Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
Psalm 145:3,4
God’s greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall laud your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
One of the most beautiful aspects of being an intercultural and multi-national church is its inter-generational nature. When one generation lauds the mighty works of the Lord to another it creates an ambience for cross-generational growing together. With each of the generations having their own expectations of what the church ought to be and with a spectrum of faith levels and multi-cultural experiences, striking an acceptable balance is an interesting challenge. The key aspects we should be focussing on in this process would include
Creating a sense of Family
The Church is God’s family, the place where He invites us to experience grace, love, and community with others. It is not a building; it’s a family of believers who bear each other’s burdens and celebrate each other’s joys. It is a family that constantly expects guests who would be included in the fellowship of the family. The Church is also called a community of broken people helping broken people. It is rightly said- the family of God is like every other family; we are different, yet united, flawed, yet faithful, imperfect, yet deeply loved. In the household of faith, we don’t just attend church; we belong to it, like family. Building this sense of connect with each other would be our primary task to be a meaningful inter-generational community.
Inclusive Worship Styles
Each generation be it the tradition lovers (1928-48), the boomers or the ‘me’ generation (1948-1964), the latchkey generation (1965-80), the generation Y or the millenials (1981-96), the generation Z or the Zoomers (1997-2012) or the Generation Alpha (2013-2025) have their own specific expectations of how worship must happen. We ought to be careful that the language we use and the worship methodology transcends generations and reaches out to all alike. The choice or music and prayers should always keep in mind the multi-cultural and multi-generational preferences. The richness of the Anglican Communion in terms of its diversity should be tapped in making each worship a meaningful experience.
Creative and Dynamic Liturgies
Worship is not about a repeated ritual; it’s about engaging the whole of who we are in a meaningful encounter with God. Creative liturgy breathes life into our expressions of faith, transforming routine into revelation. Liturgical worship is a living, breathing act; when we invite creativity and freshness into our liturgies, we allow the Spirit to speak to people in their own language and culture, making sacred traditions relevant and alive today. It requires work, but it is worth doing that work to make worship meaningful, lively and an enjoyable experience.
A welcoming and Safe ambience
Pope Francis says- “The doors of the Church should be open to all, not as a place to judge or exclude, but as a welcoming home where everyone can find compassion, healing, and love.” The Church is a beacon of hope, a place where people can come as they are and be embraced, valued, and uplifted. A safe Church is one where people can bring their fears, questions, and doubts, knowing they will be met with love and understanding. The Church is not a place for perfect people; it’s a safe haven for those seeking grace, love, and belonging.
Clear Activities and communication across generations
In order to engage beyond barriers of age- age specific activities that each age group can own and be part of must be envisaged. Opportunities to celebrate friendships and milestones must be provided. There must be inclusion of all age groups in leadership and decision making. Clear interactive teaching and learning activities must be in place with a balanced use of technology- traditional and modern. We must recognise that when generations communicate to one another, they don’t just pass down wisdom; they also breathe new life into the Church, strengthening the bonds of faith and community. For the Church to thrive, the wisdom of the elders and the dreams of the youth must walk hand in hand, the children must celebrate being there, the teenagers should find a connect, the youngsters should be able to see what is happening around as revelant to them and the elderly generations must be able to find their niche in its life and expressions.
When we listen across generations, we honor the diversity within our community and build a church that values both tradition, experience and vision for the future. The church is a family with different generations, each with stories to tell, lessons to learn, and gifts to share. True community emerges when every voice is heard. Cross-generational communication bridges the gap between what has been and what could be, giving the Church a deeper sense of purpose and unity.
Vinod Victor
November 1, 2024
Freiburg Anglican Church 