Description
An article in 2024 by Mark Yoder stated that 70% of youth leave the church after graduation. Programs in youth ministry that are intergenerational help youth feel connected to all generations within the church and without. This connectivity helps sustain membership, enriches the lives of all members, engages the larger community, and empowers the leaders of the future by valuing the skills and talents of the congregation’s youth. Regardless of age, each member of the church feels valued and loved, drawing them closer to God, and allowing them to be better neighbors. This workshop will present “Fun & the Son,” and participants will leave with specific ideas and activities to create an intergenerational, mission-based summer program.
Workshop Leader: Stefanie Swift
Stefanie is the Program Director for First Presbyterian Church in Troy, Ohio, where she lives with her husband, Aaron and their 16-year-old son, Owen. As Program Director, Stefanie coordinates intergenerational events and programs, including not only Fun & the Son, but “Soular” Eclipse Celebration, Mr. Rogers Day events, Pie Socials, interviews for local radio stations, annual Advent programs, and Lenten book studies. In addition, she has co-facilitated a successful intergenerational Sunday School program, with participant ages varying from 4 to 93.
Co-Leader: