Second Season is a ministry to and through people who tend to have more than “50 trips around the sun.” We meet monthly for an enjoyable lunch, engaging programs, and a place to connect. I call it a “purposeful gathering” for about 90 minutes. Personally, it’s a way to meet new people and a place where I can give back to my community. I’ve had the joy of witnessing this ministry develop over the past few years and it still inspires me.
As an extrovert, I found most of 2020 and 2021 exhausting and sad. Most of my time at church was spent virtually through online worship. Ironically, I don’t think I was alone in that experience.
In early 2021, I met with Rev. Jim Mason (at a distance mind you; I think there were still masks). We connected quickly and he shared his vision for a new ministry that would bless and empower folks in their “second season” of life (to put a number on that, it means age 50 and up). At one of our exploratory meetings, he shared words that deeply resonated with me.
“I believe ‘seasoned people’ are meant to live lives of meaning and significance for their entire life.”
I was convicted and inspired all at once. Like many folks in their later years (post-retirement), I was wrestling with uneasy feelings of relevance. Could I continue to contribute and be productive after I quit earning an income? As I aged, would I have anything of value to bring to the community? Would anyone remember me when I was gone? What IS my legacy? Most importantly, what was God up to here at Schweitzer Church, and how could I fit in?
Second Season offered a key to answering these questions. In the past two years, this ministry has richly blessed my life and others. It has allowed me to serve while cultivating new friendships. The Second Season gatherings produce wonderful stories of meaning-filled service and showcase life transformation, and it’s all served up in a fun and collaborative way by a completely volunteer-based team.
In the past two years, I’ve met amazing people who inspire and motivate me to run “the good race.” I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve and plumb the treasure trove known as Second Season. In July we will shift to the second Thursday of the month as a way to invite more folks to join us. I hope to see you.