Empowering Leaders for Older Adult Ministry: Cohort Report from the Festival of Wisdom and Grace 2025

“Receiving the scholarship for the training in older adult ministries sponsored by the United Methodist Church’s Discipleship Ministries, I was amazed and thankful for this wonderful gift, being a new pastor of visitation and older adult ministries. The training track was fantastic; the speakers, the materials received, and the upcoming Zoom meetings and continuing education were beyond my greatest dreams. The experience was in-depth, life-changing, and transformational. I experienced so much. I am a better pastor already, and it has not stopped there. Over the next year, I will grow and gain even more knowledge as I peruse, read, and study the materials I received. THANK YOU! I am overwhelmed with gratitude, wonder, and thanksgiving for all that I have learned and will learn, and for what the older adults of my congregation will gain from my PQRST approach (Preview, Question, Read, State or Summarize, and Test). Truly, Thank YOU!

“Many of the tools, instructors for the training track, and the books I received will not be fully experienced for months and maybe even years to come. What I gained and will experience in the future is so much more. I liken this experience to a friend who is a push when you're stopped, a word when you're lonely, a guide when you're searching, a smile when you're sad, and a song when you're glad. I thank all of you who have been a part of and have made this truly a “Festival of Wisdom and Grace!” (Jeff Sweeney, Surfside, SC)

“Attending the Festival of Wisdom and Grace was both inspiring and practical for me. It was a time of renewal, but also a challenge to think differently about ministry with older adults. The fellowship and worship reminded me of the joy of being together in Christ, and the teaching opened my eyes again to the vital importance of this ministry. I was struck by how often we overlook the gifts of older adults, when, in fact, they are central to the life and future of the church.

For me, the festival confirmed the importance of our Gathering Place and stirred in me the hope of offering Voices of Aging locally. It also pushed me to wrestle with the reality of ageism in our church and to ask myself honestly: “Does my spiritual age match the number of candles on my cake?” The Festival was a reminder that God calls us at every stage of life to keep growing, serving, and witnessing to God’s love.” (Bob Anders, Cedaredge, CO)

“I had the honor of attending the Festival of Wisdom and Grace at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, as part of the training track group from around the country. As someone who has spent about a decade in congregational ministry, but only a short time connected to older adult ministries, it was a blessing to be among others who shared similar energy around the topic.

“Over the past year or so, our church has been filled with new energy and renewed engagement from congregants across age groups, largely stemming from fresh ideas and perspectives. In a resort town like ours, it can often be challenging to garner attention from church members due to frequent travel schedules and the transient nature of the community. However, with a newly formed care ministry at the church that has engaged more than forty members and with new priorities for older adult ministries on the horizon, this gathering seemed like the perfect opportunity to fine-tune our needs and explore our options moving forward.

“The leaders at the festival were engaging and shared important insights into the importance of a vibrant older adult ministry, especially for aging congregations, as well as some great practical ideas for programming. One that I particularly enjoyed and will look to implement next year is respite care. Despite our relative affluence, our area has limited resources for assisted living and home healthcare services. As a result, many of our congregants need to either move elsewhere for those services or rely solely on expensive care at home.

“As part of our new care team structure, I would love to explore the opportunity to add a respite care component for folks like these, including caregivers who need a break to get their hair done or shop for groceries—mundane tasks that are often impossible to get accomplished when caring 24/7 for a loved one at home.

“There were many other ideas that I would also love to explore. Programming options and ministry models that have proven successful around the country will be interesting to parse through once I get back and can discuss them with our staff team.” (Marc DeCoste, Park City, UT)

“While I had been hoping to attend the Festival of Wisdom and Grace for several years, this year it finally happened. It was a bonus to be able to bring a number of older adults from the church where I serve with me. They came back energized and ready to move forward with opportunities for growth and service for, by, and with older adults in our church and community.

“The plenary sessions were engaging and informative. The music highlighted the theme of storytelling and wove it beautifully into opportunities for reflection. The workshops were helpful, especially in expanding our church folks’ understanding of the possibilities for older adult ministries.

“It was an absolute gift to participate in the Older Adult Ministries Training Track. Rick Gentzler’s session was particularly helpful in understanding older adults beyond the stereotypes. All the information became immediately useful in planning our ministry opportunities for the year. It was a great launching point for going deeper as we continue to grow and support one another through our scheduled Zoom meetings. The resources—books and people—provided are already proving to be transformational in our ministry setting. This kind of training has the potential to make a significant impact on the largest demographic in our denomination. I am beyond grateful to be part of the conversation.” (Mary Teasley, Surfside, SC)

“The Older Adult Ministry Track of the Festival of Wisdom and Grace spoke to me on two distinct levels.

“First, the actual class and resources provided by the leaders of the Older Adult Ministry Track were helpful and informative. I found that the content confirmed what I am already doing in my ministry setting, and at the same time, it opened my eyes to many more possibilities for ministry. I have already been able to identify some "growing edges" for our overall ministry to older adults and look forward to working with our church staff and the adult council to address them. Some of the "growing edges" for us are the accessibility of our building and parking lots, intergenerational ministry opportunities, and congregational care.

“On a second level, the Festival of Wisdom and Grace spoke to me personally in my ministry discernment. The worship and personal interactions with others caused me to reflect on my life and vision for the future of my calling. I feel my focus "shifting" more and more toward gerontology and how I might be able to strengthen my education and leadership in this area of ministry.

“I am looking forward to the continued support of being in the Older Adult Ministry Cohort. I am sure the touchpoints throughout the year will bring about greater clarity and excitement for the work ahead.” (EvaMarie Campbell, Tulsa, OK)

Want to be part of the excitement? Mark the Festival of Wisdom and Grace on your 2026 calendar, August 17-20, 2026, and stay tuned for more information as the design team finalizes plans for the upcoming year.