{"id":7282,"date":"2013-09-13T00:00:15","date_gmt":"2013-09-13T00:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.brethren.org\/news\/?p=7282"},"modified":"2018-11-03T20:20:00","modified_gmt":"2018-11-03T20:20:00","slug":"round-up-report-from-noac-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2013\/round-up-report-from-noac-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Round up Report from National Older Adult Conference 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/small><\/em>
\u201cWe may not be technologically astute, and we may not be familiar with social media, but we know the power of touch for healing people.\u201d This quote from Edward Wheeler, recently retired president of Christian Theological Seminary who preaching for evening worship during National Older Adult Conference, might well describe the power of the NOAC experience.<\/small><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) 2013 concluded last Friday, Sept. 6, after a week of world class speakers, concerts, dramas, and shows, envigorating worship, and energizing opportunities for recreation and fellowship. Held at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina, the conference was attended by some 800 people, and organized by the denomination\u2019s Older Adult Ministry and Congregational Life Ministries.<\/p>\n

The conference coordinating leadership included Kim Ebersole, NOAC coordinator, and Jonathan Shively, executive director of Congregational Life Ministries, along with the NOAC Planning Committee of Bev and Eric Anspaugh, Deanna Brown, and Delora and Eugene Roop. In addition, many other volunteers and staff were on hand to help make this year\u2019s NOAC a success.<\/p>\n

Financial sponsors included Brethren Benefit Trust, Hillcrest, Peter Becker Community, Pinecrest Community, and the Palms of Sebring.<\/p>\n

For more news and photos from NOAC 2013, go to <\/em>www.brethren.org\/news\/2013\/noac-2013<\/em><\/a> .<\/em><\/p>\n

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Preachers call older adults to help heal the world<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/small><\/em>
\u201cIt\u2019s not a piece of jewelry. It\u2019s about a death, and a resurrection.\u201d \u2013 NOAC preacher Dava Hensley, talking about the cross she wears as a witness to those she meets<\/small><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dava Hensley,<\/strong> who preached for the opening worship service and pastors First Church of the Brethren, Roanoke, Va., brought a \u201cglow in the darkness\u201d to NOAC–complete with glow sticks handed out to worshipers to wave at the close of the service. Speaking on Isaiah 58:6-10, Hensley asked, \u201cHave we blowed out our light? We are to glow in the darkness!\u201d God\u2019s people were challenged by the prophet Isaiah to understand that \u201ctrue worship is concrete action,\u201d she said. Her challenge to the congregation of older adults: \u201cWhat is holding us back from allowing our light to glow in the darkness? I challenge us. When was the last time we allowed our light to shine in the darkness?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/em><\/small>
The Rev. Dr. Edward Wheeler, preaching for NOAC 2013.<\/em><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A leader in the Baptist World Alliance and president emeritus at Christian Theological Seminary, the Rev. Dr. Edward L. Wheeler<\/strong> gave the Wednesday evening sermon and continued the challenge to NOACers to be out and active in the world. His message, \u201cThe Race Is Not Over Yet,\u201d was based on Hebrews 12:1-3. He called on worshippers to follow the example of Jesus, remember the cloud of witnesses, and run the race of faith and life to the finish. He also lauded the efforts of civil rights leaders as well as those ordinary people who stood up–and still stand up–against the dehumanizing powers of the world in the name of Jesus Christ. \u201c I don’t know about you, but I’ve been blessed by the faith and example of parents and aunts and uncles who kept the faith and ran the race.\u201d Seniors have much to give, and have every reason to run the race of faithfulness no matter how hard it may seem to continue that struggle to the finish line, he emphasized. \u201cWe are loved and the world needs us to love back.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Friday morning, the closing message for NOAC 2013, \u201cI Thought There Would Be Refreshments,\u201d was brought by Kurt Borgmann<\/strong>, pastor of Manchester Church of the Brethren in N. Manchester, Ind. The challenge continued, as he called NOAC attendees to \u201cbe the refreshment\u201d of the world, not just seek their own refreshment in the church. Although he drew laughs by imagining answers to the question, \u201cWhen two or three Brethren gather together what do you think they do?\u201d–number one answer (ding, ding, ding) eating ice cream–Borgmann wasn\u2019t content to let NOAC conclude simply by celebrating the sharing of good things. Noting that many Christians think \u201cthe primary purpose of the church is to provide refreshments primarily for ourselves,\u201d he reminded NOAC that Brethren can do better and often do better than that. \u201cMaybe church should look less like an ice cream social and more like a sandwich for the homeless,\u201d he said. Borgmann challenged the congregation, packed and ready to depart at the end of worship, \u201cYou don’t need refreshment. You are refreshment…. What refreshment are you prepared to offer the world?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/small><\/em>
\u201cI am not anti ice cream, I am not anti potluck…but recently, it seems to me that having something like that once in a while is enough. What about letting ourselves feel the real pangs of hunger? … What about feeding the hungry and loosing the chains of injustice, what about sharing our bread with the hungry?\u201d –Kurt Borgmann, pastor of Manchester Church of the Brethren, in his message for NOAC 2013<\/small><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other devotional opportunities beyond the three main worship services included a daily morning Bible study led by Dawn Ottoni-Wilhelm<\/strong>, professor of Preaching and Worship at Bethany Theological Seminary; and two different early morning devotions led by Joel Kline, pastor of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill., and Dana Cassell, youth pastor at Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren. \u201cMeet the New Day\u201d activities led by the Young Adult Ministry also included meditative movement, group singing at the cross above Lake Junaluska, and a labyrinth walk.<\/p>\n

