"Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life" (Proverbs 16:31).

There are many forces involved in shaping the future of the United Methodist Church, not the least of which is the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer. As Christians, we believe that God transforms people's lives and shapes our very institutions. In addition, changing technology, demographics, economics, politics, globalization, and myriad other concerns play important roles in shaping our future.

But who will shape our future? Of course, the obvious answer is God. God working in the lives of people both inside and outside the church will shape the future of our denomination. Besides the vision and energy of young people helping to bring about new and revitalized congregations, there is another group of people who play a significant role in helping to shape the future of the church: older adults.

Older adults? That's right, older adults can play an important role in helping to shape the future of the United Methodist Church. They do so by their presence, prayers, leadership, gifts, service, and witness. Here's how: According to 2008's U.S. Religious Landscape Study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 55 percent of our church membership is fifty years of age or older (and nearly one-third are sixty-five years of age or older). Our denomination is blessed by having many members who are fifty years of age or older. It is a positive quality that so many people in the second half of life find meaning and purpose in and through their Christian faith and as members of the United Methodist Church. To quote my colleague and friend the Reverend Paul R. Graves, "To focus only on young families at the expense of older adults is to create imbalanced institutional expectations; and it also denies younger persons the wisdom and perspective inherent in elderhood."

With the many changes in aging and with the increasing numbers of older adults living healthier and longer lives, more people in the second half of life are engaged in ministry and service. Such service by so many mid-life and older adults has a tremendous impact on helping to build the kingdom of God. At mid-life and beyond, many adults are engaged in acts of "generativity" and altruistic endeavors, including mentoring young people; learning new ideas; and helping to convey tradition, values, and experience. Older adults are in positions of influence: serving as leaders, teachers, and mentors. They are engaged in outreach, service, and missions. And, if given a chance, they are able to share their faith stories and life journeys with others.

As many church treasurers already know, research from the U.S. Census Bureau also indicates that people in the second half of life give more financially to the church than do other age groups. With growing numbers of members in the later years and with proportional giving, older adults can make a tremendous impact on helping eliminate poverty, engaging in ministry with the poor, and the revitalizing congregations.

The church needs the wisdom, experience, and faith that often abounds in older adults. Caring churches do not need reminding that, as people age, their faith is tested and refined through the frequent experience of loss. Such loss may be a result of illness and disability or death of loved ones, and changes in social position and economic conditions. However, if congregations direct little attention to the faith needs of adults in their later years, older adults will gradually lose a sense of value and worth, which will in time dampen and diminish their faith development. Should this happen, many gifted and talented older adults will leave the church. When they need the church most, it may not be there for them. And, as a result, some will gradually depart from the scene, not because of physical death, but because of spiritual death. Many will slip quietly out the back door, never to return again.

As I travel the country leading workshops and seminars, I hear calls to:

• recognize the place of older adults as active and engaged members in congregations;
• help older adults continue to learn and grow in Christian faith;
• value and respect the wisdom and faith experience of older members;
• recognize that older adults represent an opportunity for the church, not a problem.

"Healthy" churches treat older adults with dignity and love, and provide support for their life-long faith development and spiritual well-being. Such congregations respect the purpose, faith, and contributions of all their members, including their older members.

Who are the older adults in your church that are helping to shape the future of your congregation? What are ways your congregation recognizes the important role older adults play in the future of your church?

The Reverend Dr. Richard H. Gentzler, Jr. is the Director of the Center on Aging & Older Adult Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tennessee. He is author of numerous books on midlife and older adult ministries. His most recent book is titled Aging & Ministry in the 21st Century: An Inquiry Approach (Discipleship Resources, 2008).

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