A new perspective on Senior adults in student ministry

My friend Kirk tweeted about not being able to put The Noticer, by Andy Andrews down. So I had to pick up a copy and check it out for myself.

I came across a gem last night in the book that really challenged me. I've heard so many times that I need to get senior adults involved in student's lives. And i've tried, but they never seem interested or feel like they can relate no matter what I tell them.

Well, this chapter has given me such encouragement about how to involve older adults into students lives.

In this chapter, this one senior citizen is basically living as she waits to die. She feels her usefulness is done. And then this guy "Jones" really challenges her. Here is what he says:

"Let me give you a different perspective about feeling that your time has passed. Isn't it a good thing that Harlan Sanders didn't retire when he turned sixty-five?"

The name didn't register with Willow. "Harlan Sanders?"

"You probably remember him as Colonel Sanders. But it wasn't until he was sixty-five that he took a family recipe and began franchising restaurants to serve his fried chicken. And all he had at the time was his Social Secruity checks to get stared-one hundred and five dollars a month."

He then lists the following people, thier ages, and accomplishments:

Benjamin Frankllin, 78, invented bifocals.

Winston Churchill, 78, wrote a nobel peace prize winning book.

Nelson Mandela, 75, became President of South Africa

Grandma Moses, 90, sold her first painting

Michaelangelo, 72, BEGAN his work on St. Peter's Basilica


I am embarrassed to admit that I don't usually percieve our Senior Saints like this. Not as being at the beginning of doing something great! And our church has LOADS of Senior Saints! What kind of geniuses am I passing by in our church EVERY Sunday?!

There is one more thing that really stuck out in this chapter, but I'll post that tomorrow.