Horizons Sample

NOV-DEC 2011

Horizons magazine is published by Presbyterian Women (PW) the national women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

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ᑃᑗᑓᑈᑓᑕᑗᑓᑀᑅᑑᑣᑀᑇᑑᑗᑕᑘᑙᑠᑀᑈᑗᑐᑀᑆᑖᑐᑑᑙ ᑁᑐᑢᑖᑡᑠᑀᑕᑗᑀᑡᑔᑑᑀᑄᑕᑒᑑᑀᑘᑒᑀᑡᑔᑑᑀᑂᑔᑢᑙᑉᑔ BY MICHELLE SHULTZ HENDRIX no longer optional, it is an absolute necessity. Why? The future is aging! These are days of tremendous opportunity in the community of faith. In the past, churches often limited older adult ministries to caring for the sick and infirm, supporting the widowed, scheduling periodic social events and conducting funerals. But times are changing! Recently D the PC(USA) reported responses from 40,000 worshipers in a national study of Presbyterian congregations stating almost half of worshipers now are nearing retirement age—"The median age of Presbyterian wor- shipers was 58 in 2001. (The median is the point where half of worshipers are younger and half are older.) Today the median age is 61. For every worshiper between the ages of 15 and 25 there are more than six worshipers over the age of 65."1 Change is not just happening in the church. America, too, is aging! eveloping ministry opportunities for aging adults and new seniors is The population shift is astounding as we move from a predominantly young to an aging population. Between 1900 and 2000, the number of people in the United States who were 65 and older increased from 3 million2 to 35 million.3 In 2009, the number was nearly 40 million.4The U.S. Census Bureau expects that number to more than double in the next 40 years to a population of 88.5 million people 65 and older in 2050 (20 percent of the population).5 The Church's Role Be assured, though, older adults and the so-called new seniors of today are anything but rocking chair bound! All across the nation, one hears the demand for programs and services that support productive, creative, vital and successful aging. Retirement introduces new challenges and opportunities. In our connections with new seniors and aging adults, the Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries Network (POAMN) recognizes a new resolve to break down the stereotypes and create a new understanding of age (see the sidebar on POAMN on page 8). As I have worked with and visited churches around the country for the past 16 years, I've often encountered reluctance by church leaders to concentrate efforts on planning, developing and promoting older adult or new senior ministries. Frequently, there simply is an omission of this age group from focused and deliberate programming. Consistently, in most churches, the focus of ministry programming is on youth, children and young families. While these ministries are necessary and vital, we shouldn't ignore the tremendous opportunity before us to develop disciples for a lifetime— even into old age! Churches that catch a vision for ministry by, with and for older adults and new seniors often find renewal springing up in the church and subsequent numerical and spiritual growth. There is an increasing number of people who are living longer and better than anyone November/December 2011 7 Getty Images

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