History
In 2014 Trinity’s pastor, Rev. Mark Schulz, was approached with the idea of creating a ministry especially geared towards the older adults of our congregation. Trinity has always been blessed with an active group of members of retirement age. He believed that there was a lot of potential in our members of that age group that we should continue to tap. The decision was made to create an older adult ministry to reinforce the fact that being an active member of God’s family has no age limit. Trinity has found that members are generally living longer, are usually healthier than past generations, and have more available resources. The decision was made to hire a part-time staff person to create a program that would assist our members in their daily activities and spiritual lives.
The strength of this ministry comes through the grounding in and study of the Word. A weekday Bible class meets for study and fellowship from September until May. This group has grown to at least sixty people in attendance each week. There are additional classes on Sundays and throughout the week offering a variety of topics. The Word of God is a unifying force, leading to a host of additional opportunities. One key is having a learned and respected Bible class leader.
Mission
Trinity’s mission is to be a source of spiritual strength and enrichment, to provide learning opportunities for health awareness and physical wellbeing, and to be a resource for finding ways of better dealing with the common challenges of life. To accomplish these goals, older adult ministry uses a multi-faceted approach. Trinity’s older adult ministry sponsors a monthly event specifically to address one of these areas. Guest speakers give talks to members and our community about life issues such as dealing with Medicare, taking advantage of the many programs the county provides, talks on wills and trusts, and many more. To assist with health questions, we have had speakers from the local Alzheimer’s society, facility placement officials, a doctor’s talk of the advantages of movement, hospice care, as well as others.
Trinity does its best to present events and classes in a way that is meaningful and fun. Many of the events we sponsor are accompanied by meals, providing a chance for fellowship and bonding. Opportunities abound to be a blessing to others. We make “hand up bags” for the homeless, give Easter baskets full of a variety of items to our homebound members, provide “help sacks” filled with items to help cancer patients, and Christmas carol to senior residence facilities.
Commitment
The staff takes very seriously it’s ministry to our home-bound members. We regularly call on them and offer a listening ear, a word of scripture, prayer, and Holy communion.
In addition to enjoying retirement, older adults have a very strong need to continue to live a life of significance. They want to know that they are making a positive impact upon the lives of their families, friends, and people with whom they come in contact. Significance for a child of God comes in living out the life God has planned for them and sharing the Gospel message. Trinity stresses that though there may be physical limitations, anyone is still able to serve. The staff at Trinity is eager to assist you in this ministry.
Feedback
With all this in mind, Trinity is trying to increase its role in the life of our seniors.
One way to find out what is important to you is to ask. We have put together a survey to aid us in determining what is of most interest and importance to you. We ask that you fill out this survey online with the link below. We are not trying to be nosey or go where we are not wanted. Our prayer is that the completed surveys will help us identify ways of enhancing your life as God’s child. If you have any questions or would like to discuss what we are trying to do please contact Tom Perry, Tom@tlcms.org.
