Pastors are encouraged to attend the Older Adult Ministry Training Event to be held during the National Older Adult Conference (NOAC), Sept. 4-8 at Lake Junaluska Assembly in North Carolina. Both events are sponsored by the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC).
Clergy will receive continuing education credit (10 contact hours or 1 continuing education unit) for attending the training event. Pastors also may want to bring interested people from their congregations to the training event, which is open to anyone who would like to attend, regardless of whether the attendee is an “older adult” or not, ABC said.
This year’s training event features Richard Gentzler, a Methodist pioneer and “guru” of older adult ministry. The training event also will feature four workshops to help congregations relate and minister to older adults: “Spiritual Challenges and Blessings of Aging,” “Liturgies of Healing Transformations: Marking Life Transitions in Community,” “Advance Directives,” and “Support Groups for Older Adults.”
Registration costs $180 per person, which also enables the participant to attend any portion of NOAC. To register for the training event, and for information about transportation, lodging, and meals, see the NOAC brochure or request one from the ABC office by calling 800-323-8039.