This Young Church Project
This Young Church Project is a dedicated year of discernment for churches who are wondering and praying about how to center themselves more around children and youth, especially in worship spaces. This year's cohort includes: St. Mark's Church in Portland with Rev. Jessica Wachter, Calvary Church in Columbia with Rev Ann Dieterle, and Hope Church in Town and Country with Rev. Jared Moore. The mentors from these projects are two experienced ministers: Rev. Carrol Davenport (whose church, Trinity Church in Kirksville, went through the pilot year of This Young Church Project last year) and Brett Rutledge, who leads Children's Chapel at the Church of St. Michael and St. George.
Each church has a team who will train throughout the year, and make small holy changes in order to become more welcoming to a younger generation. Our content around intergenerational worship will come from expert practitioner, Sarah Bentley Allred, as she provides us with teaching from the "Roots and Wings" project, funded by a Lilly Grant. (https://vts.edu/resource/
The year will consist of two in-person gatherings, two virtual gatherings, and three visits from leader Rev. Erin Pickersgill and mentors. We can't wait to see how this intentional work around intergenerational worship allows our churches to grow more and more into the likeness of children!
**The application process will be open in Spring 2026. Please contact Rev. Erin Pickersgill (epickersgill@diocesemo.org) if you would like to be invited to apply for the 2026-2027 cohort of This Young Church Project.