The Next Gen Department of The Wesleyan Church is thrilled to announce it has been awarded, through Lilly Endowment Inc., a $1.25 million grant to fund the “Kids in Worship Initiative,” a project aimed at transforming how we engage children in corporate worship and prayer. This five-year initiative, set to launch in January 2025, will help Wesleyan churches build more inclusive and intergenerational worship experiences.
The program is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative, a national initiative designed to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate worship and prayer practices.
Kids in Worship Initiative will focus on training pastors and ministry leaders, equipping churches with resources and curriculum, and inspiring a movement toward worship services that fully include children, especially those in K-4th grades. One church from each Wesleyan district is invited to participate in a two-and-a-half-year journey of growth and exploration. These churches will commit to holding six intergenerational worship services and will receive financial and training support to enhance their worship spaces with sensory and visual components.
Selected churches will also receive a resident ministry student for two-and-a-half years to support the work along with resources and guidance to create worship services that reflect the beauty of multiple generations worshiping together.
“When we invite children into the heart of worship, we open the door for all generations to experience God and the mission together,” shared Dr. Ed Love, executive director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship. “Through initiatives like the Kids in Worship project, we not only shape the faith of our youngest members but create richer, more vibrant worship experiences that reflect the beauty of intergenerational unity in Christ.”
“We do not believe there is a junior Holy Spirit,” stated Reverend Santes Beatty, director of Next Gen Multiplication and Discipleship. “This grant helps us to live into the belief that our children have the ability to not only experience worship led by others but are empowered to participate and lead in ways that can point others to Jesus as well.”
The Wesleyan Church is one of 91 organizations funded through the latest round of the initiative. These organizations represent and serve congregations in a broad spectrum of Christian traditions including Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox, Anabaptist, and Pentecostal faith communities. Several organizations are rooted in Black Church and Hispanic and Asian American Christian traditions.
This is an exciting opportunity for congregations to lead the way in nurturing intergenerational worship and fostering a sense of belonging for children within their church services. We believe this will not only shape our children’s faith but also enrich the worship experience for all ages. We anticipate applications for church participation will be available between April and June 2025 with selection by September 2025.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Rhyne, program director at kids@wesleyan.org. We look forward to this transformative initiative.
