settings, the Bible is strangely silent about the child’s rights and responsibilities as to membership and age of full participation as people of God.” Each child has its own mental capacity called :The Age of accountability : The phrase age of accountability, may be defined as “a time or period of life when one is aware enough of God to respond to Him “what age is a child reaches this time, “the age of accountability. that is the age ” when a child is ready to make a profession,.of his faith.that is ready to for itself to give account for its life.We know each denomination has its won limit for a child to become its member.Denominational differences.
   The age of Conformation for a Roman catholic is from : 7-12,
   Lutherans is : 10- 15
   Angelican is : 10 -16
   Presbyterian : 10-16
   Congregationalist :above 13
   Baptists at any age with median age :10-12 ,although all dinominations differ yet they all share a one common characteristic uniformly specified above 10 years of age.

   Role of Age : a child of six to eight years of age is not likely to be aware that its sin is against God and thus feels little or no need to ask God’s forgiveness. Therefore, such a child is not ready for conversion experience. The more mature 8 and 9 years olds will be in the process of developing this concept of sin as wrongs done against God and that God can and will forgive those wrong doings if the child asks for forgiveness, but many will not yet grasp this truth.
   It is only as this concept is understood and personalized that the child begins to understand its need for personal repentence and forgiveness to be right with God.

   Age 10 is the time when some children begin to develop abstract thinking a processs of thought which most religeous educators and childrens workers belive to be essentials to the salvation process. ” Goldman indicates that “the years roughly from 11 to 13 are good teaching years. After these years it becomes more difficult because the child beoming more independent of adults and is less likely to listen to what they have to say.

   Except super genius children all goes through the same pattern of growth and maturity. So lets conclude for a child to take communion and to become member of a congrigation it is from the age 11 to 13 is very suitable to teach a salvation message and baptise them and accept them as a full member of a church with out any perssure on a child to be saved.

   My reference is from a book called ” Spritual formation ”
   A How to Book for Parents and Teachers. –
   Glenn A. Jent.

2. From Sammy Mwatha
   Besides Baptism, holy communion, also known as the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist, is one of the two sacraments upheld by most Protestant Christians.There is no age requirement involved with receiving communion. However, to answer the question, “What age of children are allowed to partake in holy communion, we should perhaps refer to how Paul handled the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.In these verses, Paul, exhorts the holy communion participants to first “examine” themselves; and also have the capacity to “discern” the body of Christ as specifically stated in 1 Corinthians 11:29 “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” This, therefore, means that participants in Holy Communion need to exercise a level of self-assessment that ideally exceeds that of a small child. In 1 Corinthians 11: 27 Paul warns us that receiving communion in an unworthy manner is a sin against the body and blood of the Lord. Verses 29 and 30 also inform us that this might incur judgment upon oneself, including death.However, much debate has ensued over what “discerning the body of Christ” means. Traditionally, many evangelical churches do not serve Holy Communion to children because they believe that holy communion should be observed only by people who are mature in age and have understood the call to obedience.
3. From Moosa Dhlamini
   Biblical Insight: The Bible does not specify a particular age at which a person may begin to take Holy Communion. However, Scripture emphasizes the importance of understanding the meaning of the Lord’s Supper.In 1 Corinthians 11:28-29 (NIV), Paul writes:> “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ, eat and drink judgment on themselves.”This means that a person—child or adult—should have a basic understanding of who Jesus is, what His sacrifice means, and the significance of communion before participating.

   Common Practice in Churches:

   Evangelical/Protestant churches often allow children to take communion once they have made a personal confession of faith in Jesus and have received basic instruction on the meaning of communion.

   Catholic and Orthodox churches typically administer First Communion at a set age (often around age 7-8) after catechism classes.

   Some Pentecostal or charismatic churches let parents and pastors jointly decide when a child is spiritually ready.

   Conclusion: There is no biblical age requirement, but readiness is based on the child’s understanding and faith in Christ. It’s ideal for parents and church leaders to assess this together. What matters most is that the child approaches the table with reverence, faith, and understanding.

    

4. From Kofi Twumasi Ankra
   The Bible does not indicate the specific age of when one can partake in Holy Communion (the Lord Supper). What it stresses on is knowledge, belief, and introspection.

   Key Scriptures:

   “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” (1 Corinthians 11:28, KJV)

   In this case the participant is expected to:

   • Learn the implication of the sacrificial death of Christ.
   • Be capable of soul searching in terms of their faith and sin.
   • Have accepted Christ in my life.

   In practice:

   Churches vary:

   • Evangelical / Protestant churches usually demand baptism, and minimum knowledge of the Gospel, which can occur at various ages based on the spiritual maturity of the child.
   • Catholic and what is known as Orthodox churches have established traditions:
   1. Catholics: The First Communion usually occurs at age 7-8 years after catechism.
   2. Orthodox: It is common to give communion to the children when they are infants and this is usually carried out just after baptism and chrismation because it is believed that it is a source of grace.

   In summary:

   The Bible does not specify a certain age at which you have to be before you are baptized, rather it states that you have to have spiritual discernment and personal faith in Jesus. The churches that take age of reason (about 7) as a rough guideline believe that readiness is what matters here not the age.