Fruits & Roots

Editor’s Note: Without fail, each month I read the Roots & Wings newsletter from top to bottom (and multiple times). Project Director Sarah Bentley Allred shares a ministry practice of the month, intergenerational ministry job openings, opportunities to connect with other intergen ministry folks, a glimpse at what she’s reading, and her “monthly musings.” And every single bit of it feels relevant to my work, and often my parenting, too. With Sarah’s blessing, I’m sharing her September musings as well as my personal invitation to sign up to receive next month’s edition in your own inbox. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do. —Allison, editor

The “fruits” of intergenerational worship can be beautiful, heartwarming, and even social media worthy: the child that makes his way to the back pew each week to offer “the peace” to an octogenarian, the toddler whose dancing during the offertory anthem is so contagious that everyone near her starts swaying, the teen who dares to share testimony or sing a solo in front of the entire congregation.

It can be tempting to think these “fruits” are the whole of intergenerational worship. That if we can logistically coordinate enough mixed-age liturgical leadership teams, we will be doing intergenerational worship. These “fruits” are outward and visible signs of intergenerationality, but without deep “roots,” they will not be sustainable or generative in an ongoing way. They will wither.

In a forest, most of the root system is below ground – completely hidden. And yet, “the roots are the most important part of a tree” (The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben, p. 82). Likewise, intentional intergenerationality (in worship or church culture as a whole)  is nourished by “roots” that are not always visible, but are nonetheless indispensable. The “roots” are our underlying values, assumptions, and purpose. What “grounds” us in the work. As I’ve mused on the “roots” of intergenerational worship this month, here are some that came to mind for me:

• The body of Christ has many unique members. All are valuable. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
• We are called to respect the dignity of every human being. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 305)
• Every worshiper has gifts to share with the community. No one is too young. No one is too old.
• Nothing, not even a liturgical misstep, can separate us from the love of God.

When intergenerational relationships are cultivated from the roots upward, they are more likely to grow into sturdy, generative, sustainable communities.

Root systems can be lengthy and expansive. I know I didn’t capture all the “roots” of intergenerational worship. What would you add? Email me. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Roots & Wings: Intergenerational Formation Collaborative (R&W) is a five-year grant awarded to VTS by Lilly Endowment Inc. through their Nurturing Childrenin Worship and Prayer Initiative. Our leadership team has chosen to focus our work on empowering congregations to practice vibrant intergenerational worship. We have a three-pronged approach in which we will research the ways in which intergenerational worship forms faith, resource church leaders with culturally contextual offerings on intergenerational worship, and reform worship practices across the church to deepen the ways in which worship forms people of all ages.