[Article by Conejo member, Kari Odenath.]
One of the gifts of belonging to a church family that spans generations is witnessing the interactions between the old and the young. For example, a few weeks ago, we watched our young children deliver handmade valentines to our senior members during the service. I noticed laughter and smiles, as well as some nervousness on the part of both the children and adults. It is small moments like these that I love so much about our church family. We prioritize involvement of our children with the whole community, allowing them to experience the joy of giving and to receive our loving encouragement in return. My hope is that this plants the first seeds of God’s love in our young ones, while bringing renewed joy and energy to those who are “young at heart.”
Many of us first encountered God through the faith of others. Perhaps it was a parent who prayed over us, a Sunday school teacher who told the stories of Jesus with enthusiasm and care, or a mentor who introduced us to Scripture. For a season, faith is something we borrow. But there comes a moment when faith begins to shift. Often, the shift begins with questions and doubt, followed by trust and the courage to say “yes” to God.
But that “yes” is not the finish line. Faith is living and active, shaped throughout each season of our lives. I admire our senior members who continue to show up each week to hear what our teachers and ministers have to share with them about God. They continue to grow in their faith, and spread their wisdom and experiences to others as well. God speaks to us through teachers, ministers, and each other. Even our teens and children participate, often without realizing it! They remind us what trust, joy, and new faith looks like.
For those of us—like me—balancing work, family, responsibilities, and relationships, our intergenerational church family is a great source of comfort. We are not expected to grow in our own faith, or nurture the faith of our children, all by ourselves. We all have so much we can learn from one another. Older believers plant seeds they may never see fully grown. Younger believers ask questions that stretch and refine the faith of others. Together, we reflect a living, breathing body of Christ. May we continue to be a church that encourages faith to grow, whether we have been believers for many years, are new in our faith, or are still discovering what it means to be a follower of Christ.
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