Intergenerational Ministry
By Dr. Charlie Pruett
Having taught Aging Studies for over 25 years has given me some discovery. Over and over during those years university students told me their favorite assignment was the requirement to spend time interviewing a person over the age of seventy. Hundreds of times students reported that listening to life stories, hearing about life’s difficulties, and learning of the older adult’s faith journey had a lasting influence on the life of the college students. Many students said they had developed a new friend and were going back to visit on a regular basis. This interview experience actually resulted in many students changing the focus of their major toward working with older adults. Over the years data was collected from the older adults who interacted with university students. Similar to students, older adults also reported a very positive impression of the younger generation.
The above is an example of a positive and lasting experience that happened by chance, right? Not at all. Before the interaction occurred someone in a leadership position planned the encounter, structured the interaction, and sought a well thought out response from the younger generation. Unfortunately for younger and older generations purposeful sharing of life stories and personal experiences do not “just happen.” Sadly, social institutions, as well as faith based communities, miss a fantastic opportunity for relational and spiritual development. Again, sharing of life stories and faith journey, even within faith communities does not “just happen.”
Someone asked me recently what years of research and experience had taught me about Retiree Ministry. In response I would say, the most import aspect of ministry to older adults is intergenerational connection. The heart of ministry with older adults must beat with an intergenerational priority. That is a ministry that strives purposefully to connect older to the younger and younger to the older. Specifically, the heart of ministry with older adults must be one that intertwines life stories of all generations within the faith community. Consider the following example.
A few years ago my faith community gathered high school and retirees together for a meal and time of discussion. Everyone was asked to write the name of their favorite song on a card. We laughed and had a wonderful time together. That night we gathered in homes in small groups of about twelve each with equal number of older and younger. We took out the cards and sang the favorite song of each person in the small gathering. No one was surprised that the songs differed by age group with older selecting traditional hymns and younger selecting devotional songs. A few eye brows even rose as if to say, that is what I expected. Everyone enjoyed the singing, but little interaction or emotion was shown. After the singing was over the group leader asked this question, “Why is that you favorite song, and what was happening in your life at the time?” As each person began to share something happened that was certainly not anticipated by either age group. Emotion started of flow. Younger and older fixed their eyes solidly on the person speaking. Everyone one was drawn to each other’s answer. The theme of each response was the same. Most answers sent like this; “Well, it was the song being sung when I fell in love with Jesus;” or, “It was the song that I sang when I decided to be baptized.” What had just happened to the group? What happened was that older and younger were sharing the story of their faith journey. Isn’t it interesting? Regardless of the type or style of song, it was sharing the faith journey that spiritually knitted young and old together.