During her BUW Presidency, Rev. Maggie Rich championed God’s heart for all ages – including the elderly among us. Here, we hear of a wonderful new initiative: a day to mark and celebrate the faithfulness of the older believers among us, titled ‘Celebrating Age’. We also hear reflections on the significance of the day from Rev. Peter Thomas.
With many celebrating “Silver Sunday” on the 4th of October this year, why not consider whether you or your church could hold something similar in your community or local area to inspire those who are of an older age?
Rev. Maggie Rich’s Vision
Several years ago, Revd Peter Thomas introduced the Caleb Project; the focus being older people. During my term of presidency of the English Wing, my focus has also been on the older people, both in our churches and in our communities.
Last year we were privileged to run pilot projects for BUW, entitled “Celebrating Age”. We chose October 5th 2025, as this is the day that Age Cymru designated “Silver Sunday”.
The older people of three churches where I am minister, and a Free Church which joins us regularly, came together on the Sunday afternoon for a café style service. We considered the theme of “faithfulness”, both in their faithfulness in prayer and service over the years, and in God’s faithfulness. We looked at the account of Simeon and Anna in the Temple: God’s faithfulness in His promise to Simeon that he would indeed see the Lord’s Christ, and Anna’s faithfulness in fasting and prayer over many years
The Eleanor Farjeon poem “Mrs Malone” was read: the service to those in need which goes on quietly and unnoticed, but which God sees. We also considered youth ministry and the importance of these “roots” within the church to sustain and support that ministry.
After the service, the older people were served a full afternoon tea by the younger people, and shared stories around the table.
Our older people are so important and it is good to take the opportunity to thank them and to show appreciation of what they have done in the past and in many instances are still doing.
Reflections by the Rev. Peter Thomas
This Sunday is an opportunity for us to realise the value and potential that belong to each of us as we grow – an opportunity for us to celebrate what we are and what we can continue to contribute in community and church.
The Word of God gives value and prominence to old age: Psalm 92:13 reminds us: “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age.”
“God’s sustenance and strength do not diminish as we grow older. We can continue to be of service in the years of our old age because God gives us the power and ability to do so!”
Abraham was an old man, 94 years old when God told him that he would become the father of a great nation – and his wife Sarah would give birth to a child at the age of 92. God chose Moses and Aaron to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity when they were both in the throes of age. When the reins were handed over to Joshua to lead the nation into the land of Canaan, he too had crossed the age of promise and continued to lead that nation until his death at the age of 110. The Apostle Paul refers to himself in his letter to Philemon as “Paul, now an old man”, and yet we know that he was still busy penning letters to the churches at Ephesus, Colossae and Phillippi, while in prison.
There are many other examples of the way God used individuals in the golden years of their life to be of service and to bear fruit in their old age.
The prophet Isaiah states that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.” God’s sustenance and strength do not diminish as we grow older. We can continue to be of service in the years of our old age because God gives us the power and ability to do so, He will renew us and empower us to keep going!
“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.”
Isaiah 40:31
This Sunday is not only an opportunity to celebrate old age, but a challenge for us who have reached that season in life to consider the privileges and opportunities that God continues to offer us and the doors that he continues to open in our story. We trust him and direct our lives to serve for the praise and glory of his name.
You can find out about Silver Sunday here and here. Note: Age UK no longer centrally coordinates Silver Sunday, but it is still celebrated by many regional, local groups and churches. This year the day will be marked by many on the 4th of October.