Empty Nesters/Seniors Listening Session Minutes

Strategic Planning Committee

Saint Michael and All Angels

Thursday, May 19, 2005 ~ 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The only people in attendance were Bill McIntyre and Jim and Connie Webb, who are also members of Empty Nesters/Seniors Ministry. However, the time was well spent with Connie reviewing her participation in her “Elder Care Commission” (ECC). Other members of this commission are Christiana Olsen and Anna Nietzel. According to Connie, this group started this activity without a specific request being made by the clergy or vestry. They have been working closely with Sandra Klingerman and Laura Vasquez with the Pastoral Friends group.

Connie mentioned they had divided the people over 50 into three basic groups. These are the “Go-Goes” which are primarily the VIP and Second-Halfer groups, the Slow-Goes, and the No-Goes. Their definition of the Go-Goes are the active seniors who are involved in VIP and Second-Halfers, but also want a lot of other social interaction. The Slow-Goes are the seniors who have slowed down a bit and aren’t traveling much or wanting as much social interaction. The No-Goes are typically the folks who are homebound. The ECC has been concentrating on the Slow-Goes and No-Goes.

The ECC has identified an important issue involving the screening of volunteers as well as accountability from these volunteers. Some concern has developed that they become emotionally dependant on the parishioners they are serving which could, in the long term, be detrimental to those elderly parishioners. Jim described and explained the order of St. Benedict and Steven’s Ministry. The latter program involves a 26-week training program and that incarnation has a chapter of 20-25 people. Both of these concentrate on the No-Goes.

Connie further explained that Father Don Spafford has been going to the nursing homes and giving communion once a week.

Jim explained that he is becoming re-involved in the van ministry which involves picking up elderly people twice a month. This has dropped from being a weekly activity. Jim explained that someone who is involved with van ministry meets the van, which is rented, at the retirement home and rides with the elderly people to the church and then back with them after church. The question then arose why that person simply couldn’t use their own car to give the elderly parishioners rides to and from church. Connie explained that someone had told them that parishioners could not use their own cars to transport elderly parishioners because of insurance reasons. Bill indicated that he did not feel this was the case. (In the meantime, Bill has checked with Church Insurance as well as the SMAA Risk Management Committee, and the church does have non-ownership coverage for such activities.)

Bill asked Jim and Connie to outline what they thought were the best things about the seniors ministry about Saint Michael. Their reply was:

1.       Once people get to the church, they are taken well care of; there is a lot of camaraderie within the church.

2.       Saint Michael does a good job of taking care of people in the hospital or those that are incapacitated.

3.       The Lay Eucharistic Ministers program.

When asked about potential areas of improvements, their comments were:

1.       We might put brochures in the pew which list what the various groups are within Saint Michael and what these groups do.

2.       Priests be more proactive about sick people. While our priests do a great job once they know about it, often times they are not advised. Therefore, we need to get the word out to the parish that these services are available. Saint Michael has so many parishioners that when someone is missing they are not immediately noticed.

3.       Let the business manager do more of the business managing and let the priest what they do best.

Chip stepped into the meeting and discussion took place about what was the appropriate number of parishioners per priest. Chip explained that the normal ration is 1 priest to 500 parishioners, where SMAA, the ration is 1:1,400.

There was also a general discussion about how elderly people do get depressed from feeling that they are not needed. This could be addressed by helping these people make a contribution. A suggestion was made that a permanent committee be formed that would continue to focus on the senior ministry and be made up of parishioners and staff people.