The title of James Woodward’s book aptly summarizes its message. Written for pastors as one volume in a series of volumes in the New Library of Pastoral Care, the book explores all angles of the aging process and provides useful suggestions for ministry to the specific needs of older people. Woodward’s credibility for writing comes from his position as the director of the Leveson Center for the Study of Aging and Social Policy and as the vicar of Temple Balsall in the diocese of Birmingham, England. Though the perspective comes from the United Kingdom, I believe his presentation touches concerns that will be similar in most cultures. His suggestions for ministry to older people will likely apply almost anywhere.
Having recently become an older person myself, I especially appreciated Woodward’s counsel to clergy that painful physical decline is not inevitable. Churches that recognize that many of us still have a great deal to offer will tap a wealth of wisdom and skills that could be very useful in all kinds of ministries. Woodward urges clergy to “listen to their experiences, their hopes, and their valuable insights and reflections on life.” To recognize the special gifts of older people and involve them in church activities that offer fulfillment comes as a challenge, which makes the volume so useful.
At the end of most chapters, there are very helpful exercises to increase awareness of the issues raised. The appendix includes questions that can be used in developing a narrative biography that would be a very useful project for churches. An extensive listing of organizations devoted to the concerns of older people is specific to clergy in the United Kingdom; however, an Internet search in other locales would create a comparable list.
