Empty Nesters/Seniors/VIPs/Second Halfers
Listening Session Feedback Summary 2005
Strategic Planning Committee
Saint Michael and All Angels
Key Observations
• Three basic groups of seniors
o Active - Typically involved in VIPs and Second Halfers
o Semi-Active - Less travel and social interaction
o Homebound
• Age stratification senior members
o 50-59 - 1,049
o 60-69 - 768
o 70-79 - 391
o 80-89 - 149
o 90-99 - 32
o 100+ - 2
o Total 2,391
• Participation of seniors in the two primary senior programs
o VIPs - Typically 65-85 in age - 87 people
o Second Halfers - Typically 50-70 in age - 90 people
o Low participation by SMAA seniors
• There are other programs that serve SMAA seniors
o Good Shepherd program
o Extended Care Cooks
o Pastoral Friends
o Lay Chaplains
oParish Nurse Programs
oLay Eucharistic Ministries
oNew Comers Committee
• Overall, SMAA has a balanced approach to serving seniors, works reasonably well, and is generally properly funded
Highest Rated Activities
• VIP Program
oActive group
oGood leadership
oTwice monthly meetings
• Prayer Ministry - comprised of 20 people, primarily seniors, who spend an hour periodically to say prayers which have been requested by parishioners
•SMAA does a good job of taking care of people in the hospital, incapacitated or in need once SMAA is put on notice
• The Lay Eucharistic Program
• New Comers Committee
Areas of Improvement
• Improved communications of programs available
• More structure in the coordination of the programs
• Improve transportation to SMAA related activities
• Expand volunteer activities
• Help seniors define and implement their personal ministries
• Be more proactive in identifying parishioners who need services
• Screening of volunteers and holding them accountable for service commitments
• Improved database
• Creative education programs
Initial Recommendations
• Identify parishioners with marketing and public relation skills and form a communications advisory pool.
• Form a permanent committee comprised of the key department heads, chairpersons of the key senior programs, and certain parishioners who have strong organizational capabilities. This committee would coordinate the senior activities and would have a vestry liaison person assigned to it.
• Formalize and expand SMAA’s transportation ministry using parishioner’s personal vehicles.
• Develop an educational program to help seniors define and implement their personal ministries.
• Form a telephone committee to update seniors database and maintain periodic contact.
•Implement an ongoing “touch” program with existing SMAA members that mirrors the disciplined program of New Comers; the purpose of which is to keep relationship between parishioner and SMAA alive and lines of communication open. Possibly use the existing structure of Good Shepherds to coordinate “touch” efforts geographically.
Key Questions
• Optimum size of groups and teams?
• What are the other churches that SMAA should contact about benchmarking discussions?
Empty Nesters/Seniors/VIPs/Second Halfers
Listening Session Comments
Culture
• Since SMAA is one of the largest Episcopal parishes, it might study the congregational approach (Baptist) used by large non Episcopal churches. Under this approach, an effort is made to create everything needed within their community.
• Episcopalians take an intellectual approach to their religion which often makes it difficult for them to ask for spiritual help.
• Consider developing a timeline that shows where various age groups are in their spiritual journey.
• The SMAA culture needs to be spiritual from the ground up.
•Personal connections are extremely important. Even though individuals serve on projects, they may not feel connected to SMAA and its community.
• A goal should be for people to feel that they will be missed if they are not in church or participating in various events. In other words, they have value.
Seniors
• The VIP Program is an excellent program.
• Father Don Spafford will be missed. However, the attendees were pleased that Father Don has been replaced by Father Knight.
• It may be desirable to rename the VIP group to something that is more descriptive of the age group involved. It was suggested a new name might be simply “seniors” or something similar. Other suggestions were “Wisdom Group” or “Senior Saints”
• Seniors want quiet services. They have a tendency to avoid services with baptism and other theatrical aspects.
• Timing of activities - non consensus.
oSundays are out for some because children/grandchildren are only available on weekends.
oNights are out unless transportation is provided.
oSunday mornings are good between services.
oSome thought Sunday after church was a good time.
• VIPS
oMaintain bi-weekly meetings.
oFind a way to communicate to parish about availability and activities of VIPs in order to recruit more members.
• Handicapped Parking
oNew spaces don’t work.
oToo few.
oToo far from building.
oPeople park parallel behind and you cant get out.
§Valet parking a possibility?
§Shuttle service from Sherry Lane Place covered parking?
§Covered walkway on north side at Power Room a possibility? Could be used as a drop-off.
Programs
• The singles ministry is not working as well as it should.
• The Crusillo Program has 100 active members and 35 inactive members. All these members are over 50 years of age.
• The replacement of the Jerry Spalding’s classes should be considered.
• Improve quality of VIP luncheons by subsidizing lunches by $2-$3.
• VIP program should be enhanced. There was concern that the program was being cut back to one event a month. This group felt strongly that at least two events a month is desirable. Bette communication of event schedules would increase attendance.
Organization
• The defining lines between the VIPs and the Empty Nesters are fuzzy. These need to be better defined.
