In This Issue: “Neighborhood Liturgy: Mister Rogers and Liturgical Formation" (Part 2)

The issue of Liturgy entitled “Worship and Formation,” guest-edited by E. Byron Anderson, explores how the liturgy “schools” the assembly through language, ritual, music, shaping of time, and distortion of its intention. This excerpt from “Neighborhood Liturgy: Mister Rogers and Liturgical Formation” by Michelle Whitlock is about creating intergenerational worship by paying attention to how Fred Rogers’ television show for children incorporated various regular practices to create community. –– Melinda Quivik

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rogers was deeply concerned for the spiritual needs of young children. He lobbied the Pittsburgh Presbytery, a regional body in the Presbyterian Church, more than once to fund a children’s program. Each time he was disappointed in the lack of results. In 1967 he wrote a bold statement to the universal church entitled “Children’s TV: What Can the Church Do About It?” The bold, and rather scathing, document criticizes children’s programming and scolds the church for “failing our children.” It calls on the church to embrace television to meet the spiritual needs of young children. Unfortunately, the church never really responded to the call.

My own concern for intergenerational liturgy echoes Mr. Rogers’ concern for the spiritual needs of children. Too often, the church has failed to care for our children and really build relationships with them. We have failed to be the child’s neighbor, but Mister Rogers has much to teach us. The practices of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood became a ritualistic part of a child’s day and adult care givers also participated in the ritual transitions to Mister Rogers living room and the Land of Make-Believe. . . .

In today’s busy, fast-paced world, Mister Rogers invites his viewers to slow down. He creates time for children and adults to process their experiences and feelings. People need to slow down to really understand a story or truly feel emotions. Slowing down creates time to build relationships with God and with each other. People deserve our time and attention. We also need time with God for prayer and discernment. Rogers said, “if we take time we can often go much deeper as far as our spiritual life is concerned than if there’s constant distraction.” In a liturgical context, we slow down to process the story, connect with each other, and create time for God.

Each episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood begins with the camera slowly panning over a model town. Eventually, the camera arrives in Rogers’ television living room. The camera pauses on a flashing yellow traffic light, a signal to slow down, before moving on to the front door. Mister Rogers enters singing a familiar song, slips off his blazer, hangs it up in the closet and puts on a zip up cardigan sweater. Then he sits down to trade his dress shoes for comfortable sneakers. The slow opening allows the viewers time to orient themselves to the neighborhood.

. . . The slower pace of the Neighborhood helped children follow the program’s storyline, allowing time to process their thoughts and emotions. The pace also allowed children to practice patience and silence.

Rogers often embraced silence in the neighborhood. In one episode, Yo-Yo-Ma played one of Rogers’ songs, “Tree, Tree, Tree.” After the song, Rogers invited viewers to spend a moment in silence to reflect on the song. It was a simple invitation with no expectation placed on the time of reflection. Silence was valued because it plays a significant role in our prayer life. Unintended silence can feel awkward and uncomfortable, but intentional silence can become an essential ritual in our lives.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Michelle L. Whitlock, pastor, teacher, and scholar, currently serves Beach Lake United Methodist Church in northeastern Pennsylvania. Her research has focused on intergenerational liturgy, imagination, and narrative. See “Liturgical Narrative and the Imagination,” Religions 15, no. 8 (2024): 993.

Whitlock, Michelle L. “Neighborhood Liturgy: Mister Rogers and Liturgical Formation.” Liturgy 40.2 (2025), 43–50.