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Tom, I think there are a number of resources
for working with the aged – both ministering to them and them ministering
to others. I have found many resources through the Centre for Ageing and
Pastoral Studies (CAPS), which has a website here: http://www.centreforageing.org.au/ One of the tools I have used from this
agency is “spiritual reminiscence”. This involves a number of
sessions in which aged people look back over their lives to discover where they
can see the hand of God. I have also found the books by Elizabeth McKinlay
quite useful. Other books are listed here: http://www.centreforageing.org.au/html/publications.htm My wife and I will both be attending the
upcoming International Conference on Ageing, Spirituality and Pastoral Care. Greg Crawford From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Stuart Hi everyone, We have a worship group in Parkes
that nearly 10 years ago had a section of it split off creating what is
(probably not accurately) described as the “contemporary worship
group.” One unfortunate thing that happened
was the original group became described in terms of how it is different to the
break away group and was called the “Traditional Group”. I
say unfortunate because I see that over the years this, and perhaps the other
group, has had a role forced on it in terms of how it is different to the other
rather than whatever it might be that God wanted the group to become. That is a small portion of the
history. So now what we have is a so-called
“Traditional Group” that is near the point of imploding …
they have simply got to that age. While their bodies are frail they have
wonderful hearts. They probably do the typical things that people of
their vintage do. They cater, they have fellowship meetings, they have a
craft group. What I want to see happen is that
this so-called traditional group can discover what it is to be a people of God
at their age – with their confidence in themselves as they walk in the
path God has dreamed for them. Of course the last thing they need is a
call to more work. What needs to happen is for them to take advantage of
their age as an asset for introducing the kingdom into their own lives and the
lives around them. Now I think this has to be an
ENORMOUSLY complex thing and would take considerable energy to break through
the perceptual stereo-typical boundaries we have asserted onto such
groups. It would take a strong will and plenty of time to work out the
new thing God is doing in this context. Is any one else intentionally
working on this in their congregations, or are there any authors on the subject
who may even be able to show some places that have had some wins in this
regard. The truth is that I preached to this
group last Sunday and stirred them up a bit and I’m hoping to catch some
of their anger at me into positive energy of walking a path of exploration as
to how they can sense they are “walking humbly with their God” at
this significant point in their journey of faith and life. Tom [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.milman.uniting.com.au Ph: 6862
5502 Parkes NSW
2870 'Comfort the
afflicted and afflict the comfortable'. I prefer to
die living than to live dying! "War is a
poor chisel with which to carve out the future." - Martin Luther King, Jr "There is
one rule for the industrialist and that is: Make the best quality of goods
possible at the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages
possible." Henry Ford |
- Mission by the aged Tom Stuart
- RE: Mission by the aged Tom Stuart
- RE: Mission by the aged Greg Crawford
- RE: Mission by the aged Amelia Koh-Butler
- RE: Mission by the aged Tom Pardy
- Re: Mission by the aged aleggett
