Whether your church is large or small, there are senior adults in your congregation who want to feel loved and needed. Many large churches have a staff member who is responsible for senior adult concerns. However, many smaller churches rely on volunteers to coordinate senior adult ministry efforts.
If your church does not have an organized ministry for seniors, pray for the senior members of your church and look for ways both to serve them and to involve them.
The following suggestions will help your church establish or reenergize a senior adult ministry.
– Choose someone who can coordinate activities and serve as a liaison for your group with the church staff. Enlist a committee who can help with the planning as well.
– Invite volunteers to help with the ministry. Many of your group members will want to serve and should be included whenever possible.
– Determine the goals and focus of the ministry.
There are many different ways to structure a senior adult ministry, so your programming should fit the needs of your church as well as the needs of those members who will be participating.
– Consider the following questions. Who will be participating and what needs do these folks have?
Will your programming provide spiritual enrichment, entertainment, information, or a mix of all these?
Should you meet at night or during the day?
Is there space available for your meetings? Is transportation necessary and available?
A survey of senior adult Sunday School classes might provide some ideas as you begin to plan activities.
– Search your church and community for programming ideas.
If your focus is spiritual enrichment, recruit local people who can lead in devotions, Bible study and music.
If your goal is to provide information on topics of interest to your group, consult local law firms, health care agencies, extension offices, museums, colleges, libraries, retirement homes and government agencies.
Many of these organizations may provide speakers free or inexpensively to church and community groups.
Keep your eyes and ears open for musicians and entertainers who might be available for programs as well.
– Consult with the church pastor or financial officer to budget money for senior adult ministries. Remember to include programming, transportation, food, flowers, literature and other needs.
– Announce your programs in advance. Utilize your church bulletins, newsletters and Sunday School classes, but consider local newspaper and radio announcements, too.
– Pray for those who are planning the meetings and for those who will attend.
Don’t worry about numbers — small groups can have as much fun as (and often more than) big groups.
– Finally, enjoy the ministry God has given your church.
For more stories and resources dealing with issues facing today’s seniors, visit the life issue section of www.thealabamabaptist.org. (TAB)
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