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By Linda Worthington
UMConnection Staff

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More than 90 older adults gathered at West River campground near Annapolis Oct. 23 to learn, participate in Bible Study, and share their life stories.

Although our life stories are all different, said Bishop Marcus Matthews in the keynote address, they share some commonalities, such as “we’re all Christian.” He briefly shared his life journey, from Cumberland UMC in Florence, N.C., to today.

The church and his family, he said, “gave me a glimpse of what I couldn’t see then.”

Bishop Matthews said his family and church taught him three lessons:

“Interdependence is key to survival.” Though people have different gifts, there is “some God in all of us.

Positive thinking. When God blesses us so much, how can we not speak good things, he asked.

“Blocks.”  Not all blocks are stumbling blocks, he said, some are opportunities to move forward. “God is with you even in low moments.”

Seniors, he said, referring to each member of the audience, should re-imagine (reevaluate) themselves. He then gave six steps to do that: reflect, connect, explore, choose, repack, act.

With most steps he shared a bit of his own story. To connect, he said, “I circle myself with a small group who can give me honest feedback.” This covenant group is made of trustworthy friends beyond spouses. His has four members and they talk to each other often.

“Open yourselves to the unknown,” he said as he spoke of “explore.” This is not always easy for older adults to do, he said, but he urged them to “try something different. Work at it; it takes effort.”

“Choose” and “Repack” fit together, the bishop said, because there comes a time where you have to whittle down your options so life isn’t so cluttered, and then repack what is essential for the road (of life) ahead. Many people after retirement face such an experience, that of down-sizing, he added.

“Make your possibilities (perhaps ascertained from the “reflect” step) real by taking action.”

Bishop Matthews noted that many Baby Boomers (those born 1946-1964) who are now beginning their retirements and are very active, should not retire. By 2030, the population in the U.S. will have 72 million Boomers and, by 2016, the first of them will reach age 70.

In his early years, the bishop said, he learned a good lesson from the shut-ins he visited each month with Communion: don’t assume you know what a person can do. He said he found out they wanted to give, not just receive, and he changed that church’s assumption that the older folks had little money and wouldn’t give to the church. “Let the people make the decision themselves,” he said. “Our task is to make disciples for Jesus Christ.”

During a Q &A, someone commented that the assumption in church is often that older people are not active.

“The majority of people in our churches are over 50,” the Bishop replied. “It’s up to us to determine how church values older adults. You’re the decision–makers. It’s up to you to say this is what we need to do so older adults can participate in the local church.”

Several in the audience shared what their churches were doing to involve older adults more actively in the life of the church, in effect “telling their story.” As one pointed out, Asbury UMC in downtown Washington brings a busload of seniors to both the Fall and Spring Older Adults Day Away.

Sandra King-Shaw noted that many of the churches have an Older Adult Ministry. “I’d like to see us (the churches) get together,” she said. It would be a time to support each other and share ideas.

 “I thank you for not just what you did yesterday and also for this very moment, for your prayers. … I ask God to bless all the clergy, all the laity… Be prayer warriors for Jesus Christ,” the bishop charged the audience.

At the Older Adults Day Away, the Rev. Sandy Taylor, pastor of Mt. Harmony-Lower Marlboro UMC,  led a Bible study on Ephesians 4:29.

Taylor emphasized Christian conduct with four points: Truth-telling is a moral necessity; we all get angry, but anger for the larger community is “good anger;” “thievery” plagues God; and fill mind and mouth with edifying speech.

Four workshops were held after lunch. The Rev. Vivian McCarthy facilitated her groups on “What it means to be a spiritual leader,” with heavy participation by group members. Sylvia Simpson explained the conference campaign to raise $2.7 million for “Imagine No Malaria” and the reasons to be engaged in the effort. The Rev. Lloyd McCanna and Debora Mooney explained the conference’s trip to Zimbabwe last July, and Ruth Bailey, a local artist, gave participants a chance to explore art and create their own watercolors.