Concordia University College Worship and Music Symposium 2012

Doesn’t it seem that more and more churches are looking for ways to really serve and minister to all their members, no matter what their age? Clergy, musicians, and worship leaders sense the pressure to plan worship that serves rich spiritual food for all ages—for young and old alike.

Often, the trap that churches fall into is either dumbing down the message or inserting kid-friendly moments like short, funny children’s messages. We’re tempted, too, to offer separate services to cater to individual tastes and age groups without really considering the true needs of our congregations as one worshipping community in Christ. Unfortunately, these approaches rarely satisfy anyone.

That’s why it’s time to talk about the intergenerational realities of worship. Where do children and young people fit in? How can we teach them about worship while also appreciating who they are as those who have “faith like a child”? Can we adults learn something from children in worship, too? Do we have to dumb things down? What works in intergenerational worship, and what really doesn’t work?

Join us for Concordia’s 2012 Worship and Music Symposium on Saturday, August 25, 2012. Our keynote speakers are Dr. John Witvliet and Mrs. Betty Grit from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Both Dr. Witvliet and Mrs. Grit bring a wealth of practical, theological, and ground-level experience in intergenerational concerns. Join us, too, for local voices who will give presentations on working with adolescent voices, the basics of children’s choirs, children in liturgical worship, and the theology of children in worship.

A registration form and schedule of fees can be found here. Be sure to take advantage of early registration until July 31. Check out the schedule for the day here. Read about our plenary speaker and local voices presenters here. Schedule time to join us that same evening for a hymn festival featuring Rehoboth Christian Ministries’ “The Joyful Noise Choir,” a children’s choir under the direction of Rein Selles.