Grants awarded to ministries for older adults
Jun. 18, 2007
NOTE: A photograph and logo is available at http://umns.umc.org.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)-Grants awarded to 26 United Methodist older adult ministries will assist senior adults across the globe.
The projects range from a transportation ministry for "latch key seniors" in Houston to a mentoring program in Central Congo, Africa, in which older adults teach newlyweds about HIV/AIDS.
The grants total $38,000 and were awarded through the United Methodist Committee on Older Adult Ministries, Board of Discipleship. The awards partially fulfill the Comprehensive Plan for Older Adult Ministries approved by General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body.
The committee selected the projects from 59 applications.
"Every proposal was read and thoroughly evaluated. The discernment process was difficult, yet spirit-led," said the Rev. Richard H. Gentzler Jr., director of the Center on Aging and Older Adult Ministries.
Program recipients this year are:
* Older adults in Kindu, Lodja, and Wembo-Nyama, Congo, teach young adults about human sexuality and the risk of HIV/AIDS, $1,000; * Refuge for Latch Key Seniors, Trinity United Methodist Church, Houston, $1,000, providing essential transportation for older adults to medical appointments, grocery stores, etc., as well as field trips for study; * Parish Nurse, First United Methodist Church, Apopka, Fla., $1,250, training a volunteer to provide multiple health services and education at the church; * OWLS - Older Wiser Livelier Souls, Baldwinsville (N.Y.) First United Methodist Church, $1,255, providing monthly meetings and meals for senior adults and a monthly worship service at a local retirement facility; * Christian Music Therapy, Wesley Village, Macomb, Ill., $2,500, providing musical instruments to stimulate and engage older adults; * Sew n' Sews Outreach, First United Methodist Church, Hutchinson, Kan., $1,143, providing useful sewn items for older adults, primarily for those using wheelchairs or walkers; * Transforming: A Regenerative Community, United Methodist Elder Care, East Providence, R.I., $700, training and certifying staff as Eden Alternative Associates. Eden Alternative is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for elders; * Clair Community Bible Study, Clair Memorial United Methodist Church, Irvington, Ky., $1,220, providing an outreach Bible study to spread God's word by increasing community knowledge of the Bible and its spiritual rewards; * Older Adult Ministries in Small and/or Rural Churches, Sunshine District Rocky Mountain Conference, United Methodist Church, $1,500, brainstorming for ideas to promote older adult ministries in small, rural churches; * Feeding of the Elderly and Homebound, Liberia Annual Conference United Methodist Church, Monrovia, Liberia, $2,500, providing food assistance to elderly left destitute by civil war and delivering hot meals and unprepared food items to homebound; * Happy Hearts, Ebenezer United Methodist Church, Orlando, Fla., $2,000, providing an educational and social monthly gathering of older adults; * Senior Fun Days, Mill Creek United Methodist Church, Montoursville, Penn., $984, helping purchase audiovisual equipment for social and educational ministries; * Living Waters, Crawford United Methodist Church, Mobile, Ala., $2,500, for bi-weekly program of lunch, information, crafts, games, Bible study and health screening for isolated older adults; * Reach Out Senior Adult Ministry Project, Grayson (Ga.) United Methodist Church, $800, developing phone tree project to reach out to older adults; * Seniors Day Out, Calvary United Methodist Church, Brownsburg, Ind., $1,250, a weekly program for fellowship, exercise and information; * Clothes and Blankets to Older Adults, African South Congo Conference, $1,000, providing blankets and clothes to older adults; * Food and Utensils for Older Adults, African East Congo Conference, $1,000, providing food rich in proteins and vitamins as well as eating utensils for older adults; * Finding Fitness, Maumee (Ohio) United Methodist Church, $1,500, providing modified exercise to adults over 55 by teaching Tai Chi and Yoga to improve balance and flexibility; * The Seniority Project, Marcy-Newberry Association, Chicago, $1,500, providing seed money to purchase supplies for arts and crafts projects and to publish a newsletter; * Each One Reach One, Triad Native American United Methodist Church, Greensboro, N.C., $2,000, outreach program to older adults in the community who are not connected with the church and not receiving healthcare services. The volunteer-led program includes Bible study, meal and transportation services; * Angels on Call, Golden Gate District, California-Nevada Conference, $1,250, training and providing resources to welcome visitors and assist those in need; * Coming Fully Alive-A Joint Venture, Grace United Methodist Church & Senior New Ways, Yuba City, Calif., $1,000, offering an eight-class series on topics for older adults and helping launch an older adult program in two locations; * Churchland Connection, Centenary United Methodist Church, Portsmouth, Va., $2,000, providing food preparation, transportation and referrals to service providers for homebound seniors; * Get Connected-Stay Connected, Phoebe's Place of Maple Park United Methodist Church, Chicago, $1,000, connecting seniors from drop-in center with students from Higgins Community Academy; * Barnitz/Mt. Zion United Methodist Church's Older Adult Ministries, Barnitz/Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, Carlisle, Penn., $1,650, meeting the needs of seniors without partners in a monthly educational, social event; * Older Adult Ministry, First United Methodist Church, Voorheesville, N.Y., $2,500, helping older adult church members cope with decreased income and mobility and increased healthcare costs, with a focus on maintaining independence.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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United Methodist News Service Photos and stories also available at: http://umns.umc.org
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