Roots & Wings: Intergenerational Formation Collaborative (R&W) is a grant focused on empowering congregations to practice vibrant intergenerational liturgy, especially in Episcopal contexts. Our grant team defines intergenerational liturgy as liturgy that seeks to intentionally engage and equally value the gifts and needs of two or more generations (or every generation present). You can read more in our article “What Is Intergenerational Worship?” This article series, “Roots & Wings FAQ,” offers responses to frequently asked questions about intergenerational liturgy.

In conversations about intergenerational liturgy, I often get asked about Youth Sunday. One webinar participant posed the question this way: “Does a Youth Sunday, when all leaders in the liturgy are youth & children, meet the criteria of intergenerational worship, or is this a ‘program’ that highlights youth & children?”

What “Youth Sunday” Communicates

Labeling something “Youth Sunday” indicates to me that it is a special event and that young people are not regularly leading in worship. If children and youth are actively involved in weekly leadership, there is no need for a Sunday set aside for them to take on leadership roles. So, I would say, generally speaking, Youth Sunday is a program that highlights young people rather than an example of intergenerational liturgy.

In most contexts, Youth Sunday “flips the script” by centering the voices, leadership, and tastes of young people in an otherwise adult-centered space. Youth are invited into worship planning and leadership roles that they do not have access to on a regular basis, such as selecting the music, preaching, writing the prayers of the people, and serving as chalice bearers.

Intergenerational liturgy has a different goal: to intentionally engage and equally value the gifts and needs of every generation present. In a context practicing intergenerational liturgy, youth might fill some of the same worship planning and leadership roles, but they would be invited to do so in an ongoing way based on their individual gifts and in partnership with people of different ages.

Youth Sunday as a Bridge to Intergenerational Liturgy

While I believe Youth Sunday serves a different purpose than intergenerational liturgy, I also believe it can be implemented in a way that builds toward more intergenerational practices for a worshiping community. With intentionality, Youth Sunday can foster intergenerational relationships, demonstrate the liturgical leadership capacity of young people, and invite adults into different ways of doing liturgy. Over time, intergenerational relationships, demonstrated liturgical leadership capacity, and experience with different ways of doing liturgy can foster trust and familiarity, building a bridge toward more regular practices of intergenerational liturgy.

Here are a few specific ideas for this work:

1. Liturgical Leadership Formation

Ask young people to help create a list of worship leadership roles—everything from altar guild to baking communion bread and selecting music. When appropriate, explain the purpose of the role. For example, why we ring sanctus bells. Invite adult members of the congregation to share how they use their gifts in liturgical leadership (an usher, a choir member, a flower guild member, etc.). Offer time for youth to ask questions. Connecting youth with adults who serve in worship can deepen relationality, one of the hallmarks of intergenerational liturgy.

Finally, invite young people to discern how they want to use their unique gifts during Youth Sunday. Clearly identifying leadership options and inviting youth to discern how they want to contribute is a form of empowerment, another hallmark of intergenerational liturgy.

2. Mentor or Apprentice Pairs

Pair young people with experienced adult worship leaders and invite them to shadow a few times before Youth Sunday and/or fulfill the role together on Youth Sunday. For example, a youth and adult might lead the psalm together, alternating verses. A child might work with a member of the flower guild to arrange flowers for that Sunday. Apprenticing not only helps young people understand the logistics of the role they are filling on Youth Sunday, but it also creates an opportunity for adults and youth to get to know each other (relationality).

3. Prayer and Encouragement

Pair each young person serving on Youth Sunday with an adult in the congregation who could offer encouragement before the service, pray for them during, and offer gratitude afterwards. This creates another opportunity for relationship-building and is also a form of empowerment, which includes inviting, equipping, and supporting.

4. Reflection

Offer a way for the community to reflect on Youth Sunday. This could look like youth reflecting on their experience during the next youth group session and considering how they might want to continue to be involved in liturgical leadership. It might look like inviting anyone interested in reflecting to gather in a side room during coffee hour for 15 minutes to discuss “What did you notice?” It might look like spending 30 minutes of the next staff or vestry meeting to reflect on Youth Sunday. Or all of the above. Reflection offers an opportunity to notice the impact of Youth Sunday and discern where the Spirit is leading. It is an aspect of intentionality, one of the five hallmarks of intergenerational liturgy.

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