Church in the Wildwood

Midlifers 

As midlifers at Church in the Wildwood, we are committed to helping each other grow spiritually, and we are committed to helping other generations, both older and younger than ours.

Our current ministry teams at Wildwood include those for our Tuesday-evening food pantry and helping our low-income neighbors through Westside Cares, for helping foster families, for home visitations and home repair for the infirm, and for programs and events (like cooking classes), including social and fun events. 

While midlife often begins as a volatile time in our life — half of all American men experience a major depression in their mid-40s — our midlife years can be incredibly satisfying.  Midlife is often the time when we implement and realize our best ideas and dreams.

Midlife can be a can-do phase of our life, in which we find new vehicles for to express and embody our deepest values.  Our career peaks, we change to a more satisfying one, or we may downshift from career overdrive.  We parent emerging adults and our kids move out.  We enjoy more time with our spouse and our friends, and we have more time for leisure and to volunteer in the community.

At the same time, we are humbled as we realize the limits on our power and ability to control situations.  We see that some reality is inherently tragic.  There is suffering that cannot be ended.  There are afflictions that cannot be remedied.  There are failures that cannot be reversed.  We are more aware of the complexity of human life, including its contradictions and paradoxes and the role of random, chance events.

By our early 40s, death is no longer abstract.  Death is now a sobering reality.  We notice obituaries, we begin to experience the death of loved ones with regularity, including our peers, and we wrestle with our own mortality. 

We question and evaluate ourselves anew:  What have I done with my life?   Have my goals been worthy goals?  What do I really want in life?  How can I change my life?

As we transcend the illusion of control, we become less self-conscious and more accepting of others.  As we let go of disappointments, we experience more joy.   As we accept that both triumphs and suffering are a part of life, we live with more serenity and inner peace. 

The real work of midlife is the feeding and crafting of our soul.  We identify with our soul.  We connect with God in a deeper way.  We accept our shortcomings and we are willing to change.  We work to make our actions congruent with our deepest spiritual values.

Ideally, from all this inner work we emerge with deeper compassion, genuine and mature wisdom, authentic inner strength, and an abiding and joyful serenity.  We attain inner harmony, spiritual depth, and sustained well-being.  We gain the creative and generative capacity to enrich human life.

Along our journey, we suffer and we see others suffer.  We awaken to God in compassion — in sharing in the suffering of other people, in empathy, in giving of our self.  We confront the suffering with empathy and courage and we continue to affirm life.  And the greater life’s pain, the greater life’s reply.           

We look beyond our own life to our larger human family.   Guided by the Lord, we find the best way to give our unique gift to the world.  Our purpose and our passion are now rooted in caring for others, working for people’s well-being, enriching people’s lives, lifting up those who are coming after us in life, and leaving the world a better place.  We work to be a blessing, to help make the world a better place, and to empower and generate benefits for younger generations. 

Ideally, our ethics flow from a sense of unity with all several billion of our fellow human beings — from concern and care for all our neighbors.  Aware of what all people have in common, our empathy, compassion, care, and sense of justice become universal. 

Knowing that there is no “them,” there is no out-group, we share a bond with all people.  We reach out to find that our identity lies in the Circle of all human beings.  We stand and we live not for our self alone and not for our group alone but for All of Us. 

At Wildwood, we believe in treating all human beings with dignity.  We desire equal respect, justice, fairness, rights, and opportunity for all human beings.  We stand against all abuse, oppression, and exploitation of people.  We are committed to an ethos of universal justice and care. 

So join us at Wildwood as we seek spiritual maturity in midlife.  Let’s cherish each others’ worth and value.  Let’s encourage each others’ deepest aspirations and goals.  Let’s become mutual guides to each others’ spiritual growth.

Midlifer Activities at Wildwood

Sundays

9:30    Sunday school class, with retired minister Harry Strong

9:30    Choir rehearsal

10:30  Worship service

11:40  Fellowship in fellowship hall

Handbell Rehearsal

Wednesdays, 6:00 p.m.

Choir Rehearsal

Wednesdays, 6:45 p.m.

Sundays, 9:30 a.m.