Seniors are a unique group of people who can exert great influence on their church or community for God. It doesn’t cost much, but it can be very effective. Think about the following twelve things any senior can do.

WE CAN:

1. WE CAN pray for our pastor instead of criticizing him.

2. WE CAN volunteer to serve in the nursery or on a committee.

3. WE CAN do a kind deed for a neighbor in trouble or who is lonely.

4. WE CAN quit complaining about the music or church and help others get adjusted.

5. WE CAN write a note or an e-mail to a missionary or a shut-in today.

6. WE CAN invite a neighbor to attend church with us next week.

7. WE CAN be a happy greeter at the church door.

8. WE CAN give generously to God’s work at the church.

9. WE CAN attend prayer meeting and encourage younger people to do so also.

10. WE CAN give the pastor or someone a compliment today.

11. WE CAN prepare a Christmas Box for the Angel Tree or Samaritan’s Purse.

12. WE CAN enjoy God and glorify Him.

                                                                     ___ I strongly agree ___ I disagree

If you disagree with any of these items, pray about it and see what God says to do.

More than 85 seniors gathered at the Largo Alliance Church on September 14 for the second area rally. Enthusiasm was running high and the many comments listed on the Comment Sheet were very encouraging, and there was not even one complaint! Whew! We’re really doing something right, don’t you think? Rev. William Austin brought a great message of hope and challenge and everyone was blessed. Several people spent some time at the altar. Our churches will be better because of this gathering and that is what counts. After all, Jesus is not willing that anyone should perish. Can we be less concerned? Almost everyone stayed for the afternoon seminar following lunch and went away with some ideas on how to serve better. The next rally will be announced for the southern part of our district, so stay in touch and enjoy these times of encouraging seniors in these important years of our lives.

Dr. Bill Lanpher and the Director of Development, Mel Carter, visited with us at the rally. Dr. Lanpher gave us a birdseye view of the college and invited everyone to stop by the college for a visit. 13 people took up his invitation and stopped for a tour following the rally. Everyone can join in praying for him and the student body which now numbers over 160. Their goal is 200 by next year!

Some see retirement as the sunset of life; I see it as the dawning of a new opportunity.

For the first time, seniors will have a very special place at the Church Ministries Conference to be held at First Alliance Church Orlando on November 11 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Two seminars of great interest will be offered for seniors. Rev. Joe Burchill, Director of Christian Education and Senior Ministries for the Western Pennsylvania District will be the featured speaker at the 9:00 a.m. plenary session. In addition, he will lead a very important seminar in the morning at 11:15 a.m. on the subject: "Senior Ministries In The Local Church." In the afternoon at 1:40 p.m., Rev. Anthony Bollback will lead the second seminar on the subject "Creative Approaches To Spark Your Senior Ministries." This is your opportunity to get involved at no cost to yourself other than your noon lunch to be served at the church. Each church pays a registration fee for an unlimited number of people from their church to attend. Now that’s a bargain! I have set a goal of 100 seniors attending the conference! Are you with me? Then, let’s turn out and make a difference.

The Humana Active Outlook publication included the following item recently. Did you know that exercise is good for your mind as well as your body? Researches at Scripps College in Claremont, California, tested memory, reaction time and reasoning for a group of 62 exercisers between the ages of 55 and 91. They tested an equal number of people in the same age range who didn’t exercise. The result? Exercisers performed significantly better in reaction-time tests, reasoning tests and two of the three memory tests!

That sounds like an easy way to live happier lives. Add church attendance, prayer and meditation and you could live to be 100 and live an active, meaningful life.

On October 5, Evelyn and I leave for Honolulu, Hawaii to participate in the 50th anniversary of Kapahulu Bible Church where we pastored for a little more than six years. From there we will continue on to Hong Kong to visit our son Jim and his wife Alice. He serves as pastor of the International Alliance Church in Hong Kong.

While there I will preach once again at the morning service of the church, speak to a couple’s retreat, preach at the Filipino church the church sponsors. Evelyn will be speaking at the AWANA program for children and parents.

We will also make a trip back into China to the city of Wuhan where we lived for two years when we first began our missionary careers. The old mission house we lived in has been razed to make room for the growing Central China Seminary of more than 200 students and a new 1,000 seat auditorium and administration building. To learn more about the exciting things God is doing in China these days, request your copy of CHINA CLIPPINGS or look it up on our web site.

We will return to Honolulu for preaching at the church on October 29 and home to Kissimmee on October 30. Please pray for us that we will be strengthened for these many ministries and anointed by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word. As soon as possible, the November SENIOR LINK will tell you all about the trip and what we observed of the church in China and Hong Kong.

Responses have begun to come in for our District Guinness Book of Records. Here’s what I have confirmed so far.

Oldest Nyack College alumnus - Amy Scripture of DeLand Community for Retired Living - 103 years old.

Person holding a current driver’s license for the most years - Wells Spencer of Shell Point Village - 73 continuous years beginning in January 1927 without ever having had an accident or driving ticket!

Persons visiting the most countries - Wells and Audry Spencer of Shell Point Village. 76 countries with passport verification from Antigua to Wake Island in alphabetical order.

Longest continuous active pastor (Not retired) - Rev. Clarence Drake - 57 years. Began pastoral ministry June 6, 1943. Presently pastor Ormond Beach Alliance Church,

Longest married couple - Marvin and Mildred Round of New Port Richey Alliance Church, 68 years, married July 14, 1932.

Can anyone beat these records? Let me hear from you. Do you hold some other record? Let me hear from you.

Toccoa Falls College Press just released the fifth book in the Jack and Jenny Mystery series called "The Tiger Shark Strikes Again." It is another thriller taking place in Hong Kong. The four children discover a deep cave along the rocky beach which leads them to the lair of a large international drug smuggling ring. There’s plenty of suspense, but a clear Christian message emphasizing the importance and blessing of memorizing Scripture. This book, as all the others is available from me at $7.50 plus $2.25 postage and handling, or at slightly higher prices from the Toccoa book store or Amazon.com. A complete set of five books can be purchased from me for $34.75 including postage and handling.