By Amanda Hinthorn, Sun Prairie United Methodist Church, Sun Prairie, WI
It has been a tradition in our LOGOS ministry at Sun Prairie UMC for several years to host Heart of the Church Night around Valentine's Day. We send invites to members of our congregation who fall into the demographic of age 55 and better.
Our elementary students and table parents welcome these guests during our Family Time. We spend time the week before talking about what it means to have a guest at our table. Then we let the kids practice what they've learned. It is by far one of my favorite nights of the LOGOS year.
For our seniors, it is a night to connect with young hearts. Some of them have families that are far away. Some of them live at home alone now and eat most meals by themselves. It is our chance to honor them, show them love and care, and connect them to our LOGOS family. We teach our kids that we do all of this because they are the heart of our church.
This year I was excited for my son to have the chance to sit with a couple who has been setting tables for LOGOS for almost 20 years. We were talking that afternoon about the plan for the night. I asked my son if he knew who the couple was and he was able to describe them right away. My eight year old then said something so powerful.
"Mom that is one of the great things about LOGOS. I know a lot of older people at church and they know me. They talk to me all the time. They know stuff about my life. That is what makes LOGOS so cool."
LOGOS is impacting our church in so many ways. One of the greatest is the relationships between children and those that are young at heart.
How does your LOGOS ministry impact intergenerational relationships in your church? Share your story via the LOGOS Ideas Group on Facebook or in the comments here.