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Keynote speakers include Tickle, Mouw, and Lederach<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/small><\/em>
\u201cWe\u2019re here to serve the Kingdom of God, and it\u2019s narrative that\u2019s going to do it, and we\u2019re the narrators, you and I.\u201d –Phyllis Tickle<\/small><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Phyllis Tickle<\/strong> kicked off the keynote speeches at NOAC on Tuesday morning of the conference. After hearing her theory of a \u201c500-year cycle of change and distress\u201d one might have felt alarm at the assertion that \u201cwe are living through a time of great upheaval,\u201d but Tickle tied it all together with humor, insight, and hope. Known for her Divine Hours series on observing fixed-hour prayer, as well as more than two dozen books on religion and spirituality, Tickle is an expert on \u201cemergence Christianity\u201d and a lay eucharistic minister and lector in the Episcopal Church as well as a former college professor and academic dean at Memphis College of Art. Noting that the nature of home life has inevitably changed, as women gain equality in employment, and there are fewer parents teaching the biblical story to children, Tickle gave a homework assignment to older adults: \u201cIt is up to us who are grandparents and great-grandparents, who are the ones who know the stories, we must go back and weave those stories into the lives of our grandchildren and great grandchildren.\u201d If the older generations don\u2019t do their homework, and children don\u2019t learn the Bible story, Christianity may survive, Tickle said. But, she warned, \u201cthe church may not.\u201d She emphasized not only the importance of story in human life, but also the rising generations\u2019 new understanding of fact versus truth–that the beauty of a story lies in its \u201cactuality, not factuality\u201d–and the healing nature of storytelling, both for individuals and society.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/small><\/em>
Richard Mouw<\/small><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Richard Mouw<\/strong>, recently retired president of Fuller Theological Seminary, in the second keynote address of the week challenged the NOAC congregation to move beyond the world where people hear only what they want to hear or listen only to people who agree with them. Lines drawn sharply, separating differing perceptions of reality, have intruded on the world of faith, he said, asking if it is possible for us to act and treat each other in a civil fashion within the Christian communion. Mouw is the author of 17 books including \u201cUncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivil World,\u201d and his address was titled, \u201cThe Call to Be a Compassionate People: Spiritual Resources for a Kinder and Gentler Discipleship.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/small>
John Paul Lederach<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Closing out the series of three keynotes, John Paul Lederach<\/strong> called on NOAC to \u201cdream a new global dream.\u201d A Mennonite author, professor, and peacemaker, he spoke about \u201cThe Art and Soul of Building Peace.\u201d Lederach is professor of International Peace Studies at Notre Dame University, and has been on the ground personally in many different hot spots around the world, assisting local communities in their efforts to build peace amid violent conflict and war. His books include \u201cWhen Blood and Bones Cry Out: Journeys Through the Soundscape of Healing\u201d and \u201cBuilding Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Concerts, dramas, and shows<\/strong><\/p>\n

The line up of entertainment\u00a0also was world class,\u00a0headed by\u00a0the NOAC News Team<\/strong> of David Sollenberger, Larry Glick, and Chris Stover Brown, whose humorous takes on NOAC events and daily videos\u00a0are\u00a0a favorite part of the NOAC experience for many attendees.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Eddie Edmonds<\/small><\/em>
Josh and Elizabeth Tindall pose with members of their congregation from Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren.<\/small><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ted Swartz\u2019<\/strong> one-man show \u201cLaughter Is Sacred Space\u201d\u00a0told the\u00a0in turns amusing and tear wrenching story of his personal struggle following the loss of Lee Eshleman, his friend and former partner in \u201cTed & Lee,\u201d who in 2007 took his own life.<\/p>\n

