Proximity Isn’t Enough: The Secret Ingredient to Intergenerational Faith

with Eddie Gonzalez,

Impact Fellow, CoGenerate

This week on The Art of Aging, Rev. Beth Long-Higgins talks with Eddie Gonzalez, an Impact Fellow at CoGenerate and a former hospice chaplain, about how storytelling, spirituality, and intergenerational relationships shape our lives and faith communities. Eddie shares his journey from business student to journalist, creative writer, and chaplain, and how growing up in a multigenerational household formed his reverence for elders, spiritual life, and shared meals. They explore why intergenerational connection is a “superpower” of faith communities that is often underused, the challenges of age segregation and power dynamics in religious spaces, and how intentional co-creation across generations can transform communities. Drawing on Cogenerate’s Honest Conversation Project and related reports, Eddie highlights the deep hunger across ages to be seen, heard, and taken seriously, and emphasizes moving from mere proximity to shared purpose, from outreach to genuine co-creation, as a key mindset shift for building thriving, intergenerational spiritual communities.
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Notes:

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

  • Eddie’s Unexpected Journey From Business to Journalism and Chaplaincy (1:56)
  • Growing Up in a Multigenerational Household and Its Lasting Impact (4:56)
  • Dinner Table Stories, Laughter, and Being Truly Seen and Heard (6:40)
  • Introducing CoGenerate and the Honest Conversation Project (9:20)
  • Why Intergenerational Relationships Are a Faith Community Superpower (10:08)
  • Power, Authority, and Age Segregation Challenges in Faith Communities (13:09)
  • Proximity vs Purpose and What Really Builds Intergenerational Bonds (22:15)
  • What Different Generations Want Each Other to Know (24:39)
  • Scripture, Storytelling, and Everyone as a Teacher Across Generations (28:59)
  • Moving From Outreach to Co-Creation as a New Mindset for Churches (32:18)
  • Eddie’s Reflections on His Own Aging, Growth, and Inspirations (35:10)
  • Final Thoughts and Takeaways (38:13)

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com. 

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