The Church of All Ages

Worship planning should be age-inclusive.

Rare, however, is the congregation that says its worship is planned to welcome all generations consistently on a weekly basis.

The “generation-specific congregation”

Congregations, and the leaders that serve them, need a shared vision for worship that is grounded in more than personal aesthetic tastes.

“Intergenerational worship” is worship in which people of every age are understood to be equally important.

Age-inclusive prayers are a must in age-inclusive worship.

For all kinds of reasons, many congregations have practiced a kind of generational segregation on Sunday morning. Some churches schedule Christian education sessions during worship so that families are split up during their hour at church. Some churches schedule different worship services for Boomers, Busters, and Gen X “audiences,” tailoring each

Plan periodic worship events to be inclusive.

We do, however, believe that each congregation should be discussing, among both clergy and laity, the specific approach it will take in such matters.