Celebration of Older Adults Service

Prelude Music

Alcolytes (altar candles lit by 2 older adults)

Welcome and Announcements

Prayer of Preparation for Worship

God of the unknown, as age draws in on us, irresistible as the tide, make our life's last quarter the best that there has been.

As our strength ebbs, release our inner vitality, all you have taught us over the years.
As our energy diminishes, increase our compassion and educate our prayer.

You have made us human to share your divine life;
grant us the first-fruits;
make our life's last quarter the best that there has been. Amen.

Call to Worship (Unison)

O God, you are infinite, eternal and unchangeable, glorious in holiness, full of love and compassion, abundant in grace and truth. Your works everywhere praise you, and your glory is revealed in Jesus Christ our Savior. Therefore, we praise you, blessed and holy Trinity, one God, forever and ever. Let us worship God with all that we are. Amen.

Hymn Sing

• "What a Friend We have in Jesus"
• "Blessed Assurance"
• "How Great Thou Art"

Confession of Sin

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We confess that we have not trusted you. You have told us how to live and love, and you have shown us that only you have the strength on which we can rely. Yet time and again we give our hearts to other gods: the pleasure of proving someone wrong; the power we can wield through guilt; the pride we nurse when we refuse to ask for help; the fear of appearing foolish in the eyes of our neighbors. Forgive us, loving God, and lead us once more into the stillness of your compassion. Shower us with your mercy, that we may be merciful to others, and strengthen us so that we may better be about your loving work. In Christ's name, we offer up our prayers for forgiveness and true healing. In humility and faith, let us confess our sin to God.

Moments of Silent Reflection

Holy and merciful God, in your presence we confess our sinfulness, our shortcomings, and our offenses against you. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. Have mercy on us, Lord, for we are ashamed and sorry for all we done to displease you. Forgive our sins, and help us walk in your ways. Create in us a clean heart and a right spirit. Restore us to the joy of your salvation through Jesus Christ, your son, and our savior. Amen.

The Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ prays for us. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life is gone; a new life has begun. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen.

Children's Sermon by Older Adult About Gifts of Older Adults

Passing the Peace

The Peace
Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another. In sharing the peace, we express the reconciliation, unity, and love that come only from God, and we open ourselves to the power of God's love to heal our brokenness and to make us agents of that love in the world. The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Acknowledging Our Older Adults 70+ with a Flower
(Kids hand out to all standing)

Pastoral Prayer and the Lord's Prayer

Will you pray with me?
Lord, draw near. As Christ has taught us to pray for others, so in his name we lift up the needs of the church, this world, our own lives. In your mercy, hear our prayer. Let us pray for those who need to be remembered this day: Those who have made the news headlines today because of what they have done or said. Those who have been brought to our attention through a meeting or conversation. Those who are in the hospital, in care, or in a place which is strange to them. Those in whose family, marriage or close relationship there is stress or brokenness. Those who are waiting for a birth, or a death, or news that will affect their lives. Those who need to forget the God they do not believe in and meet the God who believes in them. Those whose pain or potential we should not forget to share with God today. Lord, we believe that you hear our prayer and will be faithful in your promise to answer us. When our eyes open again, may they do so not to end our devotions, but to expect your righteous reign for Jesus' sake. Hear us as we pray the prayer you taught us . . .

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. (Matthew 6-9-13, KJV)

Old Testament Scripture Reading; New Testament Scripture Reading, Gospel Reading

Choir Anthem in Honor of Older Adults: "I Love to Tell the Story"

Offering and Doxology

Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow;
Praise Him, all creatures, here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

Sermon Celebrating Older Adults
by Elder Jack Bell

It's so like Older Adult Sunday … when I came in and they gave me an oversized bulletin. It felt like Older Adult Sunday when I thought, "Gosh, it's warm in here," and I had to fan myself just like some of my favorite choir members do! It also felt like Older Adult Sunday because I was having a hard time hearing. Are all the speakers on? It does seem hard for me to hear today!

Will you pray with me?

Good morning, Lord. We come before you this morning in celebration, here on Older Adult Sunday and Mother's Day. Thank you so much for those people with whom you have blessed our lives so richly. May we learn from their example how to spend our entire lives in service to you, entrusting to you all our problems, all our troubles. Thank you for their direction in our lives, teaching us your ways, sharing with us your love; yes, thank you for each mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who is here this morning. We also thank you for every gray head, the lessons each has learned and shared, and is still sharing. They are indeed a blessing in our lives, Lord, a blessing direct from you. Now we ask your blessing on them in return. We ask that they live long fruitful, healthy lives; that they are able to continue serving and worshiping you. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen

A few years ago — OK, quite a few years ago — somebody came up to me and said, "Jack, what we need in this congregation is more young people like you." Believe me when I say they are not saying that anymore! What they're saying now is "Heather, what we need is more young people like you" (Heather is a young woman). And that's OK, because I think that's the natural order of things. We're all getting older; some of us are even getting wise. It's like those great old hymns that we sang this morning — they just felt so comfortable to slip into, kinda' like those blue jeans — the comfortable ones. I can remember my mother taking me to the "Tempo Stores and buying me the darkest blue, stiffest blue jeans in the world, and then she wants me to wear them without washing them first. Its like "I can't wear those; you've got to wash them at least once, twice, five or ten times"; so she would go for one washing, but then I had to wear them. But after I had worn those blue jeans and had broken them in, they felt just like those hymns. They were just great, and I felt very comfortable in them.

