/discuss

dreamer60 · 2009-02-18 20:50:45

I have been in hospital twice over the past year, and each time met people in their 80s who no longer went to church. Each said 'I stopped being able to get there..' - arthritis was the reason. When I asked, they also said they would like to go but it's too far to walk.
An 84 year old friend, an active Christian, had to go into a residential home in a different part of town. She hoped to find a way of attending the local church on Sundays, but she is dependent on others coming to collect her, and nobody has done this.
Are our older people the new marginalised? The ones without support? Do our church famlies have a cutoff point at around 80? Or at the point where mobility is poor?
It seems to me that if some people want to be worshipping within the church community but cannot get there without transport, and if others have the transport, there should be no problem! The only problem is the will to make it happen.
Do others share my opinion?

BitingK · 2009-02-18 23:34:55

I'm shocked by this. What church doesn't go out of their way to ensure that their elders can keep attending? And for the want of a lift from someone, perhaps? Jesus wasn't being literal when he talked about going the extra mile, but...

I agree with you Dreamer - there shouldn't be a problem here.

dreamer60 · 2009-02-19 12:10:20

I think every church would want to be kind. But it's deeper than that: do we value old people? Not just the ones who were prominent in our church until they got too old, but old people generally... Those who came along but didn't make an impact...Or who were very nominal but now are confronted with the reality of death in the near future and are longing for guidance. Do we care enough to want to minister to them and enable them to go on feeling part of the church community?
Knowing that Jesus values each one of us, it is tragic that our churches' policies can implicitly write us off after a certain age. That probably sounds very harsh - I know that many individual Christians visit older people regularly and sacrificially. But do our individual church structures put any emphasis on surrounding these vulnerable people with love and care, and helping them on their faith journey in this crucial part of their lives?
We know that a society can be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members. We can say the same of a church. Are we keeping this in mind as we develop our Strategies for Growth?

GeorgeR · 2009-02-20 10:19:07

I sense a head of steam building here! No one would argue that those who are finding it hard to get to church should not be helped to do so. No one would argue that strategies for growth should not include this section of our population. So what is the problem?
Could it be that in many of our churches it is just a small number of ‘keen’ people who involve themselves in thinking about the way their church operates. These people naturally have there own interests and enthusiasms and it is these interests therefore which are given most focus. If the needs of older people are not one of these interests then older people may be neglected. But then the same case could be argued for those sleeping on our streets, those whose lives are disrupted by addiction, the plight of refugees, those suffering the effects of war, the needs of young people and so on …
Does this underline the need for each one of us to work out our particular vocation and to encourage one another to do the same? When each of us is doing our bit within the Body of Christ and working collaboratively then the church will grow in partnership, influence, numbers and commitment.

/discuss

#1 2009-02-18 20:50:45

Older people: the new 'marginalised'?

#2 2009-02-18 23:34:55

Re: Older people: the new 'marginalised'?

#3 2009-02-19 12:10:20

Re: Older people: the new 'marginalised'?

#4 2009-02-20 10:19:07

Re: Older people: the new 'marginalised'?