SENIOR MINISTRY: WHEN DID IT START AND WHAT IS HAPPENING? by Maree Garchow-Bellchambers
Over the past year, our ministry to seniors has grown from an idea introduced at a luncheon in
June 2023. In January 2023 weekly meetings with Inga & Bill Buttelmann help plan the 2023
June senior luncheon. A series of questions were given to the attendees to determine their
areas of interest, following that an interest survey was compiled and emailed to all seniors and results were tallied and reported at the September luncheon.
Following the September meeting in 2023, a group of seniors agreed to help Gerardo & Delin in their ministry to a homeless group in Waukegan. The seniors meet the first Friday of each month and pack brown bag lunches for the homeless group. This service activity has continued for the past 11 months. One of the senior members recently contacted Einstein Bagels who donated fresh bagels to include in the lunches.
To increase the senior’s involvement and opportunities for social get-togethers. First Friday lunches for Seniors began in June 2024, all seniors were invited to attend after the brown bag lunches were packed. In July, the Seniors’ group attended a picnic dinner and concert at Independence Grove in Libertyville; and, in September, the seniors met for a pasta buffet and bingo. The next seniors meeting to make lunches will be the first Friday in October.
Current senior social plans include joining the congregation for lunch at the Fall Festival on Sunday, October 6th and attending Concordia Chicago’s Wind Ensemble performance at 4pm on Sunday, October 27th. Please sign up either online or on the sign-up boards if you are planning to attend.
Future plans include:
• First Planning meeting: a small group of seniors will meet on Sunday, October 21st, following the second service, to plan social events for the senior group for the next 6 months.
• Advent lunches will again be offered following midweek services. Keep your eyes open or a signup sheet in October.