wisdom – Adult Lutherans Organized for Action

Be Wise

Dr. Mary Manz Simon,
ALOA Board of Directors

Old people are wise. Those who live a long time have understanding. (NIRV)

I often turn to children’s Bibles for clear-cut translations of Scripture. The verse quoted above, Job 12:12, is an example.

Many versions frame the content in the form of two questions. I like to read this verse in declarative sentences. I need to be reminded that “old people are wise,” especially when I can’t figure out how to work our new Smart TV.

Gray hair gives us societal permission to offer feedback upon request. After all, we’ve lived a long time. But often, that same gray hair frames our words with unwanted authority; we become judgmental instead of helpful.

How can we give effective and helpful feedback?

View the request as an invitation to help. The tone says, “We can solve this together.” Often, collaborative connections result in solutions worth trying. A sense of ownership shapes the dynamic to work as a team.
Draw from your “experience bank.” Offer practical, realistic examples or observations. When people ask for advice, they usually aren’t looking for our personal history. They want ideas that work. You’ve solved problems and resolved situations. How did you do it?
Be honest. Did your solution work? Were there unexpected outcomes? What was the short-term impact? long-term result? Listen carefully if someone wonders aloud, “How will this work?” You might be able to offer additional observations that will make your feedback even more valuable.
Don’t avoid admitting, “I don’t know.” We might be wise, but we are still lifelong learners. Regardless of age, truly wise people are always eager to grow.

Check out this video to hear how our EQ increases as we age, equipping us to help those younger generations.

Take a look at previous posts for more inspiration for older adult ministry.

Having a “Senior Moment”?

Dr. Mary Manz Simon,
ALOA Board of Directors

Casual comments about possible memory loss have taken on a fresh sense of urgency this month as both President Biden and former President Trump have suffered obvious memory lapses.

Among the many media outlets recently reporting on these situations, The Washington Post interviewed multiple memory experts. Four facts are summarized below:

Memory peaks in our early twenties. As we age, mental processing speed declines.
Difficulty retrieving words, dates and information happens throughout life. However, a fuzzy memory is rarely noticed when we’re young. Awareness of memory issues attracts more attention as we age.
“Forgetting” is a normal part of memory. Because space is limited, our brain consolidates information, simply to unclutter the mind. We need to forget to make room for new experiences or information. However, the fresh input might shift or change a memory.
Our life stories form the core of our memory bank, so remembering is naturally selective.

The Old Testament prophet Job was correct when he wrote, “Old people are wise.” (12:12, NIRV) I’m only 76, so I’m optimistic that the second half of this verse will happen during the aging process: “Those who live a long time have understanding.”

Check out this video to find out how learning new things can help our brains grow and slow the process of aging.

Take a look at previous posts for more inspiration for older adult ministry.

Step Out of the Box

Dr. Mary Manz Simon,
ALOA Board of Directors

The end of 2023 is in sight. Have you “caught up” yet?

Last year was unofficially the “Great Catch Up Year” after the pandemic. However, because COVID-19 was still circulating, many older adults hit “pause” until now.

Have you celebrated the milestones that were delayed? Fulfilled plans that were postponed? Or is time still moving so rapidly you can’t get ahead?

God’s gift of time seems to go faster as we age. One reason is because when we’re on autopilot, we fail to savor each moment. After all, if we know what we’re doing, why pay attention?

The routines that give us such security as older adults are another reason “time flies.” Routines offer comfort; they simply make life easier. We don’t need to think.

But there’s a downside to living on autopilot. Repetition doesn’t allow us to make new memories. Engaging the brain in new or different ways stretches time. Variety forces the creation of new paths in our brains. That’s another way of saying unique experiences grow our brains, which is essential for cognitive health during the aging process.

So keep the routines that work, but also step “out of the box” as we head into 2024. Try these ideas to slow the pace and make the year ahead memorable:

If you always have a quiet New Year’s Day, invite friends to watch the Rose Bowl Parade with you. Or, for a real change, view a football game!
If you exercise at home, go online to look for bargain gym memberships. Many fitness centers offer an inexpensive rate for new clients at this time of year.
If you read fiction, browse the non-fiction section at the library. Even “heavy” content can be riveting!
Access a map. Then ask, “Where would I like to go?” Either start planning a trip or look for travel features online or on TV.
Ask a friend to join you at a different worship time. You might discover an entirely new “congregation” at your church.

Check out this video hear ideas on making changes to traditions so that they don’t lose meaning by becoming routine.

Take a look at previous posts for more inspiration for older adult ministry.

Learning Every Day

Dr. Mary Manz Simon,
ALOA Board of Directors

What did you learn from the pandemic?

