Five Hallmarks of Intergenerational Worship: Free Workshop April 30th

When I began working on Roots & Wings, a grant through Virginia Theological Seminary focused on the Episcopal expression of intergenerational worship, one of my burning questions was, “What are the core characteristics of robust intergenerational worship?” Or, put another way, “How do we know intergenerational worship when we see it?” I kept these questions top of mind as I led our grant team in a literature review in the spring of 2025.

Based on that literature review and supported by my continued learning over the last eleven months, I identified five core characteristics, or “hallmarks,” of intergenerational worship: intentionality, relationality, dignified reciprocity, flexibility, and empowerment. I’ve written an article about each of these hallmarks on Building Faith (and created a Hallmarks of Intergenerational Worship Toolkit), but here is a snapshot definition of each hallmark:

• Intentionality: Proactively and deliberately exploring the explicit, implicit, and null curriculum of worship as it relates to age so as to actively engage and equally value the gifts and needs of every generation present.
• Relationality: A depth and quality of interaction within a worshipping community that goes deeper than surface level conversation or polite co-existence.
• Dignified reciprocity: Inviting and receiving the contributions of worshipers of different ages in a way that respects the dignity of each person.
• Flexibility: Making space for one another’s humanity with a posture of grace.
• Empowerment: The process of unbinding, releasing, liberating, and setting free the gifts of the community on behalf of the community.

There is not a singular “right” way to practice intergenerational worship. It looks different in each context based on the gifts and values of that particular worshiping community. This means intergenerational worship is accessible to all of us: small churches and large churches; informal churches and traditional churches; urban churches and rural churches. But it also means there is no exact blueprint to follow, which can be overwhelming. My hope is that the five hallmarks of intergenerational worship offer guideposts along the way.

If you’d like to learn more, my colleague Jodi Belcher and I are offering a free workshop on The Five Hallmarks of Intergenerational Worship through Zoom on Thursday, April 30, 2026 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET. You can register here. In addition to an overview of each hallmark, the workshop will offer practical ideas for increasing that hallmark in intergenerational worship, and participants will be invited to contribute their own insights.

About the Presenters

Sarah Bentley Allred (she/her) has served in the Department of Lifelong Learning since 2016 and is currently the Project Director for Roots & Wings: Intergenerational Formation Collaborative. Before joining Lifelong Learning, Sarah served as Director of Children and Youth Ministries and completed the M.Div. program at VTS with a focus on Christian formation. She is passionate about children’s spirituality, intergenerational worship, and small church formation. She loves local coffee shops, board games, the beach, and exploring new places with her husband, Richard, and their two young children. Find out more at sarahbentleyallred.com.

Jodi Belcher (she/her) is Lead Editor of Building Faith, Resource Development Specialist for the Mutual Ministry Initiative and Lifelong Learning, and Resource Developer for Roots & Wings at Virginia Theological Seminary. She is a writer, educator, and lay Episcopalian who is passionate about justice-making and body-affirming faith formation. Before serving in her current roles in Lifelong Learning, she earned a Th.D. in theology in Duke Divinity School, taught in higher education, and directed Christian formation for all ages at an Episcopal parish. She also has written devotional reflections for Forward Day by Day. She lives in Durham, North Carolina with her family of five plus two cats.