Guidelines
for the Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries
by Richard H. Gentzler, Jr., D.Min.
General Conference approved legislation inviting each annual conference to create an intentional and comprehensive Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries. As a result of General Conference action, conference staff and
volunteers involved in older-adult ministries are encouraged to begin laying the groundwork for the formation of a Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries in their conference.
As you begin developing a Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries, you will want to identify key priorities for ministries. These priorities may be different for each annual conference and may change from year to year or from quadrennium to quadrennium. Below are five key priorities that may help you in your thinking and planning:
- Advocacy
- Events
- Networks
- Research
- Resources
Specific ministry within each of the five key priorities might look something like this:
Older-Adult Ministry Advocacy
To advocate on behalf of the needs of older adults and older-adult concerns.
Older-Adult Ministry Events
To design and manage events that benefit congregations by supplying current information, building knowledge and providing training opportunities in the area of older-adult ministries.
Older-Adult Ministry Networks
To establish and nurture networks for people working with and in support of older adults.
Older-Adult Ministry Research
To engage in knowledge building of older-adult ministry through study, data gathering, demographic information, and contacts with various individuals and congregations.
Older-Adult Ministry Resources
- To know where to obtain resources for older-adult ministries.
- To know what resources need to be developed for older-adult ministries.
- To develop resources necessary for effective older-adult ministries.
Several annual conferences have already created a Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries. In order to help you and your annual conference establish a Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries, I have identified below one conference in each jurisdiction that has a Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries. Please know, however, that there may be other annual conferences in your jurisdiction that have an effective Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries. My listing is meant to serve only as a guide.
North Central Jurisdiction
Bill Bunker
Illinois Great Rivers Conference
2724 W. Reservoir Blvd. #20
Peoria, IL 61615
309-566-5055 or 309-253-8664 (cell)
RNBDAD@aol.com
Northeast Jurisdiction
The Rev. James Fox, Central PA Conference
5681 Elser Drive
Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-264-4227
foxypa@innernet.net
South Central Jurisdiction
The Rev. Dean Robinson
Texas Conference Center on Aging and Older Adults<
4300 N. Shepherd
Houston, TX 77018
713-695-2010 or 713-516-6721 (cell)
jdrobinson@stmatthewsmethodist.org
Southeast Jurisdiction
The Rev. Hazel Bennett
South Carolina Conference
1110 Marshall Road
Greenwood, SC 29646
864-227-7423
hazelc@emeraldis.com
Western Jurisdiction
Herb Bowman
Rocky Mountain Conference
Littleton UMC
5894 S. Datura St.
Littleton, CO 80120-2112
303-794-6379
skinnyherb@juno.com
In conclusion, as a result of action taken by General Conference, the Center on Aging & Older-Adult Ministries is planning to sponsor a three-day consultation for specified leaders from each Conference Council on Older-Adult Ministries. Plans involve hosting the event in Nashville. More information about this exciting consultation will be announced in a future issue of Center Sage.
Dr. Richard H. Gentzler, Jr. (rgentzler@gbod.org) is the Director of the Center on Aging & Older-Adult Ministries, Nashville, Tennessee.