Description
Easter is a day for joy and celebration in worship, but sometimes young children and those with sensory issues get lost in the shuffle. Though congregations tend to offer a “family” service for Christmas Eve, Easter morning services are often only offered in a more traditional style, leaning on the children’s sermon and Sunday School to fill in the learning gaps for younger worshippers and those with disabilities. Traditional Easter services often also include brass instruments and louder organ music which can be difficult for those with sensory sensitivity. In addition to these challenges, families in our congregations spend less time attending other Holy Week services and the Easter service must carry more weight in telling the whole story of the lows of Jesus’ betrayal and death to the joy of his resurrection.
This workshop will explore our congregation’s journey in creating a fully intergenerational worship service for Easter that eliminates some sensory triggers, invites greater congregational participation, and supports learning the broader story of Holy Week–not just that of Easter morning. With our congregation’s learning process as a model, attendees will participate in an assessment process for their churches and begin developing their own intergenerational Easter service that engages a broad range of worshippers with age, learning, and sensory differences.
Workshop Leader: Jen Riddle
Jen Riddle is the Director of Children, Youth, and Young Adult Ministries at First Presbyterian Church, Columbus, IN. As a behavior analyst and pastor, she advocates for including folks with all abilities in the full spectrum of congregational life.
Co-Leader: