Aging And The Church

THE MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS OF WOW – TO COME

As I prepare to post comments from WOW participants at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Webster, New York (near Rochester, New York), I am chunking my future posts into categories that seem as though they might be helpful for readers. Possible categories are:

The outreach (to other churches) aspect of WOW

The importance of the weekly aspects of WOW

The Helpfulness of Diverse Activities every week (nurse visits, exercises, program presentations, lunch, and friendships.

The Volunteer nature of WOW “workers”

Why do people come? How about newcomers?

If there are some aspects of the WOW program that you readers want to hear about, please speak up. Either identify your questions or comments in the Comment section of this blog or if you prefer, email me directly at bruroberts@gmail.com

Bruce

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In response to this 2011 classified ad in The Lutheran magazine, “I need examples of how churches enable members over 65 to feel that they matter.” the stories of effective church activities and programs rolled in from parishioners and clergy across the country. They were testaments to the importance of purposeful and lively outreach to and from older adults and clergy leadership in our churches. Subsequently I have used those stories in my classes to illustrate the roots of well-being for older adults.

I continue to seek examples of church activities and programs that enable older adults to feel that they matter. This blog is an attempt to broaden the reach of these stories -- to enable more people to know and share a diversity of helpful activities and programs that enable older adults to sense that they “belong” and that they can “contribute” in ways that are meaningful. To matter, is to sense that wherever you are, you make a difference in life. It is a state of mind, your mind, that affects your life and well-being.
All readers are encouraged to write comments and reply to the writings of others. If you prefer, you can write directly to me at roberts@stolaf.edu.

Bruce Roberts

Notes

I have retired from teaching at St. Olaf College, but I still teach in the Cannon Valley Elder Collegium (http://cvec.org/) here in Northfield, Minnesota. My last class was The Art and Science of Mattering as we Age. For me, it is important to help older adults broaden their horizons of possibility and encourage them to build social and collective resources together – and have fun in the process! The core of this positive broaden and build dynamic is the widespread use of use of little “acts of mattering” to foster well-being and resilience in each other.

Aging And The Church

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