by Rusty Stowe - Senior Adult Minister
One day we are busy eating cookies and drinking Kool-Aid in Vacation Bible School, then before we know it they are calling us “senior adults!” What happened? When did this happen? I am not ready to wear the label of “senior adult!” But the fact is that those of us who are over the age of 65 make up more than 12% of the population of the United States. In his book, The Age Wave, Ken Dychtwald introduced the concept that the senior adult population is like a tidal wave sweeping across America. In terms of sheer numbers, the Age Wave will change every facet of our society in the years to come. Now we know that not all senior adults are alike. We have different interests, hobbies, and physical abilities. We have our minds made up as to how to define the “age” we become a senior adult. But one age group that has come into being over the past few years is referred to as “the new old!” This age group range from 50 to 70 years of age. They are part of what we call the “Baby Boomer” generation. Most of these folks deal with issues like grand-parenting, caring for their aging parents and preparing for their own retirement and health concerns. The question on the discussion table is how do we go about ministering to this “age wave” of younger senior adults? How can we reshape our vision and our game plan to encourage these men and women to stay in the game and help them recognize their potential for impacting the kingdom. We remember how “out-of-place” we felt when we moved from the children’s department in Sunday school to the youth department. We remember how we felt when we graduated from High School and found ourselves in the “in-between” world of adulthood. This is pretty much the same feeling that many of our folks are dealing with when it comes to being identified as a “senior.” Some are moving into this stage of life when we are technically a “Sr. Adult” but we just do not feel like one! Our goal is to provide a ministry that will encompass all of our adults, regardless of which age group they fall into. Our church needs the wisdom and experience of all of our Sr. Adults! Stay in the game! You are important to the kingdom of God!
Rusty