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Baptism Preparation Course Charismatic Prayer Group Children's Liturgy Church Cleaning Confirmation Programme Divine Mercy Prayer Group Eucharistic Adoration Filipino Monthly Mass First Holy Communion Programme Flower Arrangers Folk Choir Guild of St Stephen (Altar Servers) Knights of St Columba Legion of Mary Neocatechumenate Nigerian Catholic Women's Organisation Nigerian, Ghanaian and Sierra Leone Associations RCIA (adult baptism preparation) Gospel Choir

First Holy Communion Programme

Any child in year 3 of primary school or older is eligible to enroll in the parish First Communion programme, provided at least one of the parents is a baptised Catholic attending Sunday Mass regularly at this church. Registration begins about the end of November every year, and the course begins in January.

From January to February the classes follow the themes of Belonging; Listening; Caring; Making Peace. This leads into the immediate preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).

For the last part of the course, until May, the course focuses more directly upon the Eucharist: Gifts of Bread and Wine; Celebrating; Giving Thanks for Creation and New Life (Easter time); Sharing and Receiving; Going Forth to Make a Better World.

The classes take place on Saturday mornings. A typical hour and a half would consist of

• General preparation: prayers, discussion about Mass etc. before the children go off into their groups.
• A prayer to start the group session.
• Some instruction or a story about Jesus or from familiar sources, such as are aimed specifically at children. Some discussion.
• A 20 minute practical activity, such as drawing or painting, solving a problem, and so on.
• Tidying up after the activity and sharing the work with the whole group.
• A short prayer to end with.