COVID-19 has forced many senior adults to stay home and only view church online because many are in the high-risk category. One of the lessons I have learned over the last seven months is how deeply we miss them.
It breaks my heart to think you could sit down with a large portion of our population and literally ask, “What do you remember about the last church service you will ever attend, that one back in February or March?” Or, “How does it feel to know you will likely never attend a live service for years or potentially ever again?” This is the heartbreaking reality we now live in.
No one would ever want senior adults to put themselves in harm’s way or an unsafe environment. So if they don’t feel safe, encourage them to please continue to watch online. But for those who are willing to venture out on Sunday mornings, we should provide the safest venues possible – social distancing, high-risk services with required masks, proper sanitation, and dare I say it – these high-risk services should include hymns and music they enjoy.
I deeply miss the senior adults at our church. I miss helping them out of their cars, carrying in their groceries that they purchased for the poor, hearing their stories, watching them glare at the worship leader (it just cracks me up), seeing them smile, and learning what the next phase of my life could be like. And is there anything better than watching two people who have been married over 40-or-50 years still holding hands!
The following are 7 Reasons We Desperately Miss Senior Adults At Our Churches:
- We Miss The Kindness Of The Senior Adults At Our Churches – Let’s face it, is there anyone kinder or more gentle than the sweet older saints at our churches.
- We Miss The Perspective Senior Adults Bring To Our Churches – They have seen it all – Korean, Viet Nam, and Gulf Wars, Watergate, assignations, multiple presidential elections, the internet, 9-11, and much, much more. Senior adults remind you everything is going to be OK.
- We Miss The Biblical Maturity Senior Adults Bring To Our Churches – “the Bible says” means something to them. They have a biblical worldview we can all learn from.
- We Miss The Faith Of The Senior Adults At Our Churches – They have buried family, friends and loved ones, sometimes even spouses and children. They have faced countless economic and health crises. Senior adults have prayed many times for God to come through on their behalf when there were no other options – and they’ve seen Him come through time and time again. Their faith has been tested and proven true.
- We Miss The Generosity Of The Senior Adults At Our Churches – I would venture to say that if you did a study of the various generations in your church that no group has a higher percentage of givers and volunteers than senior adults.
- We Miss The Prayers Of The Senior Adults At Our Churches – Most senior adults who are churchgoers have calloused knees. Their relationship with Christ is deep and long-lasting. Therefore, they know how to pray for you and me.
- We Miss How Much Senior Adults Love Their Churches – Many have spent years at their churches. Senior adults are not by nature church shoppers and hoppers. They have stayed at your church through all its ups and downs.
I want and need these type of individuals around me…. and so should you. We are better people when we build relationships and spend time with senior adults.
Last year I asked a couple how long they had been married. The gentleman said, “We just celebrated our 60th anniversary.” I looked at his wife and asked, “Wow! Did he treat you good on your 60th anniversary?” She replied, “Absolutely! If I would have known how good it was, I would have celebrated it 10 years ago.”
I miss those days. And I miss our senior adults.