• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Building Faith

Building Faith

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Who We Are
    • Our Writers
    • Author Guidelines
    • FAQs
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
  • ARTICLES
    • Articles by Topic
    • Most Recent Articles
  • EN ESPAÑOL
  • RESOURCES
    • Curriculum Center
    • Intergenerational Resources
    • Vacation Bible School
    • Webinars
    • Episcopal Teacher
  • SUPPORT US
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/Intergenerational/Being the Body Together: Intergenerational Ministry

Being the Body Together: Intergenerational Ministry

“We naturally gravitate toward people most like us which usually means those of a similar age.  The church has long been a bastion of age-segregated programming and activities.”

Thinking Intergenerational

A sure sign that a church is committed to intergenerational ministry is a stepping stool behind the pulpit. It’s what I saw recently when visiting a church in Winchester, Virginia.  The stepping stool was needed for the children leading various parts of worship.  It was the only way they could be seen over the pulpit and reach the microphone to be heard.  Another memorable image was the pairing of older adults with children to collect the offering.  They helped one another – and were serving together.  When the line blurs between “too old” and “too young” then we know we’ve reached the point of age not mattering.  God didn’t think Abraham too old nor Samuel too young. The church functions best as the Body of Christ when we are the body TOGETHER.

Perhaps that’s easier said than done.  We naturally gravitate toward people most like us which usually means those of a similar age.  The church has long been a bastion of age-segregated programming and activities. We have “youth mission trips” and the “adult choir” or Bible studies for adult women during the week and for youth or children only on Sunday morning. The activities for the “men of the church” usually don’t include the “boys” unless it’s a father-son program. And often worship is touted as open and affirming to “all” but we excuse the children to go do something else while the adults worship.

Rethinking Church Programs

It usually takes an intentional plan to incorporate all ages in whatever we do — which also takes more effort. Sometimes however it’s as simple as asking, “How can we do it differently so that all ages are together?” Maybe it means starting with the activities for children and youth and looking for ways to include more adults.  It also means considering how we can include younger people in aspects of the church that are more traditionally for older folks.

Everyone benefits from this “coming together” . . . we all stretch beyond our comfort zones and learn from those older and younger with different perspectives and interests.

Featured image is artwork from Synthia Saint James.

About the Author

  • Liz Perraud (she/her/hers)

    Liz Perraud serves as Executive Director of GenOn Ministries, a nonprofit organization that partners with churches to nurture intergenerational Christ-centered community. She is a contributor to “InterGenerate” (“The Art of Christian Relationships” chapter) and “Engage All Generations” (“Intergenerational Community Around the Table” chapter).

    View all posts
Print PDF

December 22, 2010 By Liz Perraud (she/her/hers)

Filed Under: Intergenerational Tagged With: adults, children's ministry, family ministry, intergenerational, worship, youth ministry

About Liz Perraud (she/her/hers)

Liz Perraud serves as Executive Director of GenOn Ministries, a nonprofit organization that partners with churches to nurture intergenerational Christ-centered community. She is a contributor to “InterGenerate” (“The Art of Christian Relationships” chapter) and “Engage All Generations” (“Intergenerational Community Around the Table” chapter).

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS

Subscribe to Building Faith

You’ll get new articles, plus free weekly updates in your inbox.

We respect your privacy. View our privacy policy here.

Search Our Site

New Articles

"Visually Safe Disability Pride Flag" with red, yellow, white, light blue, and green diagonal stripes from upper left to lower right on a dark gray background

New and Recent Resources for Disability Pride Month

July is Disability Pride Month in the U.S. As Lizzie Cox explains in her article "Disability Pride …

Continue Reading about New and Recent Resources for Disability Pride Month

Two hands of a person with dark skin tone shaping bronze-colored clay on a pottery wheel in front of a blurred blue background with brown spots

“Nobody’s Perfect”: A Resource for Talking to Youth about Sin

Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault and racial violence. In November of 2018, …

Continue Reading about “Nobody’s Perfect”: A Resource for Talking to Youth about Sin

Circular dots of various colors aligned in rows and columns on a gold surface

Intergenerational Insights: What Is Intergenerational Ministry?

This article is part of a series on Intergenerational Formation Insights written after a literature …

Continue Reading about Intergenerational Insights: What Is Intergenerational Ministry?

Footer

Keep in Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook

Building Faith

Lifelong Learning, Virginia Theological Seminary
3737 Seminary Rd.
Alexandria, VA 22304

Copyright © 2025 · Building Faith · A Ministry of Virginia Theological Seminary

Design by Blue+Pine Creative, Inc.

Subscribe to Building Faith

Get articles and resources by email

Privacy Policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.
If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.