Intergenerational
Nurturing Intergenerational Worship through Song

Lilly Endowment Inc. encourages intergenerational worship through its Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. Worshiping together can include not only music, but prayer, scripture, drama, visual arts, movement, testimony, and sacraments. However, these three grant projects include or spotlight children’s songs or songwriting for children.

January 28, 2025 | 9 min read
Ten Tips for Writing Worship Songs for Children

Lilly Endowment Inc. encourages intergenerational worship through its Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. Worshiping together can include prayer, music, scripture, drama, visual arts, movement, testimony, and sacraments. Three grant projects include children’s worship music or songwriting for children to create immersive intergenerational worship experiences. 

January 28, 2025 | 10 min read
Katie Callaway on Wonder, Curiosity, and Imagination in Worship

In this episode, Katie Callaway of Christian Temple Christian Church, in Catonsville, Maryland, shares how her congregation explored and deepened their understanding of worship by experimenting with godly play.  

December 13, 2024

CICW Funds 34 New Grant Projects in Worship, Preaching

Vital Worship, Vital Preaching grants support innovative projects for worshiping communities and teacher-scholars in the United States and Canada.

December 13, 2024 | 2 min read
Kate Strater on Including Young Adults with Intellectual Disability

Young adults with intellectual disability (ID) often feel left out, even at church. But schools, churches, and agencies can work together to create a sense of belonging that nurtures everyone. Inclusive postsecondary education increases opportunity for employment, independent living, and sharing God-given gifts.

July 29, 2024 | 7 min read

Kate Strater on Ministry with and by People with Intellectual Disability

Churches sometimes ignore or separate children and adults with intellectual disability from general church worship and congregational life. But schools, service agencies, and churches can expand one another’s imaginations about what’s possible for and with people with intellectual and development disabilities. Even small congregations can experience the joy of learning to include all abilities in the body of Christ.

July 26, 2024 | 9 min read
Psalms for Families: Devotions for All Ages

Psalms for Families is a devotional e-book for the entire family designed to help parents explore the riches of the book of Psalms with their children and teens. These devotionals will help parents learn more about the psalms as they teach about praise, prayer, and lament.

July 10, 2024 | 1 min read
Nurturing Children through Intergenerational Worship and Prayer

Congregations, pastors, and parents/caregivers have many opportunities to join together in worship and prayer practices that more intentionally engage children and help them come to know and love God and grow in faith together. Panelists will discuss ways to intentionally create intergenerational community in which people of all ages, including children, are welcomed as full participants whose participation enriches the community and gives praise to God.

June 30, 2024 | 73 min video

Brian Reichenbach on Including Band and Orchestra Students in Church Music

Playing his trumpet in worship alongside adult instrumentalists profoundly affected Brian Reichenbach’s Christian faith and church life. He works to help congregations give school band and orchestra students a similar grounding.

May 31, 2024 | 7 min read
Traditional Keerthanai Concert with English Translations

This Manamahizh Keerthani Kuzhu concert in India includes Tamil-language Christian keerthanai praise and devotional songs sung in the traditional manner. Group members sang in Tamil but translated the lyrics into English.

May 2, 2024
Tamil Christians Revive Keerthanai Music

Christians in South India are reviving keerthanais, poems of Christian praise and devotion sung in the Tamil language. They are working to bring this cultural expression back into church worship

May 2, 2024 | 12 min read