Last Night I watched the C4 Dispatches programme on Ageism. It highlighted the plight of many UK Citizens over the age of 50 who 
could not get work.
Take for example a 56 year old qualified accountant and his young daughter still in accountancy training. They both applied at the same time to the same on-line recruiting agencies: the daughter received offers from all of them, whilst the fathers CV’s were ‘mysteriously’ lost.
Then there was the case of those who are forced to retire at 65. It seems that badly drafted Government Legislation designed to help is only making matters worse.
We in the Church of England do slightly better as it is possible to carry on until one is 70. In the case of Readers (which are now referred to as Licensed Lay Ministers), licences are called in when that magical age is reached and instead ‘permission to officiate’ may be granted. In practice things go on the same, but with the change of name to include the word ‘licensed’ what are we to call out brethren over the age of 70? Are they to be lesser mortals?
Perhaps we all need to take an example from God. When he chose to create a new nation he chose a man and woman who were well past their prime. When he decided to rescue those people from Egypt he called a man in his 80’s to be their leader.
All this creates a challenge for all of us in ministerial roles. How do we view those older members in our congregations? Are they simply ‘pew fodder’? Just other recruits to the Pensioner Luncheon Club? Someone to help behind the stall at the Summer Fair? Or are they more than that?
Our older folk have a vast wealth and knowledge that the Church needs if it is to minister effectively. Most of the things we face today, they have faced in some form. They are the original ‘been there, done that, got the t-shirt brigade.’ We undervalue and ignore them at our peril.
Tags: Church, Ministry, Social Justice