Now today you can go into Rimrock Mall — was in there yesterday with Cathie shopping, and we passed by a table full of what looked like old jeans already broken in. Those jeans are not real; they may look the part, but they don't really play the part. They're not as comfortable as the ones that you've broken in yourself — the ones that know where your knee breaks, the ones that know where your stomach hangs over — those are the comfortable old jeans.

When do we cross that imaginary line and become "older adults"? AARP would have you believe that it is 50 — that's when you can join — 50 came, my wife joined like that. I'm still not a member; I'll read her mail that she gets from them, the magazine and stuff. I'm not a member yet, and that's surprising to me because I've always wanted to be older. That's the thing I remember from being six years old. I always wanted to be older. I wanted to be old enough to own my own horse; I wanted to be old enough to go to the high school; I wanted to be old enough to have my own car; I wanted to be old enough to vote. Aaahhh! I wanted to be old enough to get married. I've always wanted to be older. When I was working in radio, in my younger years, when I started I was 16, people would meet me and say, "Jack, you sound much older on the radio." I don't know if that was a compliment or not! The last few years I worked at the radio station, they would come to me and say "Jack, you sound much younger on the radio." I don't know if that was a compliment either!!

I think in the United States being older is kind of a function of the Social Security system. You become eligible for Social Security when you are 65. That's kind of where we have drawn that imaginary line. For me that line's been moved, because I don't get Social Security benefits until I get to be 66. They're eventually going to move it up to 67. So that line's moved by the government, and that line has been moved by us as people by the way we live our lives. I know that when my grandfather was 72, he seemed like an old 72. And today 72 doesn't seem that old. I think it's a function of not so much when the government tells you you're a senior citizen or that AARP tells you; rather, it's a function of what you believe. And I think it's a good thing to want to be older. I still want that. There are some days when I get a little bit of something that makes me think maybe being older isn't such a good deal at this point. Whether it's the arthritis or rheumatism or I don't know what it is, it just feels like maybe I should just start changing my wish, but I'm not ready to do so yet.

In Japan, they seem to have more respect for their older citizens. The third Monday in Japan is older adults day. It's a holiday; they take that day off, just like we take our own regular day off.

This next thing really happened to us. I think it was about five years ago. I was talking to a friend of mine about working in the community, and he asked me where I went to church; and I said, "First Presbyterian." He asked, "What church is that?" I said, "It's up there at 13th and Poly." He said, "Oh, yeah, we went there one Sunday. We sampled it. We sat kind of in the back there some place, and we didn't come back. There were just too many gray heads in there." I said to him, "You are really making a mistake, those gray heads are a good thing." I explained to him that part of the reason that we started coming to this church over twenty years ago were the veteran leaders. Think about some professional baseball or football teams: they just can't seem to get past the "big game" before they go out and trade for another player — somebody who is older and wiser. The sports analysts will say "Oh, we know what they are doing; they're trading for veteran leadership." And that's the thing I love about this church: there's some veteran leadership here. They know where they're going. They know how to get there, and I want to go with them. I don't know that I can get there by myself.

I'm not looking for a free ride; there is no free ride, but I want to walk with them. I want good directions. Because I'm going to stumble along the way. I know I will. But if I've got someone I'm walking with who can give me some support I'll be alright. And if the person I'm walking with needs some support, I'm there for him as well.

Jesus is a great one to walk with. (You can tell I'm getting older because I like to read my Bible verses right out of the Bible.) From Psalm 86:10-13 (NRSV):

"For you are great and do wondroous things;
you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord, my God, with my whole heart, and will glorify your name forever."

I can't think of a better place to walk. Another verse I want to read to you this morning is from Isaiah 46:3-4 (NRSV):

Those are pretty comforting words to me. The next part of this sermon is a song.

Special Music here — Song by Mark Schultz

These days in the world, too many promises get left unkept. We are your church, we are your family, we are walking this together. The author of that song is Mark Schultz. He's currently bicycling eighty miles a day. He stops when he holds a concert in whatever town he's in. It was something he felt that he had really wanted to do. The money he raised went to the James Fund for Widows and Orphans.

Although it sounded impossible, he did it. Wasn't that George in WWII? Wasn't that Riley? Wasn't that Carol raising two beautiful kids? Wasn't it Bebe caring for her husband Jim the last few years? Isn't it Ralph soldiering on without his wife today? We're walking with you. We're here to support you, instead of focusing on the lines on our faces. Think about what's yet to be accomplished. Share yourself, share your love, share your story, share your dreams, share your veteran leadership with this congregation, with this community. Your life is an example to the rest of us. I'm proud to be walking alongside you in this journey. Your life is a witness to God, an example to me and to the world. Thank you for letting me walk with you. Someday, I hope to be walking where you are, waiting for (young people in congregation) to take my place and walk with Jesus Christ. Thank you very much. God Bless You!

Affirmation of Faith: The Nicene Creed (In Unison)

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God,
Light from Light, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is
worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Hymn Sing

• "In The Garden"
• "Just a Closer Walk With Thee"
• "I'll Fly Away"
• "Just As I Am"

Benediction

Look at your hands; see the touch and the tenderness,
God's own for the world. Look at your hearts; see the passion and the care,
God's own for the world. Look at your feet; see the path and the direction,
God's own for the world. Look at the cross; see God's Son, our savior,
God's own for the world. This is God's world, And we will serve God in it! Amen.