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Mid-Atlantic OAMNews
January
2003 Older Adult Ministries Committee, Synod of the Mid-Atlantic, PC( Sunnyside Communities The Presbyterian Homes, Inc. of NC |
Mid-Atlantic
OAMNews – is a monthly
e-newsletter dedicated to the promotion of spiritual health and well-being of
older adults and their families – offering information, resources, model
ministries, stories, and humor!
In this issue:
- A
- Outstanding Older Adult Award 2003
- Myths and Realities
- National News on Aging
- Congregational Sharing
- Calendar of Upcoming Events
- Mother’s Day/Father’s Day Offering 2003
A
In their book Aging, The
Fulfillment of Life, Henri Nouwen and Walter Gaffney define aging as the gradual fulfillment of the life cycle in which
receiving matures in giving and living makes dying worthwhile. Aging is an experience that is so
profoundly human that it breaks through the artificial boundaries between
childhood and adulthood, and between adulthood and old age with a rainbow of
promises. It can move from the darkness
of pessimism into the way of light and hope.
For example, an aged person like Simeon (Luke 2:25-32) can break through
all pessimism and reveal new visions, new sounds, and new light for life. Aging can be a growing into the light in such
a way that as we age, we see new visions, hear new sounds, and find new
directions for living in service to God and to our fellow human beings. Jesus called this being “lights of the world
and the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13-16).
Thus, aging is so filled
with promises that it can lead us to discover more and more of life’s
treasures. Aging is not a reason for
despair, but a basis of hope; not a slow decaying, but a gradual maturing; not
a fate to be undergone, but a change to be embraced.
Aging is the fulfillment in
life that God revealed through Jesus.
The death and resurrection of Jesus has become the sign of continual
hope and new life for many who seek the light in their aging lives. Jesus was the light that came into the
darkness, and revealed to us that the life cycle of aging
is not a return to second childhood, but
one step forward in the journey of our salvation.
Nouwen and Gaffney remind us
that every human being has only one life cycle to live, but together our aging
can become the fulfillment of the promise of him who by his life, aging, and
death brought new life to the world.
Every man and woman who has discovered the deep meaning of his or her
own aging, therefore, has a unique opportunity to enrich the quality of his or her
own life by sharing the experience of aging as a fulfillment of life with
others.
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Outstanding
Older Adult Award 2003
We invite all congregations
to nominate a person 60 yrs+ for this year’s Outstanding Older Adult
Award. Nomination materials were sent to
each church in November and are also available them from our website. Please submit your nomination to your
presbytery office by March 3, 2003. The purpose
of the award is to honor a person who exemplifies positive images of aging
personally, in the life of the church and/or community. Further, this nomination process offers an
opportunity, at every level of the church, to recognize older persons who, by
their example, serve as role models to all the generations for growing older
with a sense of God’s grace.
Questions? E-mail Jan at
jmcgill@bev.net
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Myths and Realities + A Resource
Most older Americans believe
that taking care of their health is very important, but the majority do not
feel knowledgeable about how to prepare for a healthy old age, according to
“American Perceptions of Aging in the 21st Century.” Participants in the continuing NCOA (National
Council on the Aging) study rated having a family and
friends (88%) and taking care of one’s health (86%) as most important to a
meaningful and vital life, followed by spiritual life (67%). However, only 36% claimed to know ways to
prepare for a healthy old age. To
view the most recent information, go to www.ncoa.org
and click on Publications. Go to
Research Publications and choose to download
“American Perceptions of Aging in the 21st Century”
Pamphlet.
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National News on Aging – Visit our website to keep up with current events
in the field of aging by reading NCOA Week and Global Action on Aging.
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Congregational Sharing – submitted by Shelby Jean Whitt, Advocate of Aging
for Presbytery of Eastern
Although I loved the church I was
going to and the people attending, it
hit me one Sunday there was something missing. I
saw folks come to
worship every Sunday with the same bland expression
before and after the service and I felt something was missing.
After some discussion with others in the church the
idea was set in
motion to promote a fellowship evening once a month
for the congregation
and friends. Dinner was prepared and a charge of
$4.00 covered the cost
of the food.
In the beginning we had dinner and a show for the congregation once a
month (now every other month). I asked different members to be in the shows
– to sing, tell stories, to dance, and do skits. We began to see each other in
a different light. People were responding in a friendlier way. The greatest
benefit was to see how the attitudes changed on Sundays: everybody smiling when they came to and from
the church. I felt the people were not
"missing" anymore. It’s amazing what smiles and hugs can do for the
congregation. I know God has blessed and
is blessing each of us through this Fellowship.
We have been doing this program over 10 years in
our church and it’s still
a fun evening of Fellowship and Foolishness and
thus was born the Squires
Prime Time Players.
It is through the love of
God the Father that we have been blessed.
Post Script: Does this
story ring any bells with your congregation?
If you’d like to correspond with Shelby, you may find her at shelbyjwhitt@juno.com.
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Mark Your Calendars!
Leadership
Events
February 15: Equipping
the Saints in Norfolk, VA sponsored by the Presbytery of Eastern
Virginia: go to this link http://www.pcusa-peva.org/index.htm
and click on What’s New.
March 1: The
Mega Event in two locations!
Sponsored by New Castle Presbytery.
Keynote and workshops taking place simultaneously at Westminster
Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE and at Wicomico Presbyterian Church on
the Eastern Shore of MD! Theme: Leading Change in the Church. For information contact the Presbytery
office: (302) 366-0595 or by e-mail at ncp@ncpresbytery.org
March 31-April 2: Come
to Massanetta and bring a group of adults prepared for a good
time! Come to study the Psalms with a
knowledgeable leader and expect large doses of enrichment, fellowship,
education, and fun. For information
contact Laura Holbrook, Program Director at Massanetta at laurah@massanettasprings.org Phone:
888-627-7774
****March 20-22: Encircling
Care: A New Vision for Congregational
Caregiving, Louisville, KY, sponsored by Health Ministries PC(USA) and
The Center for Congregation and Family Ministries, Presbyterian Theological
Seminary. For Clergy, Specialized
Ministers, Parish Nurses, Pastoral Counselors, Seminarians, and
Caregivers. Conference details at www.pcusa.org/health/usa
and look for the name of this conference.
May 12-16 at Montreat: Skills in Older Adult Ministry: Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow.
October 6-10: Fall Older Adult
Conference
October 23-25: POAMN (Presbyterian Older Adult
Ministry Network) Annual Conference, in Tempe, Arizona at the Fiesta Inn. Theme: Health, Spirituality, Well-Being.
Workshops:
Conscious Aging, Native American Spirituality, Reader’s Theater, Grief,
Healthy Ministry, Low Impact Exercise, Taize, Needs Assessment, Presbytery
Representatives, Introduction to Older Adult Ministry
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Plan Ahead! Mother’s
Day/Father’s Day Offering 2003
Please plan to honor your loved
ones by:
·
Participating
in this year’s Mother’s Day/Father’s Day Offering in May or June
·
Celebrating
Older Adults Month in May by planning a special worship service, program, or
activity. Watch for information on
resources in upcoming newsletters
·
Contributing
to the Mid-Atlantic OAM Endowment Fund (PCUSA Foundation)
Grand Expectations
An intergenerational tour to Great Britain – June
26-July 8, 2003, featuring Yorkshire, Holy Island, Durham Cathedral!!! Led by
Have a story or model to share? Comments?
Suggestions for articles?
Questions? I’m glad to hear from
you at jmcgill@bev.net.
Associate for Older Adult
Ministries