Growing Together in Faith
Where children belong and help shape worship
What if worship truly felt like it belonged to everyone?
Across our Area, a movement is growing and inviting people of all ages to share in shaping worship, deepening faith, and building meaningful relationships across generations.
Since November 2025, we have been listening to pastors, leaders, and parents. What we heard was both hopeful and honest:
- A deep desire for children to fully belong in worship
- A recognition that many current practices make that difficult
- A longing for worship that is more participatory, relational, and alive
Some congregations have already begun exploring what it would take for children not only to be present—but to help shape worship in their context.
From the beginning, we knew that listening to children would be essential to this work — and that the most meaningful listening would happen locally, in congregations where children are known and trusted.
And now, we are ready for the next step:
Listening directly to children.
We’re inviting every congregation to take a simple, meaningful first step by visiting the Listening to Children page. There you can:
- Download a simple Listening Guide
- Join a Video Challenge to capture children’s views on worship
Because when children are listened to, they don’t just feel included—they begin to help shape worship and renew the whole church.
This summer, we will gather for a milestone moment in this work.
Intergenerational Worship Summit: June 27, 2026
Gather with us for a day of inspiration, practical learning, and shared imagination as we explore what it means to grow in faith together.
What to Expect at the Summit
The Intergenerational Worship Summit is designed to be more than training.
It is an experience of what’s possible when children belong and help shape worship.
Together, we will:
- Hear real stories and voices—including children
- Explore practical ways to shape worship across generations
- Learn from congregations already experimenting with new approaches
- Imagine what this could look like in your own context
- Take clear next steps as a church
No matter your role, you will leave with both inspiration and practical tools.
Who Should Come
We encourage each church to bring a small team (3–5 people), including:
- A pastor or worship leader
- A parent or caregiver
- Someone passionate about children and faith formation
- Others eager to help shape worship in new ways
Our Core Conviction
At the heart of this work is a simple conviction:
When children and adults listen to one another and share leadership in worship,
the Spirit forms a new kind of church:
one where faith grows deeper,
community grows wider,
and generations grow together in love.
This Is Just the Beginning
The Summit is part of a larger journey.
Following the Summit, congregations will be invited to:
- Continue listening to children
- Experiment with new ways of shaping worship
- Learn alongside other congregations
- Grow in faith and belonging across generations
You don’t need to have everything figured out to begin
Start by listening.
Come ready to learn.
Leave ready to try.
Register for the Summit by June 12
Start Listening Today
- Learn more on the Listening to Children Page
- Download a simple Listening Guide
- Join a Video Challenge to capture children’s views on worship
Growing Together in Faith is a movement across the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church and Peninsula-Delaware Conference of The United Methodist Church Area, nurturing faith and belonging across generations through worship. Made possible through the generosity of the Lilly Endowment.