By: Macy Froetschner
Christian media today is bombarded with images of a sanctuary filled with young people. From talks of seeking a revival among Generation Z to changing the way we worship; older generations are easy to overlook. While it is important to spread the great news of Jesus Christ with young people, it is also essential that the church does not forsake the older generations who faithfully attend church now.
This summer I had the opportunity to attend the national LWML convention in Milwaukee. This was my second time attending, and I was again humbled by God’s grace as He tends to the lost and broken all over this world through our mites. I was also confronted with a strange occurrence among some churches. Several women I met did not have an LWML chapter at their church because it was viewed as attracting older members rather than young families and youth. I mulled over this phenomenon as I witnessed the amazing joy of our Lutheran ladies. Why wouldn’t women of all ages want to work together to serve others? Why would youth programs be more desirable than those that serve older women?
Scripture does not put an age limit on the value of life or who is deserving of God’s grace and forgiveness. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
As Christians we are called to embrace each member of God’s family and rejoice in the unique gifts they bring to our congregation. By disregarding the value of the older generations in our congregations, we are isolating them from the joy of fellowship and going contrary to God’s Word. God does not stop valuing His children once they reach a certain, age and so the church in turn must love sinners of all ages. We all have fallen short of the glory of God and are in desperate need of His grace.
Likewise, being 4 life does not mean we only value life in the womb. Life is valuable at every stage. From the giggle of a young child in Sunday school to the recipe book of an elderly member our Christian life is enriched by these different walks of life. Even if a member cannot physically offer the church his or her service, it is the delight of the congregation to pray for that member and take care of them.