Thursday, May 04 2023
One of my favorite tv shows, despite not having any children of my own, is the Australian children’s show Bluey. Bluey is a series about a blue heeler family with Bluey (6), her sister Bingo (4), parents Bandit (dad) and Chilli (mum), as well as a cast of other family and friends of various canine breeds. Each episode is 7-minutes long and contains a life lesson on a variety of subjects. The episodes showcase the adults in Bluey and Bingo’s lives taking a genuine interest in the children. In the ordinary moments, the adults help Bluey, Bingo, and friends learn valuable life lessons. Thinking about these ordinary moments reminds me of a paraphrase of Romans chapter 12.1, which reads: “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life— your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life— and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him” (MSG). I think we can learn how to be in intergenerational ministry together through Bluey and these ordinary moments. At its core, intergenerational ministry is taking a genuine interest in each other's lives and being open and present in the ordinary moments. This summer we will be offering intergenerational opportunities such as a night out at the ballpark, an evening at the Five Season Ski Show, and an intergenerational art-based group Sunday mornings. I hope you prayerfully consider joining us in these ordinary moments. |