Generations

I stood on the church lawn recently and watched a group playing games together. The youngest was four years old, I think, and the oldest in his forties. Others representing an even broader range of ages sat and stood nearby, talking and laughing as they watched the fun.

What captured my heart on that afternoon was the interactions within the group. Leaders of all ages made modifications as needed to include the littlest ones. Young children looked up to teens and adults, and found friendly faces smiling back at them. Interactions in all directions reflected genuine respect and affection.

The demographics of Rosewood Lane have shifted during the past year or two. It's exciting to have such a variety of ages coming together now for worship on Sunday mornings, from preschoolers all the way to folks in their eighties, with people from every decade in between. All of them are important at Rosewood Lane.

I love the generational variety, especially as it is lived out in congregational community. Some of the teens have led the way by making space for children within their circles of friends. Seniors play an important part as grandparents and grandparent-like figures in the lives of children, teens, and even adults. Children of all ages figure out ways to play together, not just with others in the same class. In all of it, older ones usually watch out for younger ones.

We're learning together about biblical community. I think what I see here is both part of that process and a reflection of it.

Big Church

Miss Allison
leading a kids' lesson

Children's ministries has its own language sometimes, and one common term is "Big Church."  It usually describes the main worship service, and distinguishes it from "children's church" -- a separate space where kids sometimes go to worship together with other young people in ways designed to communicate in developmentally appropriate ways.

Big Church can feel like a foreign place to children (and adults) who have not been there before.  It is a different environment with different actions and expectations than they typically experience in other parts of their lives.  As a result, it's not surprising that kids' responses to Big Church are sometimes disruptive.  It takes time and guidance to integrate.

Important relationships,
useful skills

Sometimes the disruptions are frustrating, but I love that we intentionally include children in Big Church.  With investment from their parents and others, kids can recognize that they have a place in the congregation, too, that they belong here, that they are important to the rest of us and to God.  They also can see church as something bigger than their naturally kid-centered worlds.

SLC Impact
worship team

I'm having a Big Church experience of my own this summer as I join in worship with other congregations in our area while their pastors are away.  Each group has its own unique people, congregational culture, and other variations.  Those environments are a little different from Rosewood Lane, and it takes a little effort to integrate.  Sometimes these differences create little disruptions, I suppose.  But, like with the children, it is worth the investment.  I trust each Sunday that I will both find and create hospitable space in my interactions with others, and I love seeing the bigger picture of God at work in other local congregations.  It is good to be in Big Church.

It reminds me, too, of our denomination as a whole, which introduces even bigger levels of "Big Church" -- not just individuals gathering together, but local churches joining to form districts, districts forming regions, and ultimately people of congregations in over 150 world areas uniting together in common purposes of worship, learning, and service.  It is through such partnership that we become able to engage in ministry so much bigger than any individual or congregation, ultimately reaching around the world.

It doesn't stop there, of course, because Big Church is not limited to our global denomination.  Our focus is on God Himself rather than on our organization.  We join in spirit with other Christians, both locally and around the world.

Big Church is indeed really, really big.