1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2024 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
These six reflections were collected for the book The Church of All Ages. (Submit your own reflection.)
The Lessons for Life Sunday School class at Christ United Methodist Church has 12-15 members from different generations present each week. We have children and their parents, singles, widows, and married couples all ranging in ages. Initially, class members ranged in age from Leasa at 35 to Ray at 70. Then we added John and his lovely young daughter, Amy, who did not know anyone in the middle school class and just wanted to be with her dad. We adopted her and found she added a great deal to discussion with her young perspective. Then, Robyn came and brought Chelsia, who is 17, and her little brother, Brandon, who is 10. Before you know it, we had several children joining us at one time or another.
We love the blending of the generations as we study the Bible and discuss relevant current events. We get such diverse insights from our members who now range in age from 8 to 80. Our collection just happened, but we all are so blessed by the presence of the young and old together. The varied backgrounds and ages of the members contribute to fellowship and learning. Our class is a great prelude to worship!
Cathy Robbs Turner
Chattanooga, Tenn.
A pastor recently invited our touring theatre ensemble to perform at a noon Lenten service, attended mostly by senior saints. I explained that we didn't have any short plays on the passion of Jesus. Would he accept an Old Testament story? He agreed.
When we arrived, the woman who ran the pre-school that met in the church building asked, "May I bring the children to watch the play?" I said, "It's the story of Elisha and the chariots of fire. We speak directly from the King James. And someone gets killed in the story." She said, "Well, whatever you decide is what we'll do." I said, "Bring the kids."
At noon exactly, the kids marched single file into the second row. The senior saints were scattered out behind them. I sat off to the side of the children, watching them. I saw them slide forward and hang their chins on the back of the pew in front of them, eyes glued to those moving images. They never made a sound.
The choice to include the children was doubly confirmed when I ate lunch with the seniors and heard them delighting over the presence of those kids.
Maybe we've sold Bible Stories short by assuming their appeal is only to one generation. Here we found thatperforming the stories helped to weave the seniors and the children together.
Jeff Barker
Orange City, Iowa
One of the most cherished traditions at our church is recreated each Advent. It began twenty years ago when a member choreographed two verses of "O come, O come Emmanuel". This processional dance portrays God's people burdened by captivity and freed by Emmanuel.
Dressed in black and purple, male and female dancers aged 5-50+ form a single line up to twelve or fifteen members long. In order by height and with heads bowed, the dancers link hands with those in front of and behind them at the back of their necks, conveying the appearance of a chain gang.
While the congregation sings, they move ahead slowly in rhythm with the music, three steps forward and one back, three steps forward and one back ...until the refrain. At "rejoice" they lift their heads and raise their hands high in the air.
On verse two, from youngest to oldest, their motions are designed to portray the morning star dispelling the shadows of the night and turning darkness into light. Once again at the refrain, they raise their heads and hands and continue their forward movement. After the singing ends, the piano continues while the dancers link hands and move toward the back of the sanctuary.
With movements so closely wedded to the text, the dance is a poignant expression of Israel's grief and yearning that speaks to the same emotions in our hearts today. And when both children and adults are included this dance visually reminds us that both are part of God's people and affected by what happens to them.
AnnaMae Bush
Grand Rapids, Mich.
During Advent, our congregation includes the use of an Advent wreath. Each Sunday Scripture passages are read, prayer is offered and another candle is lit. This year for each Sunday the committee chose that a parent-child pair should lead us—a father and daughter, a mother and son. In addition to the generational difference in these pairs, there is a height difference—tall mothers, even taller fathers, much shorter young sons and daughters.
To enable the young ones to easily reach the lectern reading surface and the microphone, the committee placed a bright blue Fisher Price step stool behind the lectern.
Functionally, this worked fine. But the best part was the sweet snapshot created in my memory of seeing the heads of the parents and children being on the same level as they each took their turn reading the Scripture selections for the day to the congregation.
Karen De Mol
Sioux Center, Iowa
Pastor Herb* was getting burned out. He had served Faith Church well, but he needed some time away. So the council granted him a much-needed sabbatical rest. In his absence the members of the congregation recognized how much they appreciated his ministry. He was missed by the members of his congregation—including a developmentally disabled man, Jack.*
Jack’s first contact with Faith Church came through involvement in the Friendship group, a ministry to the developmentally disabled, that met there. Jack couldn’t drive, so he walked to church. At Friendship group, Jack learned about the love and fellowship and worship of church life. He wanted to become part of Faith Church too and was thrilled when he publicly professed his faith.
Jack attended worship nearly every Sunday. He made many friends at Faith Church including Pastor Herb. He asked about Pastor Herb’s absence every week at the Friendship group.
After some time away, it was time for Pastor Herb's sabbatical to end. The first Sunday that he was back, one worshiper at Faith Church came running to him and gave him a big hug. It was Jack!
Jack benefited from worshiping with God’s people at Faith Church. No one could have given this weary pastor such a warm welcome that Sunday morning quite like Jack!
*Names changed.
Mark Stephenson
Grand Rapids, Mich.
In our church the word “intentional” is key. The leadership team is always looking for ways to integrate “worship” into all of life. Our mission statement says, “As a body of believers, we will glorify God by calling others to Christ, nurturing all persons, growing in faith and serving in love.”
Our leadership team distributes a form on which members (children, teens, and adults) indicate which ministries they want to serve in for the following year. Each form had two options for each ministry: male or female. It provided opportunity for a husband and wife to fill out the same form and serve together.
However, this year, to deliberately encourage family worship, the leadership team modified the form. The new form has three options: Male, Female, or Family. Families (sometimes three generations) signed up to bring music into worship, perform in worship skits, read scripture, greet members before worship, carry in banners or light candles, usher, and pray with the pastor before the service starts.
By simply changing one part of the sign-up form, the leadership team made it easier for families to think about ways they could love and honor God together. We find we have promoted family discussion about worship and fostered worship leadership of multiple generations.
Mary Elder
Fredericktown, Ohio