Josh and Elizabeth Tindall<\/strong> gave an evening piano and organ concert. The Church of the Brethren couple perform throughout the country as soloists, duo pianists, accompanists, and as members of \u201cThe Headliners.\u201d They have established the Keynote school of music in Elizabethtown, and both teach music in various capacities. Josh is pastor of Music Ministries at Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren.<\/p>\n

Michael Skinner<\/strong> brought the show \u201cBirds of Prey: Masters of the Sky\u201d to the Stuart Auditorium one afternoon, complete with a bald eagle among other hawks, falcons, and owls. Using a falconer\u2019s thick leather gauntlets, Skinner displayed birds–each nonreleasable in the wild because of injury or other handicap, gave information about each species, and answered questions from an interested audience. The show went a half hour over time as the crowd stayed on for more, and concluded with an opportunity for volunteers to help fly one of the powerful and striking birds. Skinner is executive director of the Balsam Mountain Trust, which administers the environmental education and research arm of the Balsam Mountain Preserve. He was the Emmy nominated host of \u201cGeorgia Outdoors\u201d on Georgia Public Television and is an experienced field ecologist, naturalist, nature photographer, environmental educator, taxidermist, and musician.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other highlights of the NOAC week<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo by Patrice Nightingale\/BBT<\/em><\/small>
The famously funny NOAC News Team with NOAC coordinator Kim Ebersole<\/em><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Memorial Tribute:<\/strong> Each year, Brethren Benefit Trust produces a Memorial Tribute that honors Brethren Pension Plan members and their spouses, as well as denominational leaders who passed away during the preceding year. The special presentation for NOAC honored those who have died from June 2011 to June 2013.<\/p>\n

Sharing Our Healing:<\/strong> At the back of Stuart Auditorium, bulletin boards were available each day to help participants reflect on that day\u2019s theme of healing. One bulletin board included information about denominational programs on the daily theme. The second bulletin board provided space to share personal thoughts on the theme. Themes were: How you heal…yourself (Tuesday) …your community (Wednesday) …our world (Thursday).<\/p>\n

Trekkin\u2019 for Peace:<\/strong> A group of close to 100 NOACers walked or ran a 2.5 mile path around Lake Junaluska on Thursday morning before breakfast. The $10 registration fee and additional gifts benefited the Youth Peace Travel Team of the Church of the Brethren. Trekkin\u2019 for Peace was sponsored by Brethren Benefit Trust and the Youth and Young Adult Ministries.<\/p>\n

Afternoon bus trips:<\/strong> Busloads from NOAC visited a variety of sites during afternoon field trips including the Biltmore Estate, George Vanderbilt\u2019s 250-room French chateau; the Balsam Mountain Nature Center; and the Cherokee Oconaluftee Indian Village.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What wisdom have you gleaned from the years?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cBack when my children would say, \u2018Life\u2019s not fair,\u2019 I\u2019d say, \u2018Get used to it. That\u2019s the way life is.\u2019 It sounds better in French, \u2018C\u2019est la vie.\u2019\u201d — Esther Frey, Mt. Morris, Ill.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For each day’s “NOAC Notes” newsletter, several people were asked a \u201cQuestion of the Day.\u201d Thursday’s question was asked of nonagenarians 90 years old and older: What wisdom have you gleaned from the years? Here are some responses:<\/p>\n

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\u201cTake a day at a time.\u201d — Charlotte McKay, Bridgewater, Va., shown here with her friend Lucile Vaughn
\u201cLive within God\u2019s loving presence.\u201d — Lucile Vaughn, Bridgewater, Va.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\u201cI would like to say it was very difficult for me to sell my home and move into Brethren Village. [But] as it says in the Bible, \u2018\u2026I have learned to be content with whatever I have [Philippians 4:11].\u201d — Betty Bomberger, Lancaster, Pa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For more news and photos from NOAC 2013, go to www.brethren.org\/news\/2013\/noac-2013<\/a> .<\/em><\/p>\n

— The reporting from NOAC 2013 was carried out by the NOAC communication team of Frank Ramirez, reporter; Eddie Edmonds, tech guru; Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, editor and photographer; with help from BBT staff photographers Nevin Dulabaum and Patrice Nightingale.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) 2013 concluded last Friday, Sept. 6, after a week of world class speakers, concerts, dramas, and shows, envigorating worship, and energizing opportunities for recreation and fellowship. Held at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina, the conference was attended by some 800 people, and organized by the denomination\u2019s Older Adult Ministry and Congregational Life Ministries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[806,1259],"wf_post_folders":[],"class_list":["post-7282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-congregational-life-ministries","tag-noac"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7282"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7282\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7295,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7282\/revisions\/7295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7282"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=7282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}