news article
Honoring a lifetime of faith
October 27, 2025 / By Shelby Winchell, Director of Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Ministry doesn’t end with retirement at Asbury First United Methodist Church in Rochester. The church is keeping connection alive through a thriving Older Adult Ministry, led by Pastor Kathy Thiel. It’s allowing faith and fellowship to continue to bloom well into the later chapters of life. What began decades ago as a few seasonal gatherings has become a year-round ministry that touches the lives of 60 to 100 people — many of whom once built and sustained the very church they now gather to celebrate.
“I didn’t create this ministry,” said Kathy. “It was here when I arrived. But I’ve nurtured it and expanded it. We’ve gone from a couple of events a year to several — and each one reminds our older adults that they are loved, valued, and still a vital part of this church.”
A Ministry of Belonging
For Kathy, the heart of the ministry lies in restoring a sense of connection for those who can no longer drive or attend Sunday worship regularly. “When someone can’t come to church anymore, they often feel like they’ve lost access to us,” she explained. “But they haven’t lost us — we just need to find new ways to show them that we still love them and that we’re doing our best to maintain the church they helped build.”
Each year, Asbury First UMC offers a variety of gatherings specifically for those 80 years of age and older— from communion services at multiple local nursing homes during Lent and Advent, to festive luncheons, a spring and fall gathering, and even an ice cream social in the summer. “The communion services are about an hour. Then lunch starts right after and goes until people stop talking — which can take a while! I had to shush them three times once just to say grace. They’re just so chatty, and that’s wonderful,” laughed Kathy.
Making Faith Feels Like Home
The spiritual life of the group is woven into every gathering. Services are designed with intention, using familiar hymns like In the Garden and Great Is Thy Faithfulness that reach deep into the participants’ memories. “We use hymns from their generation,” Kathy shared. “It reminds them of where their faith began — in Sunday school, in worship, in moments that shaped who they are. And even if they’re in a wheelchair or on oxygen, they can still walk humbly with God.”
For many, these times together rekindle relationships that have spanned decades. As Kathy explained, some participants met as children in Sunday school or as young couples in the church’s long-running “Partnership Class.” Others rediscover old friends across the luncheon table. “It’s about maintaining relationships. At one gathering, one woman realized she used to work for another attendee’s father — 50 years ago! It brings life and joy back to these connections,” she explained.
Volunteers and Vision
The ministry’s success also depends on dedicated volunteers, including Barbara Eltinge, the program’s longtime coordinator. “Barbara is our volunteer extraordinaire,” said Kathy. “She sends out reminders, hand-signed Christmas cards, and save-the-date notes. She recruits volunteers, manages logistics, and makes sure no one is forgotten.”
Kathy intentionally avoids formal programs at the luncheons, choosing instead to prioritize unhurried conversation. “People need to talk. They need time to reconnect,” she said. “They can’t be here all day, so if we filled the time with presentations, they’d miss what they came for which is fellowship.”
A Legacy of Stories
Another beloved component of the Older Adult Ministry is a publication resembling a yearbook, called A Rich Inheritance. It features pictures and interviews with different participants. “Volunteers from the church sit down with participants and record their stories — their favorite scriptures, their memories, how they’ve seen God in their lives,” Kathy explained. “We include photos and publish several each year. One woman saw her story printed just before she passed, and her family told me how grateful they were that she got to see it. Helping people tell their stories is one of the most important things we can do.”
Keeping the Faith — and the Joy
For Kathy, the ministry is as life-giving for her as it is for the participants. “It brings me joy — absolute joy,” she said. “There’s something so pure about being with people who are no longer afraid of what others think. They have truth, history, humor, and grace. The Church should embrace them in these moments.”
She sees the ministry as a vital part of a holistic church life — one that values every generation equally. “We promote ministries for youth, for children, for families,” she said. “But sometimes the older generation gets forgotten. What we’re doing here is giving them their voice back.”
Advice for Other Churches
For congregations looking to start their own older adult ministry, Kathy’s advice is simple: start small and start with love. “Don’t be overwhelmed,” she said. “Find a table, put out a tablecloth, get some sandwiches or soup, and invite people. Even if only a few come, that’s a beginning. If someone asks, ‘Why are you doing this?’ what they really mean is, ‘I can’t believe you remembered me.’ Once a year is a good start. Just do it.”
Kathy also encourages congregational leaders to find a way to help people tell their story— not only as a form of remembrance but as a ministry of grace. “Every person carries a lifetime of faith, hardship, and joy,” she said. “When we give them space to share those memories, we affirm that their lives still matter to the body of Christ.” She also believes the sharing of stories helps others rediscover their voices. “We have people who’ve lived through wars, social movements, and decades of ministry,” she said. “When they tell their stories, they remind us who we are and whose we are.”
A Ministry That Reflects God’s Love
One thing is for certain. Through fellowship, laughter, music, and memory, the Older Adult Ministry at Asbury First UMC reminds its members that their faith still matters — and so do they. “They are the faith leaders of the church,” Kathy said. “Our job is simply to remind them of that truth.”