Older Adult Ministry

The Older Adult Ministry

Sharing wisdom and hope…

The Older Adult Ministry believes that the wisdom, skills, experience, and faith of older adults should be intentionally developed and fully utilized throughout life.

As a church we work for and with older adults to connect at-home families with their church through programs of monthly at-home Holy Communion, at-home visitations, quality worship services delivered at assisted living facilities, distributing conference, district and community resources, and creating valuable training support to help volunteers develop a ministry of faith helping older adults share their faith, stories, wisdom and hope.

Older Adult Council is the planning arm of the Older Adult Ministry. They meet bi-monthly are composed of seven church members. Contact El Shaw for more information.

Holy Communion @ Home

Each month trained stewards take consecrated elements into the homes of at-home elders. This occurs on the first Sunday after church services. Contact Pat Sanborn for more information.

Services at Assisted Living Facilities

Trained lay speakers and ministers take services to residents of local facilities. They provide music and hymns, a homily, prayers and scripture readings. Contact Pat Sanborn for more information.

Assisted Living Worship Services:
Second Sundays at Avalon!

Our dearly beloved Opal Shinabarger (celebrating her 95th birthday this year) is not daunted by not
being able to attend weekly Sunday Services at FUMC; instead, she has invited her church family to serve her and friends where she is living. FUMC Older Adult Ministries takes Sunday worship services to Avalon at Brush Creek, 4225 Wayvern Drive in Santa Rosa. Our church sister and fellow resident, Jane Athy (celebrating her 90th birthday this year) plays hymns on her piano in the upstairs lobby. Pat Sanborn conducts the service and Manoa Bale serves as song leader. All members and friends of our church family are invited to join in taking this service to Avalon; we will need greeters, readers, and musicians, just like any other service. Let Pat know if you would like to participate.
 

Angels on Call, Pastoral Care

Do you have trouble accepting help from others? Maybe you’ve had a recent surgery, are struggling with a serious illness, are grieving the loss of a loved one, or you’re just plain depressed…but you’re still putting on a brave front, turning away those who reach out to help. Most of us are more than willing to lend a hand to a friend in need, but we often struggle to take that hand when it’s offered to us. Are we stuck in our ways, afraid of being a burden, embarrassed? Too proud to admit we actually can’t manage on our own?

Self-sufficiency is a fine trait, but taken too far it creates even more complications for ourselves, and for our families and friends. God has created us to live in community—to look after one another, yet how often we think that somehow does not apply to us when we’re the one in need!

Your church family is here for you; there are Stephen Ministers who will listen, Angels on Call who will bring meals and offer rides, friends who will hold you in prayer through the Caring Corner and the Prayer Chain, and of course our pastors who are here to offer support and guidance during difficult times.

If you are going through a tough time and could use some help, no matter your age, please contact Pat Sanborn, our Director of Older Adult Ministries. Pat and her upbeat group of volunteers can help organize meal deliveries, rides, visits, and even some medical equipment—don’t be shy! Give her a call at 545-3863, ext 209, or email her at pat.sanborn@fumcsantarosa.org 

Those of us who cook for ourselves might not realize just how much a home-cooked meal would be appreciated by someone recovering from illness or surgery. For that reason, it would be helpful for you to know there are church families who would love it if you could cook an extra serving or two and take it to them. That’s where Angels on Call comes in, arranging and coordinating meals to be prepared and delivered.
 
Angels on Call are “at the ready” to bring in meals for a variety of reasons, and we are able to meet specialized dietary needs. Our local community also offers food services through Meals on Wheels (525-0143), Ruthy’s Real Meals (888-0128, ruthy@sonic.net, www.ruthysrealmeals.com) and Schwan’s (877-302-7426), who can deliver over a longer period of time.
 
If you can offer to provide meals, please contact Pat Sanborn, coordinator of Angels on Call. This warm-hearted group of volunteers meets the first Monday of each month at 4 pm in Susanna Wesley House. You are invited to drop in, learn more about this ministry, and decide if you would like to join Angels on Call.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

On Thursdays at 10 am, a creative and industrious group of women get together at Susanna Wesley House to knit and crochet prayer shawls. They call themselves The Knit Wits! Since they began in 2005, they’ve created at least 70 shawls (they didn’t start counting right away)!

When the shawls are completed, they are given to Angels on Call, a group that meets monthly to pray and reach out to folks listed in the weekly Caring Corner. The Angels attach a loving explanation tag to each shawl and then personally deliver them.

Pat Sanborn, Director of Older Adult Ministries, recently received a call from Leslie Radler, niece of Bob Wycoff.

Leslie reported that when she visited her uncle, he was proud to sit and read while wearing his prayer shawl; he felt loved and comforted by it.

Some prayer shawl recipients later pass their shawls on to others in need, continuing the kindness and letting the blessings ripple from person to person. If you are able to knit a prayer shawl, join the Knit Wits on Thursday at 10 am, in Susanna Wesley House at the Montgomery Campus.

If you have yarn to donate, drop it by the church office for Pat Sanborn.

Senior Social Club

The Santa Rosa Senior Social Club meets Monday and Wednesday from 9:30am - 2pm in teh Stony Point Ministry Center.  For more information please contact Laurel Anderson at 525-0143 x103. This is not a drop in program.