The Church of All Ages Annotated Bibliography

Searching for Home: Spirituality for Restless Souls, M. Craig Barnes
It explores the spiritual journey of Americans as a longing for home. Settlers, exiles and nomads each are expressing their search for home in different ways.

Bridging Divided Worlds: Generational Cultures in Congregations, Jackson W. Carroll and Wade Clark Roof
Two authors explore a variety of congregations in southern California and North Carolina to learn of the ways in which religious communities bridge the generational divides that exist.

Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down, Marva Dawn
A classic publication that names  the concern so many have and addresses it theologically, practically, and understandably. The church must be open to all while retaining its spiritual and theological integrity.

Designing Worship Together - Models and Strategies for Worship Planning, Norma deWaal Malefyt and Howard Vanderwell
ON the basis of their work together, the authors explore how a congregation can benefit from collaborative efforts in its worship planning which take into consideration the needs of all worshipers.

Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning, James Fowler
Drawing on development psychology the process of human development is analyzed, especially through the early years of life.

Family Friendly Church, Ben Freudenberg and Rick Lawrence
Principles are given for the inclusion of all ages of the family in church and how this necessitates the partnership of home and church efforts.

Family Friendly Ideas Your Church Can Do, Ben Freudenberg
A ton of practical ideas (for learning, worshiping, and serving) designed to engage parents and children together in their worship life.

Sharing Faith: A Comprehensive Approach to Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry, Thomas H. Groome
These pages offer an honest discussion of the inherent educational aspect of liturgy.

By Water and the Spirit: New Concepts of Baptism, Confirmation, and Communion, John M. Hines
An effort to truly view children as members of the church and how this affects the understanding and practice of the sacraments.

The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations, Dan Kimball
The "deconstruction" of postmodern ministry and the "reconstructuring" of vintage Christianity in the emerging church.

One Church, Four Generations: Understanding and Reaching All Ages in Your Church, Garry L. McIntosh
An examination of four generations in a congregation and analysis of how they keep connected with each other.
 

Teaching That Transforms: Worship as the Heart of Christian Education, Debra Dean Murphy
Worship and religious education have formative relationship together. Healthy religious education leads to healthy worship.
 

The Multigenerational Congregation: Meeting the Leadership Challenge, Gilbert R. Rendle
Some of the differences experienced in a congregation are based on members' tenure or length of membership, rather than age, showing how to understand and communicate with each other.
 

Reformed Worship 76
A theme issue on intergenerational worship.

Companion to the Lectionary: Worshipping God Together (Vol.6), Michael J. Townsend
Suitable materials for intergenerational worship covering Years A and B of the lectionary.

Gathered Before God: Worship Centered Church Renewal, Joyce Rogers Vann
A resource that studied ten vibrant churches and offers findings which show that worship is vital to the renewal of congregational life.
 

Intergenerational Religious Education, James W. White
An extensive presentation of models, theory, and prescription of learning designed for the entire faith community.
 

The Worship Sourcebook, Second Edition, Carrie Steenwyk and John D. Witvliet
An extensive volume of resources for worship services, including prayers, readings, litanies, teaching sections, and liturgy suggestions. Part One organizes all the resources according to the elements of the worship service. Part Two organizes all resources according to the central themes of the Christian Faith and the Christian Year.
 

The Sacred Play of Children, Diane Apostolos-Cappadona
Largely in light of the Directory for Masses with Children, this ecumenical collection of essays provides foundations on how to construct liturgies and celebrate the eucharist with children.

Children's Time in Worship, Arline J. Ban
An argument for including children in the worshiping community in ways that respect their particular perspectives and abilities. The book concludes with a substantial collection of usable stories.

Come Worship With Me: A Journey through the Church Year, Ruth L. Boling
A book for children for use with children which takes a journey through the main events of the church year and explains them to children.

A Children's Guide to Worship, Ruth L. Boling, Lauren J. Muzzy and Laure A. Vance
A tool to aid parents and teachers in explaining the elements of worship to children.

Forbid Them Not, Carolyn Brown
Based on the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, it provides a year of resources that will aid the participation of children in public worship.

Gateways to Worship: A Year of Worship Experience for Young Children, Carolyn Brown
Designed for those who teach children in the church setting of worship. After describing five movements within worship (praise, confession, proclamation, petition and dedication) Brown provides guides and resources for the entire year.
 

You Can Preach to the Kids, Too! Designing Sermons for Adults and Children, Carolyn Brown
Ideas and suggestions for making the "real sermon" child friendly as well as adult friendly.

Making Worship Real: A Resource for Youth and Their Leaders, Aimee Wallis Buchanan, Bill Buchanan, and Jodi Martin
Explains the significance of each part of the worship in Presbyterian (U.S.A.) and Reformed congregations and includes activities designed to help youth think creatively about worship.

The New Faithful: Why Young Adults are Embracing Orthodox Christianity, Colleen Carroll
An analysis of the search of young adults for meaning and how the issues of worship, faith communities and fellowship are integral to their search.
 

