Today we pray for our Muslim brothers and sisters in Quebec City after the horrible shootings at the mosque there. As Christian Boomers, we must stand with our Muslim brothers and sisters against hate.
Month: January 2017
The S.A.G.E.
Check out this wonderful resource on boomers and spirituality from the United Methodist Church, The S.A.G.E. Fall 2016 newsletter!
The Fall Issue of The S.A.G.E. is focused on the Baby Boomer generation and how the church can be present for members of this generation. Also featured are reports on the Committee on Older Adult Ministries (COAM) meeting and Boomerstock.
This issue contains the following articles and more:
- Baby Boomers: The Church’s Linchpin Generation
- Fall 2016 Committee on Older Adult Ministries Meeting
- Boomerstock: 3 Days that Changes a Generation
- Listening and Hearing May Go a Long Way
- Pioneer Churches: Churches with a Vision for Boomer Ministry
- Changing Before Our Eyes
You can download The S.A.G.E. as a PDF from the United Methodist Church website, and earlier issues are also available to read here.
Boomer Spirituality: Seven Values for the Second Half of Life
It’s finally here!
Craig Kennet Miller, an expert on Boomers and Spirituality, has now published his latest book: Boomer Spirituality: Seven Values for the Second Half of Life.
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in September I had the opportunity to hear Miller share his findings on this important topic at Boomerstock, a conference for and about Baby Boomers, sponsored by the United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. This is a great resource for Boomers who want to explore more deeply their spirituality. It is also a great tool for clergy and church study groups who want to find ways to connect better with their Boomer members. Younger members, too, will find this a helpful resource in understanding their Boomer parents better. So it’s a win-win-win for everyone!
You can pre-order the book on Amazon here.
What kind of legacy do you want to leave?
Happy New Year! Here we are, already two weeks into another new year! Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? How are they going? If you are finding that you are having trouble keeping those goals you have set to lose weight, exercise more or de-clutter your home, maybe it’s time to think differently about New Year’s resolutions.
Here’s a thought. For 2017, why not consider what kind of legacy you wish to leave?
One of the pioneers in ministry to those in the second half of life is Amy Hansen. Hansen has written extensively on the subject. I love the story she tells about a time she was speaking with a very dedicated retired gentleman. She asked him how it happened that he devoted so much of his time to serving his church and community. Here’s what he said:
When my granddaughter was a little girl, I used to sing a song to her that went like this:
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
All good girls go to heaven.
When they get there, they will say,
‘We love Jesus every day.’
One day, I overheard her singing the song in another room. She sang:
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
All good grandpas go to heaven.
When they get there, they will say,
‘GOLF, GOLF, GOLF, GOLF, every day!
WE LOVE JESUS EVERY DAY.’
At this point, Amy says that she cracked up laughing, but he looked her straight in the eyes with a serious look on his face and said, “Amy, in that moment, I saw myself through the eyes of my granddaughter. She saw what my passion was, and this was not the legacy I wanted to leave.”
Now, there was nothing wrong with this man’s desire to play golf. It can bring him exercise, time with friends and acquaintances, and fun. It is a pleasure that he should keep in his schedule, but as he himself came to understand, it’s a hobby that needs to be balanced with those things that engage one’s soul and which bring true meaning.
Unlike many of the resolutions we make, creating a legacy is not just about improving oneself. It’s about helping others and making a difference in the community around you.
Consider where and how God is calling you into service in this New Year. Are you being called to serve at the local food bank? Are there people in your faith community who are lonely and housebound and would love to have you visit? Is there a program at your neighbourhood school or library where you can volunteer to help refugee children learn to read? Can you volunteer at the local hospital or Habitat for Humanity? Alternatively, you may wish to think about becoming a Big Sister or a Big Brother.
Make this still very new year one of your best ever! Share your gifts and talents with others who need your help! Create a legacy of the spirit.
The story included in this blog post is excerpted from Amy Hanson’s Baby Boomers and Beyond: Tapping the Ministry Talents and Passions of Adults Over 50 (San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 2010) p. 185.
Boomerality 