Building Faith’s Top Picks for Intergenerational Curriculum

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published by Building Faith, a ministry of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary. It is shared today with permission. —Allison, ed.

Looking for the “best” intergenerational ministry curriculum? There are a variety of options from different publishers and denominations. The right choice depends entirely on your context and goals. Below you’ll find a list of Building Faith’s favorite curriculum options based on theology, availability, and pedagogy. The articles in our curriculum center can help you identify your needs, capabilities, and hopes. Looking for more support? Join our free weekly Office Hours or reach out via email to buildfaith@vts.edu.

How To Use This List

• For each curriculum “top pick” we list the name, publisher, publication date (if applicable), age group, and a brief summary.
• Click on the name of the curriculum to visit the webpage for the curriculum.
• Click on the name of the publisher to learn more about the theological background of the curriculum and click on the denomination (if applicable) to read their statement of belief.
• As always, when choosing a curriculum for your setting, take into account the theology, Biblical interpretation, context, materials, and representation as you discern which curriculum might be the best fit for your context.

Top Picks for Intergenerational Curriculum (Updated July 2022)

All God’s Children: The Church Family Gathers
Publisher & Date: GenOn Ministries
Age Group: Intergenerational
Summary: Bring all generations together for special events, topics include Advent, Lent, Summer, VBS, and intergenerational retreats. Five to seven sessions in each resource. Details included for theme decorations, menus for eating together, scriptures for Bible study, and ideas for playing and praying together.

Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living
Publisher & Date: The PC(USA) Store (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)), 2020
Age Group: Intergenerational session for each unit included in the congregational guide (additional age groups available include 3-5 years, 6-10 years, youth, and adult)
Summary: This curriculum offers thirty-six units with components for young children, multiage children, youth, adults, and ways to connect the curriculum of worship to other areas of church life. The curriculum emphasizes the life of Jesus and bringing faith practices into daily life.

God’s World
Publisher & Date: GenOn Ministries
Age Group: Intergenerational
Summary: Flexible and simple resources for intergenerational gatherings. Short, easy-to-do sessions consist of reading a Scripture passage, doing an activity based on the passage, and praying together. Seven-sessions in each resource. For use in small or large groups in person, online, or at home.

Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints
Publisher & Date: Watchfire Media
Age Group: Intergenerational (lessons are designed for children ages 8–14 with activity options for younger and older participants)
Summary: This digital companion curriculum is designed to introduce participants to the concepts of “holy troublemaking” as modeled by the people profiled in the book Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints.

Intergenerational Learning Programs & Activities
Publisher & Date: Lifelong Faith Associates (Founders background is Catholic, but sessions are created for use in any Christian church except where otherwise noted)
Age Group: Intergenerational or family
Summary: Intergenerational learning programs on a variety of faith themes for churches to use in intergenerational and family faith formation programming. Topics include: Christian Practices (10 sessions), The Creed and Christian Beliefs (6 sessions), Jesus and Discipleship (6 sessions), Justice, Peace, and Care for Creation (6 sessions), Moral Living (6 sessions), and Prayer (6 sessions).

 

Intergenerational Retreat Resources & Short Series
Publisher & Date: The PC(USA) Store (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.))
Age Group: Intergenerational
Summary: Intergenerational resources gathered by the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. including retreat resources (Connecting with God’s Creation and Shine: Living as Children of God in a Restless World) as well as day-long events and series (for example, Peace Fair and Intergenerational Sessions Based on Mister Roger’s Neighborhood).

Living In Faith Together (LIFT)
Publisher & Date: GenOn Ministries
Age Group: Intergenerational
Summary: LIFT brings two or more generations together to share food, learn, worship, and play. Sessions are stand alone and it can be used with or without children. It is adaptable, offering 4-session units or full 12-session sets for 60-minute (or 45-minute) gatherings.

Living the Word: Cross+Gen Education (Revised Common Lectionary or Narrative Lectionary)
Publisher & Date: Spirit & Truth Publishing
Age Group: Intergenerational
Summary: Living the Word (RCL) is a lectionary-based resource with a dual focus on the assigned Gospel reading and the church festival or season that Sunday falls within. Each lesson also includes at least one activity covering either the Old Testament or New Testament additional readings (first or second readings). Living the Word (NL) is similar but follows that particular lectionary. Additional cross+generational (intergenerational) ministry resources for worship, confirmation, and home use available here.

LOGOS
Publisher & Date: GenOn Ministries
Age Group: Intergenerational
Summary: LOGOS is a weekly intergenerational experience that offers intentional time for all ages to come together to learn about God and experience activities that grow their relationship with God and others. Gatherings consist of Bible study, recreation, a family-style meal, and a variety of worship arts to lead in worship.

Mini Revolutions
Publisher & Date: Illustrated Ministry, 2021
Age Group: Intergenerational (with K-5th option and adaptation for youth available)
Summary: An intergenerational, monthly, digital curriculum. Each week focuses on one scripture passage from the Revised Common Lectionary and provides discussion questions, an activity, coloring page, micropractice, and prayer. This curriculum can be used as Sunday School curriculum for elementary school aged students, in a one-room Sunday School model with mixed ages, in an intergenerational setting, or be adapted for use with youth.

Seeking God Together & Seeking Justice
Publisher & Date: co-published by Brethren Press (Church of the Brethren) and MennoMedia (Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada)
Age Group: Intergenerational (with PreK-K, elementary, youth, adult, and worship resources also available)
Summary: Seeking God Together and Seeking Justice are two separate studies from the Shine Curriculum. Each includes a dozen flexible sessions that explore the theme. Curriculum includes teaching resources, participant pages, and a readers theater for each session.

WE
Publisher & Date: Faith Alive Christian Resources ( Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America)
Age Group: Intergenerational (can be used with any Faith Alive children’s curricula)
Summary: WE offers intergenerational experiences to nurture faith formation for all ages. Gatherings include a shared meal, story, activities, and discussion. Curriculum includes PowerPoint presentations, promotional posters, and take-home devotionals.
Editor’s Note: The theology of this publisher may not be in alignment with the theology of some in the Building Faith community. You can find out more about the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America at the links above.

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