Dear Friends,

 

During the weeks of August, our preaching series has focused on the  topic  of aging. Though SunCoast may be following the trend of churches across the U.S. with an increasing average age of its members, we find that SunCoast is very much young at heart and full of energy. Our church is bubbling wi th activities, events, and a joyful spirit, and in reality, we are attracting new and younger people each month which is encouraging.  

With our church being situated in a growing retirement community, could it be that one of our primary church missions might just be to become really good at ministering to those in their later years? Finding purpose, new passions, social connection and a re-connection with our spiritual lives is a gift that our church can offer to those who are entering into life transitions. There are challenges in all stages of life -relationships, regret, limitations, letting go. And, there is always so much more to do in life - learning, outreach, transformation and newness. Time really can be on our side, no matter our age, when we accept the challenge and fill our time well and with purpose.  

We will continue to explore together the topic of aging in a four-week book discussion class that begins on September 19 at 6 pm. Our resource will be the The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully by Sister Joan Chittister. We hope you will join us.  

Sister Chittister writes, "What doesn't have personal meaning becomes less and less important to us as the years go by...It is the shaping of the soul that occupies us now." We pray that the experience you encounter at SunCoast helps to shape your soul.

 

Grace and Peace,

 

Rev. Nancy                                             Rev Vickie