Living through the years when COVID-19 swept our planet changed us. Even if we aren’t living with the effects of long COVID, our mindscape is different now.

Although we no longer focus on the months when life left us behind, we did more than age during the pandemic. We changed.

Does getting out take more effort now? When the virus floated freely, without any hope of a vaccine, many of us learned to be happy staying home. Loading the dishwasher became less important; the sofa became more comfortable. Some of those habits are still entrenched.
Did you discover joy in God’s creation? Some people came upon such wondrous spaces, they still savor the stillness when surrounded by nature. Perhaps you now spend regular time outdoors.
Are you more compassionate post-COVID or do you roll your eyes when seeing someone (still) wearing an N95? News media alerted us to entire demographics we rarely noticed: the immunocompromised; organ transplant patients; those with mental health issues.
Do keystroke errors still send you into a panic? Perhaps you became so digitally savvy while using Zoom and FaceTime, you know the computer won’t explode if you hit the wrong key!

Educators talk about the need to be lifelong learners. This is true especially as we age, for new challenges continually emerge. For older adults, the learning curve goes up in unexpected ways and at inopportune times. This happens even without a global pandemic.

During recent years, we celebrated the holidays alone. The rapidly approaching holiday season offers an opportunity to consider what the pandemic taught us …. celebrate our blessings and recognize how much we still have to learn.

Check out this video to find out how to reap the benefits when we stay open to learning!

Take a look at previous posts for more inspiration for older adult ministry.

Trending Beneath the Tsunami

Dr. Mary Manz Simon,
ALOA Board of Directors

You and I are perched on the front edge of the “silver tsunami.” As the ground swells beneath us, we can take steps to re-define aging.

Shifting older adult ministry to be “on trend” is a great way to maximize the potential of our age wave, change the traditional image of older adults in the church and revitalize an older adult ministry.

In what ways can you integrate these three trends rumbling beneath the surface?

Education
Older adult learning is surging. The pandemic propelled educators at all levels to customize lessons, offer unconventional ways to learn and expanded digital communication. How can you maximize both digital and in-person learning opportunities that have “spilled over” into our demographic?

Mental health support
Previous generations “coped” with growing older. Many of our peers have decided not to merely survive the aging process. They are committed to confront issues so they can thrive during these years. What resources will help older adults cope with the loneliness, anxiety and lost sense of purpose that have historically plagued older adulthood?

Thought leadership
Older adult ministry needs grassroots activism, but also courageous leaders to spark dialog. We can draw from decades of wisdom to face the challenges crippling local congregations, our national church bodies and the nation. How does your ministry structure promote creative thinking, encourage innovation and implement change?

Check out this video to consider a special contribution we as older adults can make.

Take a look at previous posts for more inspiration for older adult ministry.

Wake Up, Church!

Dr. Mary Manz Simon, ALOA Board of Directors

I’m 75. How did I get this old?

Although I’m obviously on the gray turnpike, most days I don’t feel like an old soul.

Composite photo of faces of older adults

As we age, researchers say we’re likely to feel younger than our years. Some attribute that to age denial. Others credit medical advances which have made us the healthiest generation of older adults in history. If we think that age is somewhat subjective, believing “you’re only as old as you feel” can influence choices made during the third chapter of life.

In the past couple years, ALOA has been very intentional about changing the perception of older adult ministry. Historically, there’s been a hazy fondness for congregations that serve older adults. However, many of those congregations have experienced shrinkage; some have closed. That’s not surprising; a nostalgic lens neglects to recognize the tremendous gifts, talents and abilities of people with decades of valuable experience.

Older adults have expertise that covers broad fields. Their willingness to “pitch in as able” can power numerous ministry areas. Years of serving on various church committees, leading initiatives, and working behind the scenes has created a deep reservoir of committed Christians who have spent lifetimes carrying out the Great Commission. And through the years, they, too have been blessed, for they experienced that “givers receive.”

ALOA believes older adults can serve effectively by, with and for others. An inclusive view of ministry is critically needed today. This outlook is necessary not merely for congregations to survive, but for ministry to thrive.

Nostalgia promises the social connections and emotional safety of simpler times. That’s an appealing promise during these years of continued uncertainty.

But have you noticed? The world is accelerating at supersonic speed. The church-at-large is being left behind.

ALOA recognizes that older adults don’t have all the answers. Actually, we embrace the fact that learning is a lifelong process. However, we challenge you and your congregation to maximize ministry: embrace the best of the past while layering in the strengths of older adults.

Through the words of the psalmist, God promises to bless those who “are planted in the house of the Lord.” For “they shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing.” (Psalm 92:14, NKJV)

Check out this video to the older adult demographic present in our congregations.

Take a look at previous posts for more inspiration for older adult ministry.