Ideas for Multigenerational Holiday Celebrations

1. Ideas for Multigenerational Holiday Celebrations Presented by Karen LoBracco & Patricia Infante

2. Webinar Basics • Top Menu Bar: • Emoticons • Message Box • Right side of screen: • Attendees • Message Box • Using the Mute Button

3. Lighting Our Virtual Chalice We light the flame of knowledge; May understanding be with us. We light the flame of love; May caring be among us. We light the flame of holiness; May the unifying spirit be within us. ~Edwin Lynn

4. Introductions • Please share (briefly) • your name • The location of your congregation and its approximate size • your current role

5. Overview

6. Overview

7. Definitions

8. Why do Multigenerational?

9. Patterns of Inter/Multigenerational Experiences

10. Barriers to Multigenerational Events

11. Response to Barriers • We live in a changing world and status quo may mean we are trading “tradition” for relevancy. • We may be missing out on possibilities to grow the spirit of the congregation. • We can learn from the successful experiences of our neighbors. • Be willing to take a risk.

12. Fall/Winter Opportunities for Multigenerational Practice • Thanksgiving • Solstice • Christmas • Hanukkah • Kwanzaa • New Year’s • Martin Luther King Day • Others?

13. Imagine: Multigenerational Social Justice • Collections: • Food, Mittens, Socks, Toys, Adopt a Family • Guest at Your Table, Shared Plate, Heifer • Community Outreach: • Nursing homes, prisons, interfaith events • Shared Stewardship Experiences: • Greens, plant sale, sell lunch in support of a chosen cause.

14. Imagine: Multigenerational Religious Education • Re-imagine low attendance Sundays • Pageant prep, outreach projects • One room schoolhouse • Be flexible during holidays • Families are stressed, traveling out of town, heightened emotional responses. • Share a seasonal story among all ages

15. Imagine: Multigenerational Fellowship Events • Tree trimming • Solstice events, Santa Lucia • Holiday dinners & food related events: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas • Craft/Gift-Making events. • Secret Santa, Shopping babysitters • Carol Sing • Story telling

16. Imagine: MultigenerationalWorship • Consider multiple learning styles: this applies to adults as well as children. • Invite worship associates of different ages. • Invite musicians of different ages. • More music, movement, shorter homily • Multigenerational choir, band, bell choir. • Consider the needs of those for whom the holidays are not as joyful.

17. The Key to Inviting and Including All Generations Everything that makes your worship service more accessible to children makes the service more accessible to adults. From Worship That Works by Wayne Arnason& Kathleen Rolenz

18. Pageants: To do or not to do? • The role of tradition: who is the pageant for? • Scripted v. simple story telling • Performance v. worship • Alternatives to a pageant

19. Web Resources • Creating Effective Intergenerational Worship Services - http://www.uuintergenerational.org – Philosophy, tips plus downloadable worship services • REACH and other UUA lists – subscription information at http://www.uua.org/socialmedia/emaillists/index.shtml • Worship Web – Multigenerational http://www.uua.org/spirituallife/worshipweb/multigenerational/index.shtml • Blog of Kimberly Paquette, Northern New England Multigenerational Ministry Director - http://www.multigenministry.wordpress.com/ • Christmas Pageant in a Box - http://uumetrony.org/services/re%20docs/firstxmas.doc

20. Print Resources • Story, Song and Spirit: Fun and Creative Worship Services for All Ages by Erika Hewitt (UUA) • Come Into the Circle: Worshiping with Children by Michelle Richards (UUA) • When Youth Lead: A Guide to Intergenerational Social Justice Ministry by Jill Schwendeman (UUA) • sUUper plays 2 for holidays and special days by Richard Kimball (Green Timber Publications, rkimbal14@maine.rr.com) • You Can Preach to the Kids Too!: Designing Sermons for Adults And Children by Carolyn Brown (Abingdon) • Would You Like to Hold the Baby and Spirit of the Christmas Tree by Joyce Poley (jpoley@istar.ca)

21. Questions?

22. Upcoming CERG Webinars • Social Media 101 by Beth Casebolt ~ November 16, 2010, 7 pm. • Youth Ministry 102 - by Andrew Mertz, JPD Director for Youth and Young Adult Programs ~ November 17, 2010, 7:30 pm. • Liberal Religious Educator Association Fall Conference Discussion Forum – by Patricia Infante, CERG Faith Development Consultant ~ November 18, 2010, 10 am. • Youth Ministry 102 - by Andrew Mertz, JPD Director for Youth and Young Adult Programs ~ December 15, 2010, 7:30 pm. • The Safe Congregations Series - Beginning in January, a six webinar series on various aspects of safety in our congregations will be offered. The series will feature basic information and some more advanced information on several different aspects of facility safety, child and youth safety, creating good boundaries, right relations, crisis management and more. Check www.cerguua.org for registration information. Additional topics and dates are added on an ongoing basis.

23. Closing Words Do all the good you can, In all the ways you can, To all the people you can, At all the times you can, As long as you can. ~R. Monckton Milnes