The Heart of the Holy Playground

A ministry of the South Dakota Synod

Holy Playground is for congregations who want to create worship spaces where children are full participants. This work invites you to explore practices that nurture the faith of children through shared prayer, movement, storytelling, music, and community life. Holy Playground supports congregations as they imagine new possibilities, learn from one another, and try experiments that help worship come alive for all ages. Whether your congregation is large or small, Holy Playground is a chance to strengthen intergenerational worship in ways that fit your local context.

The Holy Playground Journey

The Holy Playground initiative begins in the Sandbox, where we listen, explore, and learn from congregations already flourishing in intergenerational worship. From there, we develop adaptable Playground Structures that support the work of future Congregational Cohorts, who engage in coaching, shared learning, and holy experiments across the synod.

  • The Sandbox is where everything begins—a place for curiosity, creativity, and careful listening. During this first year, we listened closely to congregations already flourishing in intergenerational worship. Their leadership helped us understand what children need and what congregations can offer.

  • From that learning, we began building a set of adaptable “play structures”—practices, tools, and ideas that congregations can use to strengthen children’s participation in worship and prayer. These structures are flexible. They are not one-size-fits-all programs but scaffolds that congregations can shape for their own context.

  • Beginning in 2026, congregational cohorts will join a yearlong process of coaching, learning, peer support, and holy experiments. Each congregation will explore practices from the Holy Playground Menu and develop a ministry plan that supports intergenerational worship in sustainable ways.

2026 Congregational Cohort

Step Into Your Cohort Learning Experience

Congregations in the 2026 cohort will join monthly online gatherings, participate in a spring synod-wide retreat, and work closely with a trained coach. Throughout the year, teams will explore developmentally informed worship practices and engage their congregation in at least one holy experiment. They will also apply for grant funding to support their ministry plan and share their learning with peer congregations across the synod.
2026 Cohort --Join Here

Additional Holy Playground Resources

We’re just getting started! In the months ahead, this space will begin to fill with the good stuff—fresh ideas to try in worship, simple tools you can use right away, stories from congregations who are experimenting with joy, and resources from the Holy Playground Menu. Think of this page as the place where new possibilities will land first. As the 2026 cohort begins its work, you’ll see more downloads, examples, videos, and learning tools appear here. Check back often… the playground is about to get busy.

Kids Love Congregations. Congregations Love Kids.

This work is essential to the future of our church.

“I am excited to have children participating in and leading worship. They bring energy and a feeling of the presence of the Holy Spirit. ”

Congregation Leader

“At times it can be difficult to focus because I am wrangling kids. Other times it is joyful seeing their reaction to worship.”

Lutheran Parent

“Often I hear "where are all the kids/youth" from older individuals in the church and then when they show up and want to change things or offer their perspectives and ideas, no one wants to listen. Holy Playground could also help prepare older individuals to actually receive the youth from the congregation in meaningful ways.”

Congregation Leader

“We have a memo on our bulletin board that stays "bring them (children) to church", during particularly louder worship services, I frequently make announcements about the joy of having kids in the worship service.”

Congregation Leader

The Holy Playground Director

Holy Playground is supported by a synod-wide network of leaders, educators, coaches, and ministry partners. The initiative is coordinated by the Holy Playground Program Director and guided by a task force with expertise in child development, worship, education, and congregational vitality. Trained congregational coaches accompany each congregation throughout the cohort year, offering encouragement, guidance, and practical tools.

Rev. Renae Boehmer

Director, Holy Playground Initiative

Pastor Renae Boehmer serves as the Director for the Holy Playground Initiative with the South Dakota Synod, ELCA, where she accompanies congregations across the state as they explore creative, developmentally informed ways to welcome children into intergenerational worship, prayer, fellowship and service opportunities. She brings deep pastoral heart and practical experience to this work, combining her gifts in ministry with a genuine curiosity about how congregations can grow in intergenerational life together. Before leading Holy Playground, Renae served in a variety of ministry roles including children’s ministry direction and pastoral leadership, grounded always in a deep appreciation for relationships, creativity, and faithful community. She is known for her warm approach, her joy in collaboration, and her excitement about listening and learning alongside congregations. Renae loves good conversation, imaginative ideas, and finding meaningful ways to make God’s love come alive in worship and everyday life. She is delighted to walk with the 2026 cohort and all who are joining this initiative, encouraging communities as they build practices that invite people of every age into deeper connection with God and one another.