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As we age, we often find ourselves spending more time alone. Older adults are also at a higher risk for loneliness and social isolation as a result of health changes that can come with growing older — hearing, vision, and memory loss, disability, and trouble getting around.
When we think about creating and leaving a legacy it’s not just a matter of preparing our assets for our family, it’s preparing our family for our assets.
Observed on June 15, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day provides an opportunity for church leaders and congregations to promote dialogue and action on the issues of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
We live in a death-denying culture and most of us would prefer not to think about death and dying. We shove it out of our minds, speak about it only in muffled tones, and keep it at a great distance. But not to think of death is not very smart because we all have a date with it.
An inspirational poem written by ENCORE Ministry staff member Cindy Solomon about people struggling with Alzheimer’s.
Since its inception in 2013, ENCORE Ministry has awarded more than $1 million in grants to 130 congregations and organizations in the TWK Conference. Grant money has helped fund a variety of projects benefitting older adults throughout the conference.
It’s no surprise that John Rivas’s love for his own family and his desire to help other families plan their financial legacies are two of the three most important aspects of his life. The third may be unexpected.
Honoring Kent McNish’s service as ENCORE Ministry’s founding executive director, the Kent McNish Fund for Older Adult Food Security was established.
Firefighter/Paramedic Scott Brotherton and Lieutenant/AEMT Daron Standifird from the Nolensville Fire Department trained Ebenezer UMC members on how to perform CPR and correctly use a defibrillator. Part of the defibrillator cost was offset by an Older Adult Community Service grant from ENCORE Ministry.
If we aspire to grow to be a wise elder, we will recognize that the wisdom of age does not simply happen by living many years and having many experiences. It involves acknowledging and accepting that life requires resilience, flexibility, patience, and sharing this knowledge with others.
Money from an ENCORE Ministry grant was used to transform two small restrooms and an unused Sunday school classroom into an updated and accessible family restroom.
Watch older adult ministry training event held on October 26, 2023. Downloadable resource also available.
What does it mean for our faith, church, and ministry to understand older adults as Keepers of the Meaning?
ENCORE Ministry names John Rivas Its incoming Executive Director. He succeeds Kent McNish, the ministry’s founding executive director, who will retire at the end of 2023.
Our churches are graying. But aging and growing older shouldn’t be thought of as a negative life stage. Aging can be the path leading toward maturity, growth, and wisdom.
Ageism can shorten a lifespan by 7.5 years, according to a 2002 study by Becca Levy. Individuals with a more positive self-perception of aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions.
Helpful self-care tip sheet for grandfamily caregivers
Free webinar on August 29, 2023, helps families navigate dementia journey (will also be recorded and posted).
The role of the church, Sunday School class, or other older adult ministry group in relating to persons moving from their home to age in another place.
The ENCORE Ministry Foundation provided a grant to First United Methodist in Columbia, Tennessee, to help fund their feeding ministry, the People’s Table. Since 2004, the People’s Table ministry serves meals to neighbors in need every Tuesday evening and Friday afternoon, providing nourishment, love, and hope to the homeless, elderly, families, and individuals struggling to make ends meet. However, the need in the community is growing. With the closure of a local battery plant and reductions in SNAP benefits, more families are facing food insecurity.
Together, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus, feeding the hungry, caring for the vulnerable, and showing love to those who need it most. Every dollar you give to the Kent and Ellen McNish Fund for Older Adult Food Security helps feeding ministries stretch resources and serve more meals to those in need. Donate today and help support life-changing feeding ministries like the People’s Table.
