One recent Sunday morning as I looked around the church sanctuary, I realized that while the congregation wasn’t large, it included seven generations, from 102-year-old Bob to 20-month-old Isaac.
That morning the people who gave announcements, led singing, shared prayer requests and gave the sermon represented Boomers (born 1946-64), Generation X (1965-1980), Millennials (1981-1996) and Gen Z (1996-2012) while the Greatest Generation (1901-27), Silent Generation (1928-45) as well as Generation Alpha (2013-2025) were represented in the pews.
Researchers say we are significantly impacted by what happens during our formative years, or at least we’re impacted differently than when we are adults. So, it can be helpful in our understanding of one another to be aware of world events, technological changes and other variables that have shaped the attitudes, beliefs and values of each generation.
But there is one thing we all have in common, regardless of the generation we are part of. God created us all with a need to experience love, belonging and acceptance from God and one another.
When Jesus was asked to identify the greatest commandment, he summed it all up in the word “love” (Matt. 22:36-39). The one thing God doesn’t want any of us to miss is love. Jesus lived, died and rose again to demonstrate that he loves us and empowers us to love others. Love is the mark of the church, specifically love for the “least of these” — the stranger, the prisoner and those who are hungry, thirsty, naked and sick (Matt. 25:31-48).
We Mennonite Brethren live our faith from an Anabaptist perspective, with the life and teachings of Jesus at the core. We are disciples of Jesus who seek to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind. We love our neighbors as ourselves and prioritize connecting and supporting one another as a genuine community of faith despite generational differences. This sense of community, of belonging, is important and extends beyond our congregations to the needs of those around us.
Being a congregation that cares for one another and pays attention to the needs around us takes intentional effort. Our spiritual heritage emphasizes Jesus, community and reconciliation. Let’s commit to being people who prioritize authentic relationships so that all of us, from 20 months to 102 years, are part of faith communities that value one another.
Connie Faber joined the magazine staff in 1994 and assumed the duties of editor in 2004. She has won awards from the Evangelical Press Association for her writing and editing. Faber is the co-author of Family Matters: Discovering the Mennonite Brethren. She and her husband, David, have two daughters, one son, one daughter-in-law, one son-in-law and three grandchildren. They are members of Ebenfeld MB Church in Hillsboro, Kansas.
