Fall in Alabama brings cooler weather and brilliantly colored leaves. It also brings three events in October that offer senior adults the opportunity to renew their spirits and enjoy some beautiful natural settings in the process.
The first two events — the Fall Senior Adult Retreat I, Oct. 10–12, and Fall Senior Adult Retreat II, Oct. 17–19 — will be held at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega.
Coordinated by staff members in the office of discipleship and family ministries of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, the senior adult retreats provide a chance for seniors to get encouragement, as well as new ideas and skills for discipleship, said Eileen Wright, discipleship and family ministries associate.
“The senior adult retreats are great opportunities for senior adults and senior adult leaders to hear new speakers who they can use as resources and to hear about activities they can participate in,” Wright said, noting that the focus of this year’s retreats will be intentional evangelism.
Intentional Evangelism is already spurring senior adults to outreach, Wright said, adding that one group that participated in the Spring Senior Adult Retreat came up with a ministry they wanted to implement in their community. “Sometimes what the senior adults hear at the retreats sparks an interest in a whole new area of ministry,” she said.
This fall schedule includes programs on health, prayer, writing, patriotism, marriage, forgiveness and even holiday decorating. Keynote speakers will be Charles Roesel, pastor of First Baptist Church, Leesburg, Fla., and co-author of “Meeting Needs, Sharing Christ,” a book about ministry evangelism, and Jim Oliver, a former missionary to Colombia who now lives in Montgomery.
Despite a schedule filled with Christian speakers, however, Wright emphasized that fellowship is one of the greatest joys of the event.
“The programs are informative but they really just enjoy being together,” she said.
Wright said the events are like family reunions, and often groups go the same week every year so they can see friends and conference leaders from years past.
Pat Kennedy, a member of University Baptist Church, Huntsville, is planning her fourth trip to a senior adult retreat at Shocco Springs.
Kennedy said her favorite part is the experience of worship and fellowship with other senior adults. “I enjoy meeting people from other churches, and the music and singing are so enjoyable,” she said.
Ed Bowman, minister of education and senior adults at Eastmont Baptist Church, Montgomery, has taken groups to the senior adult retreats for at least 15 years.
Bowman said the fellowship means as much to them as anything else. “It’s a laid-back event, not pressure-oriented at all,” he said. “And in the fall at Shocco, if you don’t do anything but sit on the porch and rock in the rocking chair, that’s enough.”
For information on the senior adult retreats or to register call Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center at 1-800-280-1105.
Later in October, world missions will be the focus at WorldSong Missions Place, the Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union camp in Cook Springs. WorldSong will host a missions festival from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Oct. 27.
The deadline to register for the festival is Oct. 13. This year’s festival will focus on India, which is also the focus of this year’s Woman’s Missionary Union’s mission study.Regina Howell, director of WorldSong, said the format of the festival is interactive, involving participants in discussion groups, food tastings and other activities designed to educate participants about the culture of India and emphasize the work that God is doing in India through missionaries, volunteers and prayer warriors in the United States.
“We will really focus on the opportunities and possibilities for missions work in India,” Howell said.
While the missions festival is not specifically a senior adult event, many seniors do participate, Howell said, noting that no matter a person’s age, it is important to be educated in what Southern Baptist missionaries are doing.
“We as Southern Baptists need to be involved,” she said. “The missions effort is why we came together in the first place, and when we become more aware of the needs around the world, we pray more, we give more and sometimes we volunteer.”
For information about the missions festival call WorldSong Missions Place at 205-884-2437.
Share with others: