Southern Baptists traditionally seek youth for the future of their churches, but the elderly are gaining influence as the United States’ senior population continues to increase.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Americans over the age of 65 rose from 3.1 million in 1900 to 33.9 million in 1996. But the grander growth is yet to come — by 2030, the bureau projects 70 million senior citizens — more than twice that of 1996.
For the year 2000, people over 65 are expected to represent 13 percent of the population but that is predicted to climb to 20 percent by 2030.
Already, individuals 55 and older comprise 20.6 percent of Alabama’s Southern Baptist Sunday School enrollment, coming close to the figure for the Southern Baptist Convention, 21.2 percent, and the state of Alabama’s population, 21.8 percent.
“As we enter the 21st century, older people will outnumber children for the first time in our history. Along with that will come myriad issues and opportunities related to services and programs for older persons of today, as well as the 76 million baby boomers expected to join the ranks of the older population within the next decade,” said Julie McGee, director of the Area Agency on Aging of the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission.
Senior adults will be a “dynamic and influential force in shaping the 21st century,” said Chester H. Jernigan, minister to senior adults at First Baptist Church, Montgomery. “They have a wide range of interests, physical stamina, activity levels, financial resources and personalities.”
“The very presence of more than 900 seniors (60 and older) in the membership of First Baptist (Montgomery) demands our attention,” Jernigan, a minister for 52 years, said.
Seniors from First, Montgomery, give of their talents and expertise by serving in the Caring Center, Child Learning Center and Conversational English School at the church. More volunteering occurs in preschool, church offices and church suppers.
Seniors volunteer at a health clinic that operates thanks to Baptist churches and other denominations. The clinic is part of the philanthropic efforts of the Baptist Health Systems in the Montgomery area. A strong prayer emphasis, “Partners-in-Prayer,” begun by Jernigan’s wife, Nelda J. Jernigan, has more than 1,500 senior volunteers from various denominations across the Montgomery area.Through this ministry, seniors pray for students, parents, school leaders, city, county and state leaders each day from home, focusing on the safety of all individuals who are on school campuses.
Other activities of seniors at First Baptist Church, Montgomery, include Bible studies, fish frys, monthly recreation times, dinner groups and more. There is even a group called ROMEO, which stands for Retired Old Men Eating Out. Joy Singers is a 50-member senior adult choir of the church, which recently presented a musical.
For seniors who aren’t able to be as active, “Helping Hands” offers rides to the doctor, grocery store or simply a visit. The SMART team (Small Maintenance and Repair Team) uses nonsenior adult volunteers from the church to do minor repairs on seniors’ homes or sometimes simply change light bulbs and other tasks considered minor until someone is unable to perform them.
Though some seniors in Alabama are less able to do the things they once did, many of them are, and do. Medical advances, healthier lifestyles and some individuals retiring earlier, make the older population the active population.
Continuing to work part time for the joy and activity of it is Spring Hill Baptist member Sarah Crawford. Mrs. Crawford, who says she is well past retirement age, has worked part time for historic museums and/or historic tour bus companies as a tour guide for about the last 20 years. She was a history and English teacher for several years, before leaving the profession early to raise a family.
Getting out
“My daughter tells me that I still have my ‘captive audience,’ only I don’t have discipline problems. Most people are on vacation and having a good time,” she said. “I sort of go with the old adage that if you don’t use it, you lose it,” she said. “I like people and talking with them — I’m not just a stay-at-home person, and in this job, I meet people from everywhere.”
Cultivating senior adult ministry has been part of Spring Hill Baptist in Mobile for years, but recently, a new aspect of that ministry, Mature Adults Growing in Christ (M.A.G.I.C.), was launched. It revolves around day trips and special meetings at the church, making senior activities accessible for more people, according to Olna Woodall, coordinator of M.A.G.I.C.
Eileen Wright, associate in the office of discipleship and family ministries of the State Board of Missions, Alabama Baptist Convention, said their office supports senior adult ministries by organizing senior adult leadership conferences for Baptist associations who request them. Future topics will be “senior trends” and “ministering to the senior single adult,” she said.
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