Christian Council on ageing

for older people and their life of faith and hope.

   

A VOICE FOR OLDER PEOPLE AND THEIR LIFE OF FAITH AND HOPE

 

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The Churches’ pastoral care

1st March 2017 By GerryBurke

The Churches begin their thinking and action about caring for others in the words of Jesus: ‘Feed my lambs; feed my sheep’. This straight-forward invitation to continue his ministry is called pastoral care, and it is carried out in many different ways – nationally, locally, and in specialist ministries.

Local
A local church or ministry offers support and help to a whole congregation or different groups with specific needs. Part of pastoral care is the regular meeting for prayer or social action; another part is the work of an individual minister or member of the congregation with individuals or groups; and part, again, is group or individual activity specific to particular sections of the congregation. Older people, for example, will often have a direct relationship, one to one, with the minister or a lay leader for regular home visits, or receiving holy communion from time to time, or similar. They may also be invited to take part in special worship sessions, or asked to be special guests at social events. It is commonly accepted that pastoral care is an essential feature of Church life. If the members of Christians on Ageing are telling the truth about their experience – it is also the most neglected.

One of the results of getting older is being forgotten. Church members who have provided years of loyal service and faithful attendance but who, for reasons of mobility or illness, find they cannot be physically present at meetings or gatherings of the congregation, find that they no longer seem to be in touch with anybody or anything. This does not happen all the time but with sufficient frequency, apparently, for many of our members to report it as their greatest disappointment.

This is not whingeing or moaning; it is real, and hurtful. Christians on Ageing is determined to make this neglect a priority for action. If the Churches cannot remember to include those who are older, effectively and without being patronising, they are failing – and need telling.

Specialist ministries
People’s encounters with the Church are often, now, in times of need rather than in places of worship. Sickness, dying and death are obvious occasions when the presence of someone representing the Church is sought and welcomed. Hospital chaplaincy and the work of the hospice movement are very much based on Christian models, even when under the umbrella of the statutory bodies – and it is the chaplains and voluntary workers who carry the message of the gospel in demanding situations.

Christians on Ageing will be seeking ways of supporting the work of the Churches in these specialist ministries.

A particular area of interest is the work of the Churches with older prisoners. The late Canon Michael Butler, former Editor of our magazine plus, was involved closely in a special project at Norwich Prison. We will be seeking ways of continuing his pioneering work as the number of older prisoners increases, including many who will end their days in prison and others who will be released late in life.

Filed Under: Being Older

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Speaking Out

There are some things which just have to be said.  We have to speak out because at the heart of the Christian message is our belief that God is not silent.  God has spoken through creation itself and the evolving universe; through the human story; through the dwelling of Jesus Christ in time; through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in each believer; through the inspiration of the scriptures; and through the wisdom and the teaching of the Church through the ages.

We use words all the time.  Words of welcome.  Words of wisdom.  Words of warmth.  Words of warning.  Words of wistfulness.  Our words are wasted if words are just words.   In the beginning was the Word.  And the Word was with God.  And the Word was God.  Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.   The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Word made things happen.

As Christians, as followers of the Word, we do something about what we have heard.  Our own best words are our actions.

Please tell us what you would like us to Speak Out about by contacting:  info@ccoa.org.uk

 

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Comment & Opinion

Christians on Ageing cannot deal with every issue affecting the lives of older people but it can highlight those which are causing public debate or concern.  The charity’s first task is to identify these for its members and to provide information about the nature of the debate and the variety of views and opinions being proposed.  Unless members of Christians on Ageing have been canvassed for their views or the Executive Committee has taken a policy decision, the articles here are to be considered an exploration of the issues rather than a formal comment.  The nature of the contribution to the debate will always be made clear.

Some facts

Health & Social Care

The Churches’ pastoral care

Spirituality

Being Older

Reflect and Pray

A Celtic Prayer

I lay my head to rest, and in doing so:    lay at your feet the faces I have seen,   the voices I have heard,  the words I have spoken,     the hands I have shaken,     the service I have given,    the joys I have shared,     the sorrows revealed.    I lay them at your feet and, in doing so, lay also my head to rest.

Prayers and Reflections

Postal Address

Ms Barbara Stephens
Honorary Secretary
Christians on Ageing
The Depozitory
23 Nelson Street
Ryde
Isle of Wight PO33 2EZ

 

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