Worship for the generations.

How can you help your congregation become more mindful of children in services and to have a more intergenerational approach to worship? I recently read about a man who began by choosing a group of eight to 12 people made up of the different generations of the congregation. Together they studied the purpose of worship ("not their current or preferred way of practicing.") He then gave them a "worship diary" in with they would record their feelings and reactions to the parts of the service. Next, their diaries were copied, without their names and distributed to other team members. They would then come together to discuss how worship could be practiced in the most meaningful way.
The power of this approach is the way it helps people understand and empathise with one another followed by the search for a common approach that embraces the generations.
The reason why many churches do not practice intergenerational worship is that they lack a forum in which to discuss and implement meaningful intergenerational worship practices.

Question: What is the forum in your church that facilities this kind of discussion and openness? How does your church shape the services to ensure that it reaches everyone who comes?

Children in Church

The holidays present a wonderful opportunity to engage children in the worship services.

Below is a list of roles and tasks that children could do in the services. You may start with just one or two and gradually expand the possibilities as both children and adults become more familiar and confident.

This may be a new challenge for you and your church. How do you get started?  Try these steps to make it a reality.

1.  Discuss the involvement of children with the church leadership. See what the possibilities and limitations would be.

2. Let parents know that children will be invited to participate.

3. Ask the children which roles or tasks they would like to try. Tell them exactly what they will be doing and how they will find out when they will be needed. Write their names next to the tasks.

4. Contact those who are responsible for the tasks and discuss with them the best way to include the children. For example, put the child on the roster or contact them during the week with the Bible reading.
Try not to make it just a job or task. See it as an opportunity to disciple a child in faith and service. Discuss how the adults could share with the child in a simple way their heart for the task, how it serves God and others, their reliance on the Holy Spirit, their attitude of love and to pray with the child throughout the task, to give feedback and encouragement.

5. Don't ask too much or put pressure on the child if for example, they shy away at the last moment. Make it a positive experience and help them gain confidence. Pray for them, give them feedback, encourage them and look for another opportunity to try something else.

The list! Let me know what you could add to it.

• Helping set up the church.
• Praying before the service. 
• Greeting at the door.
• Welcome, call to worship.
• Leading singing: 
(Actions with songs, leading children’s songs and/or other).
• Helping with sound.
• Congregational prayer (eg. praying a prewritten prayer) 
• Bible and other readings (eg. part of baptismal form.)
• Sharing about their faith  
(testimony, interview)
• Helping with children’s story/ministry.
• Taking offering
• Playing an instrument during the offering.
• Praying for the offering.
• Praying for other children after the service.
• Talking/playing with (new) children. 
• Helping to serve coffee/drinks and food.
• Packing up. 

... I'm sure there are more.....

To evaluate how well your church involves children and to get even more ideas, download this Children in worship questionnaire and share it with others.