Intentionally intergenerational

For over 20 years, ROOTS resources have been helping churches bring generations together - with practical worship ideas each week to help everyone share, serve and learn.

We offer an outline for all-age worship for every single week of the year. In the example below, we show how you can use these resources intergenerationally to:

• deepen relationships 
• explore the Bible
• experience God
• develop holy habits
• live out faith...

...together.

Sample outline for all-age worship: Walking humbly with your God
	Please do feel free to use these resources in your own church. In our Bible curriculum (which follows the readings listed in the Revised Common Lectionary) we use this material on Sunday 29 January 2023 - but you can use it at any time you like.

In this week's resources, we explore opportunities for growth in life's darker times.

We all experience times of challenge and sadness - whatever age we are. In this service we look to Scripture to see how we can find ways to grow through such times.

Gather
Gathering the group and introducing the theme

First impressions

ROOTS always offers at least one image to introduce the theme. Ask an open question that allows everyone to engage at their own level. For example: 'What do you see?'. Every response is a valid one – that is what they see!  

You can then follow up with the suggested questions in the worship outline. These questions are designed to help you take people on a journey - from talking about the image itself, to reflecting more deeply. It also gives everyone an opportunity to share ideas and be open to each other's perspectives. 

Gather activity

Our weekly Gather activity is a straightforward, often light-hearted, activity to break the ice. Although straightforward, it does profound things:

• it grounds the service in people's own experiences
• it paves the way for them to think about how the Bible readings resonate in their own lives
• by sharing experiences and perspectives, it helps everyone to get to know each other better - deepening relationships across the generations.

Share the Word
Fresh ways to present the Bible reading each week - such as a dramatic presentation, or with music or images in the background. This helps to engage everyone of different ages and immerse them in the Word.

Explore and respond 
Five active worship ideas to help everyone explore the reading more deeply, and to respond in faith. You can use these ideas in sequence, or individual items can stand alone.

These active worship ideas help everyone think and talk, pray and sing, make and do - together. 

Spiritual styles: helping all ages connect with God

You may have spotted a note next to the activities, for example:

This shows which spiritual styles are included in the activity. Spiritual styles are different ways in which people connect with God. The four spiritual styles, as defined by David Csinos, are:

• Word
• Emotion
• Symbol
• Action.

Rather than offering activities that might appeal to particular ages, we enable you to incorporate a range of spiritual styles into your worship planning. The greater the range of styles in your worship, the greater the chance of having something for everyone - whatever their age.

Find out more about ROOTS and spiritual styles (opens in a separate window)

Go with God
Enabling all ages to reflect together on what they've just explored, and how that can help them live out their faith over the coming week.

Go with God 24/7
Encouraging everyone to put their faith into action

All generations can engage with this simple action to do all through the week. Why not encourage members of the same household to do this together - developing holy habits as they do so?

ROOTS at home
Helping all generations to explore the Bible, pray and grow in faith during the week

Ideal for individuals, or as a support to families as they journey in faith together.