William M Clements

Growing Up: Pastoral Nurture for the Later Years is a sensitive volume devoted to helping older adults retain their status as meaningful members of their congregations and communities. In an honest approach, based on the foundations that old age is supposed to happen, the future belongs to the old, and vocation for people of faith is lifelong, Thomas Robb provides personal and Biblical perspectives, as well as research from over 20 years as a pastor, on the life process and the feelings, worries, and expectations accompanying growing up and growing old. He then molds these concerns into a challenge for congregations and their spiritual leaders to actively assist the aged in coping with and overcoming fears and barriers limiting the fullest expression of faith in God. This insightful book describes the tasks and suggests programs for pastors and congregations everywhere in meeting the challenge, making life for the aged more than shuffleboard and bingo, pot-luck dinners and day trips. Dimensions of pastoral ministries that nurture women and men who, at midlife and beyond, seek to find their way through the unexpected and unplanned, through the third of life following parenthood and careers, are described in detail. Pastors, church leaders, congregations, professors of courses in ministry and aging, aging church members, and seminary students will benefit immensely from the wealth of information presented in Growing Up: Pastoral Nurture for the Later Years.

Ministry With the Aging--the one most frequently used textbook in seminary courses that deal with ministry and aging--is now available from The Haworth Press. Here is a genuinely useful and informative text in which an all-star cast of authors reflects on the current situation of the aged in our society. Ministry With the Aging encourages a deeper appreciation of the presence and role of aging people with contemporary religion, addresses the challenges that the church and society face in a rapidly aging society, and provides practical applications for an effective ministry with the aging. Each chapter, whether it focuses on the role of the elderly in the early church, death and dying, ageism, retirement, or caring for elderly parents, is written by an eminent scholar who has chosen only the most relevant issues for discussion. A past runner up for the “Book of the Year Award” by the Academy of Parish Clergy, Ministry With the Aging is a landmark volume that can offer theology students a unique and insightful look at how they can best meet the needs of their elderly parishioners.