Mid-Atlantic OAMNews                        

February 2003

 

This newsletter is sponsored by:

Older Adult Ministries Committee,

Synod of the Mid-Atlantic, PC(USA)

Sunnyside Communities

The Presbyterian Homes, Inc. of NC

 

 

Mid-Atlantic OAMNews – is a monthly e-newsletter dedicated to the promotion of spiritual health and well-being of older adults and their families – offering information, resources, model ministries, stories, and humor!  Visit our web-site at www.synatlantic.org and click on Older Adult Ministries.

In this issue: 

  • Be Our Valentine
  • A Reminder
  • Book Review
  • Sermon
  • Links & Resources
  • Springing Forward

 

A Baker’s Dozen:  Ways to be an OAM Valentine

*     Send Valentines to folks who live alone, are homebound, or need some extra love/encouragement – include young people in your list!

*     Buy some Valentines and offer to write them for folks who need help

*     Write down a memory of a special Valentine’s Day; send to a grandchild    

*     Invite friends in retirement communities to have lunch with you as a group

*     Visit neighbors and friends whose families live far away

*     Telephone tag!  Phone folks who would love to hear a friendly voice!

*     Deliver extra food items to your local food bank

*     Smile at all those you encounter – you might make their day!

*     Practice random acts of kindness – it’s contagious!

*     Pay special attention to a young person or a young parent

*     Sit in a different pew at church and greet someone you don’t know

*     Right a wrong – heal a wound – right a relationship   

*     Send a check and a prayer to a good cause 

 

A Reminder:  Outstanding Older Adult Award 2003 

We invite all congregations to nominate a person 60 yrs+ for this year’s Outstanding Older Adult Award.  Nomination materials were sent to each church in November and are also available them from our website.  Please submit your nomination to your presbytery office by March 3, 2003.  The purpose of the award is to honor a person who exemplifies positive images of aging personally, in the life of the church and/or community.  Further, this nomination process offers an opportunity, at every level of the church, to recognize older persons who, by their example, serve as role models to all the generations for growing older with a sense of God’s grace.   Questions?   E-mail Jan at jmcgill@bev.net

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February Book Review

 

A Parting Gift, by Ben Erickson (Warner Books: New York, 2000) pp. 274

Reviewed by Rev. Aaron Fulp-Eickstaedt, co-pastor, Concord Presbyterian Church, Statesville, NC and member of the Synod OAM committee

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A Sermon for our times:  “What Happened????”   Preached January 26, 2003 by Rev. Aaron Fulp-Eickstaedt

 

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Links

 

AGEnda is on-line!  A quarterly publication of the Office on Aging, PC(USA).  Go to http://horeb.pcusa.org/olderadults/

 

Celebrate Older Adults Week:  May 4-11, 2003.  For this year’s Older Adults Week Planning Guide, visit the above web-site.   

 

National News on Aging – Visit our website to keep up with current events in the field of aging by reading NCOA Week and Global Action on Aging.

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Springing Forward – Upcoming Events in Older Adult Ministry!!!

 

February 15, 2003: Equipping the Saints:  Presbytery of Eastern Virginia will provide 37 workshops in all areas of Presbytery activity!  Look for opportunities to learn more in the areas of worship, mission, evangelism, care giving, resources, education and far more!  To be held at First Presbyterian Church in Norfolk.  For details, go to:

 

 http://www.pcusa-peva.org/Equipping%20the%20Saints.htm

 

March 1:  The Mega Event in two locations!  Sponsored by New Castle Presbytery.  Keynote and workshops taking place simultaneously at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE and at Wicomico Presbyterian Church on the Eastern Shore of MD!  Theme:  Leading Change in the Church.  For information contact the Presbytery office:  (302) 366-0595 or by e-mail at ncp@ncpresbytery.org

 

 

March 18, 2003:  Charlotte Presbytery: A Training Workshop for Senior Advocates:  The event includes:  Identification of Senior Needs and Concerns…How to Access Local Resources…Regional, State, and Federal Resources….Putting It All Together:  The Paper Trail.  10 AM-3 PM at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC.  Co-sponsored by Charlotte Presbytery OAM Team and Charlotte Mecklenburg Council on Aging.  Cost:  $5 per person (includes lunch).  Registration Deadline:  March 7, 2003.  Contact:  Paige McRight at Presbytery of Charlotte: paige.mcright@presbyteryofcharlotte.org

 

March 20-22:  Encircling Care:  A New Vision for Congregational Caregiving, Louisville, KY, sponsored by Health Ministries PC(USA) and The Center for Congregation and Family Ministries, Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  For Clergy, Specialized Ministers, Parish Nurses, Pastoral Counselors, Seminarians, and Caregivers.  Conference details at  www.pcusa.org/health/usa and look for the name of this conference. 

 

March 31-April 2:  Need a Winterlude?  Massanetta Springs Conference Center invites you to God of All Ages:  an adult conference for Bible study, fellowship, shared meals, worship and song, rest, renewal and relaxation.   Featuring Dr. J. Hayden Hollingsworth, M.D., retired cardiologist, longtime Bible teacher, writer, and storyteller.  For information contact Laura Holbrook, Program Director at Massanetta at  laurah@massanettasprings.org  Phone:  888-627-7774

 

May 12-16 at Montreat:  Skills in Older Adult Ministry:  Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow.  Keynote Speaker:  Lois Hayman-El.  Music leader:  Eric Wall.  Workshops:  From Doing to Being…Come Care Through Clay…Telling Your Story…Older Adult Needs Assessment…From Caregiving to Care-receiving.  Visit the Montreat web site at:  www.montreat.org for further information!