At the 10:45 service this Sunday, we will celebrate the ministry and presence of our older adult church members. As the planning for the worship service took place, those working on the service learned several facts:
• In the past 100 years, our life expectancy in the United States has increased by about 27 years.
• We not only live longer, but we are more active in our later years.
• Older people today enjoy learning and continue to grow in their knowledge and spirituality. Although our physical bodies decline, our spiritual selves will mature.
• Christ's death set an example of how suffering can be reconciling, even though it is painful.
• The experiences of older people bring wisdom and insight to our congregation. There is joy in the harvest of a life-lived spiritual treasure.
• There are opportunities for all generations within our church to worship, work, and play together.
• Mature years bring a special opportunity to redefine our goals.
Unfortunately, we also learned that:
• Many older people have incomes below a subsistence poverty level.
• Many have no medical insurance or very poor medical coverage that pays less than 50% of their medical needs.
• Older people sometimes must be dependent on others for life's necessities.
• Lifestyles today often result in older people having to live a distance from other family members.
Just as we lift up children and youth in our congregation, we also should lift up our older adults. They contribute to the life of our church, and we stand tall upon their shoulders. This Sunday gives us an opportunity to celebrate their wisdom, guidance, and presence in our community of faith.
Won’t you join us?
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