Church has role to fill with aging population, expert says

Written: 2/17/2005

Montgomery, Ala. – As the older adult population in the United States increases, the United Methodist Church has a significant role to fill in ministry with those persons, according to Dr. Richard Gentzler, a renowned expert on the subject of older adults. Gentzler, Director of the Center on Aging and Older Adult Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship, brought his perceptions on the opportunities the church has to minister to older adults during two “Graying of the Church” seminars held this week in the Alabama – West Florida Conference. The seminars were hosted by the Alabama – West Florida Conference Older Adult Committee.

During the three hour seminars in Montgomery and Pensacola, Dr. Gentzler shared some revealing statistics about our nation’s aging population with attendees.

Sixty-two percent of members in the United Methodist Church are 50 years of age or older and nearly 50 percent of the membership is 60 years of age or older. While in 2000, there were slightly over 50,000 centenarians (persons 100 years or older) in the United States, that number is expected to rise to 1,100,000 by 2050. The dramatic shift in the demographics of the country will create new challenges and opportunities for churches.

Working with seminar attendees, Gentzler challenged many popular myths about aging, noting that “as we get older, we are the least homogenous than at any other time of life.” Because all older adults are not the same, there are a variety of ministry opportunities for churches to meet the aging population’s varied needs.

Gentzler “busted” many myths by revealing facts such as that the highest suicide rates are among white men over the age of 75 years and that only five percent of older adults are in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities.

According to Gentzler, one of the biggest struggles of aging comes from living in a culture that primarily celebrates youth. “The issue is that for many of us, we think that perfection is really remaining young. Yes, old age is difficult, but so is all of life. The teenage years, young adult years, those 40’s and 50’s years when we’re trying to climb some imaginary success ladder - they all are difficult. But, old age is essential because it teaches us how to live like human beings. It teaches us to know that as we grow older, we have the possibility and potential for wisdom and ways to encounter God in ways we never had the opportunity to do when we were younger. Now we have the opportunity to know what God really has in store for us – what our purpose in life may really be about.”

While Gentzler recognized the two great problems of older adulthood, health and finances, he feels that perhaps an even greater problem is the loss of a dream – a vision. “I believe it is important for congregations to help older adults recapture purpose.”

Another major role Gentzler feels that the church will have to fill in the future is training volunteers to be caregivers. Speaking to church leaders, he said, “If you’re not already training caregivers, if you’re not already training volunteers to be in ministry with older adults, you are going to be left behind.” According to Gentzler, part of this increasing need for caregiviving through the church is due to the decreasing birth rates. The decrease means that, on average, as “baby boomers” age there will be fewer children to act as caregivers for their parents.  “The church is going to have to step up in its ministry of caregiving.”

The seminar gave attendees many ideas of new ministry models for older adults. Ideas that local churches could implement included: Adult Day Services, Homebound Sunday School (via conference calls), Intergenerational Retreats, Respite Care, Senior Bulletin Boards, Worship services specifically for the homebound, and Nursing Home Vacation Bible School.

In his final words, Gentzler offered these inspiring words to older adults. “Live your life faithfully with God. Don’t get caught up in what the culture or society may say - live intentionally that God would have you age. Combat ageism; for we are all worthy in the sight of God – no matter what age we are.”

For more information on Dr. Gentzler’s book, The Graying of the Church, please visit http://www.gbod.org/coa/center_sage/spring04/page12.html

###

Comments

There are no comments
be the first to post one...

view discussions throughout the site