Intergenerational

Worship that Renews the Me and Transforms the Us

Drawing from their diverse ministry experience, Jim and Rose Dekker --in Latin American ecumenical and spiritual direction-- and Jonathan Bradford --in a U.S. urban context-- explored the biblical concepts of knowing Christ the servant and serving Christ the Sovereign Lord. All of life must really be worship.

January 1, 2009 | 55 min listen
Teens and Worship: Encouraging Creative and Meaningful Worship with Teenagers

Practical suggestions, strategies, and resources to encourage vibrant, meaningful worship with teens were presented in this session.

January 1, 2009 | 59 min listen
Training and Engaging Lay Leaders of All Ages in Planning and Leading Worship

This panel of Worship Renewal Grant recipients reflected on their experiences with worship renewal and offered practical ideas to help congregations engage all worshipers from youth to the elderly Panelists were from Bridge Street AME, Brooklyn, N.Y.; South Grandville Christian Reformed Church, Grandville, Mich.; St. Luke AME Zion, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Granite Springs Church, Lincoln, Calif.

January 1, 2009 | 61 min listen

Better Together: The Call for People with and without Disabilities to Worship, Serve, Learn, and Live Alongside Each Other

This presentation addressed practical ways congregations can have a real impact on the lives of people with disabilities and their families living in their community and to make worship more accessible to everyone.

January 1, 2009 | 63 min listen
Symposium 2009 - Leadership from Inside Out

In this session, RCA general secretary Wes Granberg-Michaelson explored congregational leadership that is built on and extends from the inner spiritual lives of leaders, and explored how this relates to the dynamics of organizational change. The presentation drew from his book Leadership from Inside Out.

January 1, 2009 | 61 min listen
When God Speaks Through You

Based on his book, When God Speaks Through You, Craig Satterlee explored how "holy and active listening"—listening for God's voice speaking in and through the faith community can occur when church members talk to one another and to their pastors about preaching—and especially the faith convictions they bring to the sermon, which influence both the preaching and what is heard.

January 1, 2009 | 58 min listen

Worship, Suffering, and Justice

This workshop explored the phenomenon of vibrant worship in communities in which there is much suffering, and engages participants in discussions around meaningful worship in such settings. It also explored how social justice can be part of worship while keeping the focus on God.

January 1, 2009 | 56 min listen
Kaleidoscope: Shifting Perspectives of Faith Formation, Young People, and Intergenerational Worship

This session explored how our understanding of young people and faith formation ought to enhance appreciation for worship that is intergenerational. Drawing on current resources, ideas for promoting change and exchanging ideas will outline a strategy for promoting intergenerational worship.

January 1, 2009 | 58 min listen

Good Preaching Takes Good Elders

When preachers and churches talk about improving the quality of preaching, many approaches are considered, but one is frequently missing: the participation of elders. This workshop explores both the why and how questions of involving elders in supporting and encouraging preachers in their congregations.

January 1, 2009
Worship that Ministers to the Afflicted

Many worshipers suffer from chronic illnesses, sudden crises, stresses from work and/or family life, losses of loved ones or of personal abilities, discouragement from situations in the local community or the world.

January 1, 2009 | 61 min video
Worship that Changes Lives: The Next Dimension

This workshop highlighted how our understanding of transformational worship experiences is deepened through a study of worship that included the narratives of church members. Drawing on the insights that are summarized in the book Worship that Changes Lives, participants were encouraged to reflect on the relational dimension of their worship experiences.

January 1, 2009 | 1 min read