AN INTERGENERATIONAL WORSHIP RESOURCE FOR EASTER Easter is a celebration of the Good News of God’s never-ending love, demonstrated in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These worship planning notes are prepared to coordinate with the Easter 2014 postcard campaign of the Uniting Church SA. Notes CONTENTS THE RESOURCE The Children and Family Ministry Team of All Age Worship Notes ................................. 2 Mission Resourcing SA has prepared these What is all-age worship? notes to help congregations plan worship Why have all-age worship? that involves people of all ages. Planning all-age worship A planning team You may make as many copies of the notes Suggested planning steps as needed for your worship planners and Rehearsal leaders. The use of music and other copyright Invitation and advertising elements is not covered in this permission. Hospitality Bible quotations, unless otherwise noted, are Worship space from the New International Readers Version. Visuals Music For other intergenerational worship ideas see: Movement http://sa.uca.org.au/cfm/ministry-leaders/all- age-worship/ Relationships Science and mathematic If you use these resources, please let us know Nature how you use them. Send a brief email to Sermon [email protected]. Worship leaders Something to take home UPSIZING & DOWNSIZING Easter worship notes .................................... 6 This resource can be used by large or small Lectionary texts congregations and can even be adapted for Easter and baptism use in a home setting. Easter song Easter prayers Each planning group will need to adapt the Easter postcards ........................................... 8 ideas to suit their own particular situation: the Easter Bible study .......................................... 9 people and the facilities. Easter shell ................................................... 10 Sample worship service ............................ 11 CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRY 1 MISSION RESOURCING SA All-Age Worship Notes WHAT IS ALL-AGE WORSHIP? Worship leaders are forced to focus on the basics of theology and of worship in a way We worship to show the value (worth) we that is clear and creative. This benefits place on God and our relationship with God. everyone. Intergenerational (all-age or whole-church) There are also some practical aspects to all- worship is, first and foremost, worship. age worship at Easter time. Worship is an encounter between God and Australians see Easter’s long weekend as a God’s people; a dialogue in which God family time. We want worship to add to, speaks and people respond. rather than detract from, the family Intentionally intergenerational worship experience. allows this dialogue to take place in a This applies to your church members and their variety of ways, engaging several senses, extended family that joins them at Easter possibly including the sense of wonder time. It also applies to guests, fringe-members and the sense of humour and people in the community who are drawn focuses on a single, clear theme and to attend church once a year at Easter. connects that theme with the lives of the The guests you invite to your church at Easter worshipers may be of any age. You want to plan a provides worshipers (young and old) with worship that does not exclude anyone who an experience they can remember and comes — either physically, by inference or by carry into their lives beyond the worship what you do and say. experience encourages interaction and dialogue PLANNING ALL-AGE WORSHIP among people of the various generations All age worship has elements of spontaneity and people with different personalities, and the unexpected. This is one of the special experiences, life-styles and interests. gifts young children and new-to-church takes seriously the understanding of the adults can bring to worship. church as the multi-faceted body of Christ Plan well and keep the logistics as simple as recognises and values the children present possible, so that there is a clear flow to the in the worshiping congregation and ‘the worship that all worship leaders understand. child within’ each adult. They will not be over- burdened or stressed at the last minute. And they will be able to cope WHY HAVE ALL-AGE WORSHIP? with and embrace the unexpected. The biblical model of the Church is of a body As early as possible, begin working with the with a variety of different parts fulfilling various individuals and existing teams who will different functions; each valuable and all present the service. If needed, organise new working together. teams for this particular service. All parts of such a body suffer when one part People who decorate the worship area have is cut off. All parts of a worshiping a key role and should be involved in congregation suffer when one part is planning. segregated from the others. Your hospitality team is important and should In worship, God speaks to and through be consulted in the planning stage, people of all ages. Whenever children (as especially if you are asking them to do well as elderly and differently-abled people) something different from your usual worship. are present in worship, everyone benefits. Your tech team (and/or people responsible All worshipers have a special opportunity for preparing electronic or printed materials) to practice Christian love should also be involved in planning. All worshipers grow through the acceptance and respect shown by others All worshipers see a different — possibly truer — face of God than if they worshiped with a homogenised group CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRY 2 MISSION RESOURCING SA A PLANNING TEAM REHEARSAL It makes sense to have an intergenerational If your service is going to involve people, team plan intergenerational worship. A movement, props and/or other elements that special team consisting of one person (or are different from your regular worship better, two people) representing the pattern, you will need a rehearsal. youngest, the middle and the oldest age Small groups may practice their part of the groups of the congregation can work with service individually, but you may also need a the pastor/minister/priest or lay ministry team. complete walk through or ‘dress rehearsal’. Planning as an intergenerational team can This will pinpoint any logistical problems, allow be a valuable experience for all involved. the worship leader/s to fine-tune instructions Older members help younger members for the worshipers and ensure that the service understand worship practices; younger itself runs smoothly. members give older members fresh insights and enthusiasm. The walk-through will also help you assess the timing of the service. If it looks as if it will run A team that represents the wider too long, find ways of streamlining or congregation will also have a broader shortening it. awareness of the life situations, needs, attitudes and concerns of worshipers. They You can use rehearsal time to pray together will also know people in the congregation and to remind one another that worship is with skills and interests that can be drawn on not a talent show. Leaders are, themselves, in the worship, including hospitality, music, worshiping God while they help others to drama, visual art and technology. listen to and respond to God. SUGGESTED PLANNING STEPS: INVITATION AND ADVERTISING 1. Begin with prayer, and trust God’s Spirit to The first people to speak to about your guide your planning. service are the worshiping members of your 2. Identify your purpose, date and theme. congregation. Begin early to let them in on the excitement of what is being planned. 3. Look through these notes to see how they Help them catch the vision of a deliberately can help in planning the service God is multi-generational Easter worship. leading you to hold. 4. Develop a worship outline or flow chart. Uniting Church SA postcards can be used as invitations to your Easter worship, and you If you are just starting to think about all- can use the matching posters to promote it in age worship: Begin with your regular public places. worship plan. Consider how some elements of your regular service more Some churches do a letter-box drop in their experiential, more sensory or more neighbourhood with invitational postcards. accessible to people of all ages. Members can give the postcards to special OR If you have had some experience with neighbours, friends and family. all-age worship: look at the resource and HOSPITALITY consider how the sample service, or parts of it, might work in your situation. Hospitality is the responsibility of all members of the congregation. OR If you are regularly engaging in all- age worship: pick up any suggestions in Members who invite and bring guests to the this resource that suit the way you do it. service have the primary responsibility for looking after their guests. 5. Flesh out the outline, considering your own people, traditions and facilities. A designated HOSPITALITY TEAM may have special responsibilities. 6. Work out a preparation plan (to do list) making it clear who does what, when At all times and how. Keep the worship space (and any other 7. With worship leaders plan details of who spaces used) safe: does what, when and how – in the know where to find alternate exits and first service. aid equipment AND know how to use the fire extinguishers (particularly if you are using candles in the 8. Practice! service) CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRY 3 MISSION RESOURCING SA know who has current first aid training VISUALS remove any hindrance to movement — Some people who worship with you like to blocked aisles or doors, cables on the process information in worship and other floor, etc. Remove any broken or parts of life visually. Make sure that you damaged furnishings. provide imagery that they can respond to Before the service and, where possible, opportunities to respond Greet people as they arrive.