Parenting in the Pew: Guiding Your Children into the Joy of Worship, Robbie Castleman
Encouragement and instruction for parents so they can effectively prepare their children to worship meaningfully.
 

Teaching Kids Authentic Worship: How to Keep Them Close to God for Life, Kathleen Chapman
Motivation and instruction for teaching children about worship: what it is, how to do it, and why we worship.
 

Is it a Lost Cause? Having the Heart of God for the Church's Children, Marva Dawn
Written from her passion for the youth of the church, the author exposes the church's neglect of children and youth, and points to the directions for healthy ministry.
 

Children at Worship: Congregations in Bloom, Caroline S. Fairless
Though not written from the standpoint of a typical congregation, these ideas about the inclusion of children will stretch you and make you think.
 

Children, Liturgy, and Music, Virgil C. Funk
Scholarly essays containing helpful reflections and suggestions on getting children genuinely involved in the liturgy.

Celebrating the Church Year with Young Children, Joan Halmo
In exposing the historical and theological underpinnings of the liturgical year, Halmo offers families ways to encourage and include young children's participation in worship, particularly at home.
 

45 Ways to Involve Children in Worship: Ideas for Worship Planners, Worship Leaders, and Parents, Dorothy Henderson
As the title indicates, here is a very helpful list of ideas to work from.
 

Children in the Sanctuary: Involving Children Fully in the Worship Life of a Congregation, Debbie Hough and Mary Emery Speedy
An examination of the meaning of worship, the opportunities for children to participate, lead and plan worship.
 

Sharing Faith With Children: Rethinking the Children's Sermon, Sara Covin Juengst
This book includes practical, well founded advice on approaches to cultivate meaningful children's sermons, and pitfalls to avoid.
 

Helping Children Grow in Faith: Nurturing the Spiritual Development of Kids, Robert Keeley
The author pleads for a three-dimensional faith: of the head, the heart and the spirit. He expands on how the church community aids this search and development.
 

Choosing Church: What Makes a Difference for Teens, Carol Lytch
And examination of the religious life of teenagers and how the church must minister to them.
 

Children in the Worshiping Community, David Ng and Virginia Thomas
One of the early and classic expressions of the theology and philosophy of children worshiping.
 

Reformed Worship 12
A theme issue on children in worship.

Reformed Worship 36
A second theme issue on children in worship.
 

Including Children in Worship: A Planning Guide for Congregations, Elizabeth Sandell
A planning guide that includes lots of "how to" ideas for committees.
 

First Person Singular: Reflection on Worship, Liturgy and Children, Carl Schalk
A collection of personal reflections by a leading Lutheran church musician and scholar that argues for full, active, conscious participation of all ages of children in worship. Single articles would serve well as discussion starters for church staff discussions or worship committee meetings.
 

"How To…Encourage the Children in Your Congregation to Worship - Idea for Worship Planners Part 1" and "How To…Encourage the Children in Your Congregation to Worship - Idea for Worship Planners Part 2", Reformed Worship 55 and 57, Kathy Sneller
In this pair of articles, Sneller gives ideas for worship planners and parents to promote the thoughtful participation of children in worship.
 

Young Children and Worship, Sonja M. Stewart and Jerome Berryman
A Montessori approach to preparing children for worship, including a structured series of worship experience for younger children that aims to develop reverence and quiet participation skills.
 

Joining Children on the Spiritual Journey: Nurturing a Life of Faith, Catherine Stonehouse
It presents the Christian education of children - how the spiritual life of a child develops and how caring parents and teachers can enhance this development.
 

Sunday Morning Live: How and Why We Worship, Mary Sytsma and Jane Vogel
A course of study for youth which explores the basis of worship and helps them understand the elements of worship.
 

Together All God's People - Integrating Children and Youth into the Life of Your Church, Karen J. Wilk
A guidebook to aid the church in determining how well they are currently integrating children and youth into every area of church life.
 

"Kids of the Kingdom - Four Services with a Focus on Children", Reformed Worship 36, Howard Vanderwell
An outline of four worship services, built around the stories of four children in the Bible, designed for a multigenerational congregation.
 

Rings, Kings, and Butterflies: Lessons on Christian Symbols for Children, Harriet Vander Meer and Betsy Steele Halstead
A helpful resource for teachers, worship leaders, and parents who want to help children learn about Christian symbols and the seasons of the church year, including downloadable versions of art and helpful handouts.
 

Bringing Up Our Children in the Christian Faith, John Westerhoff
A classic exposition of the nurturing process for faith development in children in which the Christian community partners with parents.
 

Will Our Children Have Faith? John Westerhoff
An update, and partner, to his previous volume to point out new considerations in the nurturing process because of the diminishment of the Christian faith in society.
 

A Child Shall Lead: Children in Worship, John D. Witvliet
A collection of essays which provide a wide-ranging sourcebook for Christian educators, musicians and clergy. It is packed with practical ideas and thoughtful descriptions for increasing the role of children in worship.