I just came across a website that encourages not only children's participation in worship, but also elderly folks who are hard of hearing, have difficulty seeing, and/or are challenged in their mobility. How refreshing as I am an advocate for so many parents and the children who say worship is boring and not for them... and then there are the older folks who aren't excited about more modern technology or opportunities being used to include the children. I hope to learn more about this.

It really hit me a few weeks ago how the pendulum can so easily swing from one side one day to the other side the next day. Our congregation is trying very hard to be child/youth/family/young adult friendly to reach out and include the younger generations. We started 40 Days of Community bible studies.This is a six week small group study dependent on a 20 minute DVD learning segment AND group community and inreach mission projects.

One of the groups started dissolving because there were people hard of hearing who couldn't hear the DVD and it couldn't go much louder in their setting, the blind person felt alienated because they couldn't see the others and weren't sure how they might contribute to a community/inreach mission project with the other. The leader of the group is somewhat hard of hearing and uses a walker and can't do much lifting etc (but she is a great visionary and teacher). It is difficult for her to figure out where to go with her group.

So many older people get so frustrated, give easily, and complain because - as it was described to me - it seems your world and opportunities get smaller as one gets older. So I've been praying to learn ways to inspire the older members in our church to find ways to be involved because everyone has an important role - whether they can see it or not. And I've been praying for awareness for all of us who tend to sit and focus on one end of a spectrum when it comes to worship and education.

To be truly intergenerational, child-freindly, accomodating to all doesn't mean do everything at the children's level but consider all abilities/dis-abilities and build ministry opportunities around that.

Another group of folks I pray for insight when it comes to ministry is those who are developmentally slower and their caregivers. We have a few these persons/famlies in our church and I'm praying for ways to involve them in more than coming to worship (if they want that).

Peace.

~Leena