• Need a better definition of the different programs. The booklet on the various groups and programs should be updated and made available to all parishioners in print and on the website.
• Each program group needs a marketing/PR committee while taking a more evangelistic approach.
• Staff is often overextended.
• Identify one person who has a vision for the seniors program who will become a driver behind the related programs.
• Consider forming a permanent committee comprised of the key department heads, chairman of the two or three key senior programs, and certain parishioners who have strong organizational capabilities. This committee would coordinate the senior activities and would have a vestry liaison person assigned to it.
• Build a database for seniors above a certain age which would contain information on the targeted parishioners physical status, needs, contact information and e-mail addresses.
• To maintain this database, consideration should be given to forming a telephone committee who would contact the targeted age groups periodically.
• Seniors need a spokesperson, (cheerleader?), or an advocate.
• Consider having generational classes. In other words, if a group of people start out at 30, they would continue as a group through the various age levels.
• Need an organizational chart to see how the senior program should be coordinated and how inter-age interaction might take place between the various age groups. In other words, between seniors and younger people.
• Delegate more business management to staff to free up SMAA clergy.
Services
• St. John’s Episcopal in Houston has a fix-it group. If some elder person needs some minor repair work done, they can call the church and a member from this group will go out and fix the problem.
• The property where the apartments are located might be used to construct a senior living facility.
• Use the existing facility for more senior activities.
• Off site services at homes.
• One third of the members are single.
• One third are under thirty.
• There is a high number of divorced people.
• SMAA services are weak on services for widows and divorced people.
• Very satisfied with level of attention received from priests and staff during and following ill-health episodes.
• Priests -
oNeed more male priests.
oNeed older priests.
oBring back Jim Frensley to teach.
oChip Edens is marvelous.
oHis experimental class - make permanent.
• SMAA Healthcare Clinic.
• Better screening of volunteers.
• Accountability of volunteers.
• The new priest being sought to replace Father Stafford should be of contemporary age with the flock he/she will be serving. First hand and personal experience with the life challenges of the elder should be the main criteria for selection.
Communications
• The information booth needs to be mentioned in the service announcements and bulletins.
• Timely insertion of notices into bulletins and the website.
• Set some demographic priorities.
• Provide each program group some marketing and public relations assistance.
Educational Events
• Highland Park Methodist and Highland Park Presbyterian has periodic meetings for seniors with speakers.
• More interaction between children and adults other than their parents. Examples mentioned were picnics, bible study, inter-generation events. By doing this, it was thought that there would be more of an extended family feeling.
• Honor groups from time to time. There might be a Senior’s Sunday.
• A well defined option in the way of services. This could involve the type of music, theatrics, sermons, etc.
• Bible study would be welcomed (this is where Father Frensley was mentioned).
• Classes on aging.
• CPR class welcomed
• Internet training would be welcomed although resources and equipment were recognized as a problem.
• It was noted that the DCCC offers classes free of charge to those aged 62+.
• Book clubs/book review would be welcomed.
• A specific bible-study for seniors. Some felt it should emphasize “couples” to encourage husbands to attend. Others felt it should be all inclusive to include singles, widows and widowers. The all inclusive won out in the end.
• Institute a secular education program consisting of lectures by volunteer church members on medical, financial, wills, trusts and overall wellness issues. WE have plenty of in-house experts that would be willing to participate. The program could also include book-review of current best sellers.
• Help in dealing with adult children. When, where and how to draw the line to get adult children to become more independent and start solving their own problems.
Non-Educational Events
• Like matinee concerts.
• Evening events - even with buses don’t work - because they don’t want to drive home at night in the dark.
• Events at church are good (choir concerts).
• Discounted outings/tours with buses are good.
• Exercise classes (tai-chi, for example) would be good on the alternate Thursdays that VIPS don’t meet.
• No interest in games like bingo or bridge.
• Investigate the possibility of discount blocks of tickets for seniors to opera, theater and symphony concerts.
Volunteer Opportunities
• Well received was the idea of forming a “buddy system to check in on each other on a regular basis.
• Felt positive about the shawl ministry and working in the library.
• Methodist Hospital/Medical City are in need of visitors for Pastoral Friends/LEM’s.
• Help and enable seniors make a contribution - will avoid depression on their part.
• Expand hospital visitation ministry by including more senior volunteers to assist priest as needed, i.e. including visits with the priest or follow-up visits as need dictates.
• Establish a mentoring program. Seniors tutoring students one-on-one in the senior’s home or at Saint Michael. Transportation again an issue.
Transportation
• Reinstate weekly van service.
• Great need for rides to church and other planned events.
• Discussed expansion of the Men’s Group van ministry to other facilities and increased frequency.
• Availability of transportation determines level of participation in events by Seniors/Empty Nesters.
• A plan to provide monthly rotating volunteer car and drivers assigned to an individual needing the service. Good Shepherd program could provided coordination i.e. locations of recipients, dates and time of church services or programs to be attended, etc.
• Investigate the feasibility of a church bus or van for group transportation…liability insurance, cost - benefit analysis.