September 21, 2012

ELGIN, IL – Worship, workshops, and fellowship are standard components of deacon training in the Church of the Brethren. But when staff from the denomination's Middle Pennsylvania District asked about hosting a day of training at the Village at Morrisons Cove, a retirement community, they requested that the focus be on ministry specific to older adults.

With that, director of deacon ministry Donna Kline and director of older adult and family life ministries Kim Ebersole worked together with district and Village staff and came up with a plan for a very focused day of training, to be held in Martinsburg, Pa., on Saturday, Nov. 10.

"Ministry with ‘Boomers' and Beyond" will begin with a discussion of what older adulthood looks like today, and include sessions on deacon ministry specific to older adults, transitions in adulthood (retirement, health changes, death of spouse and/or friends, moving/downsizing, no longer driving, a second marriage, etc.), listening to the stories of older adults, and making the most of a visit with a resident of a longterm care community.

Ebersole and Kline also will offer resources specific to their ministries, and provide ample opportunities for sharing experiences and questions.

This training opportunity is co-sponsored by the Village at Morrisons Cove and Middle Pennsylvania District, but is open to deacons, pastors, and caregivers.

Download the registration form from http://www.brethren.org/deacons/training.html.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 123,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

Newsline: Church of the Brethren New Service