Tuesday November 29, 10am to 12pm- via Zoom
Who thinks of their own ageing process as an adventure? Perhaps, few of us. How might it change our perspective if we could regard our advancing years not so much with dread as with anticipation?
In many churches those who are over 60 are the bedrock of the church’s life, often active in volunteering and lay leadership. As these generations grow older so their needs differ and change and as the younger generation become the focus of the church’s energy, they can sometimes struggle to know their place. How can churches contribute to a safe community for those at the so-called Third and Fourth stages of life and help them to continue to grow spiritually?
Debbie Thrower, Pioneer of Anna Chaplaincy for Older People, explores these questions alongside explaining how to develop a caring ministry among the more mature where they receive the spiritual care they need; for some this is within a framework of their continuing discipleship journey. Creative approaches will emerge of how to engage actively in support and outreach to older generations within our local communities.
Debbie Thrower – Pioneer, Anna Chaplaincy for Older People
Debbie is a former journalist and broadcaster, and Church of England licensed lay minister (LLM) She first developed Anna Chaplaincy for Older People in Alton, Hampshire from 2010, and joined BRF in 2014 to scale the work up nationally. She was a newspaper journalist before becoming a broadcaster for both the BBC and ITV. Her media experience informs her approach to promoting the spiritual welfare of older people, using the narrative of people’s lives to seek shape, meaning and purpose, and to foster hope and resilience.
