What does it mean for our faith, church, and ministry to understand older adults as Keepers of the Meaning?
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.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day raises awareness of cultural, social, economic, and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.
Each May, congregations are invited to observe Older Adult Recognition Day – the same month our nation observes Older Americans Month. Ideas and links to resources are provided in this article.
My good friend, Rev. Ward Tanneberg writes a blog titled, “Perspective: Living, Learning and Leading in Life’s Third Age”. In a recent blog post, he shared a story that has appeared over the years. As we prepare to celebrate Easter, I thought it would be appropriate to retell the story.
On my desk is a small, unframed piece of paper. While the edges are frayed and the once-white paper is yellowing, it provides an important focus for living my days. It reminds me of who I am and what I hope to become.
Sooner or later, everyone endures bereavement — the experience of the death of a loved one. Our emotional response to bereavement is grief, a personal experience whose duration and depth can vary from individual to individual. Some people recover quickly from a loss and move on. Other people grieve intensely for a short period before finding peace while other individuals feel profound grief for years.
As a child, I had freckles on my nose and cheeks. My body was not covered in freckles like some of my childhood friends, but I didn’t like that I had freckles anywhere on my body. My distain for my freckles was well known to my family.
While retirement has changes and challenges, it also provides opportunities to embark on new adventures. ENCORE Ministry Director Rev. Dr. Richard Gentzler provides an inspiring and alternative view of retirement.
If we reframe aging and discount the aging myth, then we affirm that life can be an exciting adventure through the decades.