Hello, friends, and welcome to the “Ask Traci” column of Treasure Box Tuesday. This is a new feature of my email list and was inspired by the fact that many of the emailed questions I receive are broadly applicable. If you have a question you’d like to ask, please submit it HERE, and I’ll answer it if I can!
Today’s question is from Tammi V:
QUESTION:
Hi Traci! Long time subscriber here. I’m thinking about something that you might have fun thinking through with me.
I’m getting ordained in May (15 years after seminary… God and I took a journey together). I’m being ordained with my friend, who is also the youth minister at my church.
We are getting called to our current positions of children’s minister and youth minister.
We want to take what is generally a very boring and adult ordination and installation service and make it meaningful for the kids and youth we serve and also have places for them to meaningfully participate in the service.
Would you have any ideas of how to do this? We are in the UCC, in a flexible, joyful church who loves our kids and youth, so I imagine if we do this well, it will be welcome by everyone.
ANSWER:
First of all, Tammi, huge congratulations on your ordination and installation service! What a joy and delight! I love that you’re thinking of designing a service that intentionally includes people of all ages. You only get ordained once, so make it special!
A few thoughts as you put the service together:
- This service “sets the tone” for your ministry together with the congregation Ordination and Installation services are the beginning of an important relationship between pastor and congregation. It’s the perfect time to try something new and to signal “This is how we do it” to all present.
- Include all ages in the planning of the service as well. When people are included in the planning of a service, they have more buy in and more commitment to it. Make sure that you, as the newly ordained, aren’t the only one who understands the vision ahead of time.
- Consider a collaborative art piece that can be made ahead of time and mark the moment I’m so excited for my forthcoming book, cowritten with David Csinos Church Together. In that book we offer a variety of collaborative art project ideas that I think might work well. Here are a few that are not in that book.
– Ribbon Banner — If you have one of these BANNER STANDS, ask people to bring in red ribbons of different widths and lengths and sign their names to them. Tie them on the banner stand and process in with it on the day of your ordination. If you don’t have the stand, you can make something with wood or pipe.
Decorate the space creatively — Since ordination and installation is so closely linked to Pentecost, I think I’d be looking at art installations like THIS, or THIS or THIS or THIS. Maybe one will resonate.
What about the bulletin art? Maybe there is an artist of any age who would like to design the bulletin cover… that would make a beautiful statement! If you have several different artists, make them into a collage using canva. Look at this lovely EXAMPLE
- Include all ages in leading worship for the service — People of all ages can help lead the call to worship, prayers, scripture reading introduction to music, ushering, greeting and more. There’s no need to create new “positions,” just make sure all ages are represented.
- Work with the music/worship team to find songs all can sing perhaps you’ll include RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS or RIBBON RINGS for all to wave.
I hope these ideas get you started and, again, many congratulations!
Traci Smith
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