The Gift of Aging
When I proposed to the Lay Pastoral Ministry Team that we create a book discussion group focusing on aging, I couldn’t imagine that it would spark such great interest. Over 20 people have been participating both in person and on zoom! Ours is a welcoming, diverse, and dynamic group that offers wisdom from life experiences and shares information and resources. Most of all, we are creating a space where people can feel heard and held in community.
Here are some of the topics we have covered and keep coming back to: The importance of community in building resilience and combating isolation; Reviewing your medical directives, wills, and making sure your family knows where these documents can be found when needed; Aging while also caring for aging parents; Approaching the age of retirement while raising teens and caring for aging parents; Articulating and processing grief over loss of independence, mobility, friends, and family members; Fear of dementia; End-of-Life care options; Green burials; Decluttering as a spiritual practice and a kindness to our family members.
How to Attend
- Join us in the Sanctuary after the service.
- To virtually attend, please Zoom in using room number 989 3107 9078, passcode: chalice.
- To phone into the service, call 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 989 3107 9078.
More Information
While it is not necessary to have read the books that are inspiring our conversations, you might want to check them out: 1) The Gift of Aging: Growing Older with Purpose, Planning, and Positivity, by Marcy Cottrell Houle and Elizabeth Eckstrom. 2) From Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Revolutionary Approach to Growing Older, by Salman Schachter-Shalomi and Ronald S. Miller. 3) The Seasoned Soul: Reflections on Growing Older by Rev. Eliza Blanchard (Unitarian Universalist).
Event Details
Transportation & Parking
We have several parking lots. Our upper lot, off SE 32nd Street, is closest to our Sanctuary, it has handicap and stroller parking. There is a roundabout for drop-offs. Our lower, main parking lot is also off SE 32nd Street. There are stairs that will lead you up to the Sanctuary. If that lot is full, there is also street parking on 32nd Street.
