Support Leading Worship With Older People
There are lots of resources available to help ministers, preachers and worship leaders wanting to offer engaging worship for people in later life – whether that’s in church or when visiting local care homes or retirement communities. We’ve listed just a few of them here:
Messy Vintage began in a Methodist Church in Jersey as a more gentle alternative to Messy Church but with the same ideals of being Christ-centred, creative and hospitable. You can find more information on the Messy Church website.
Out of the Box uses some of the same principles of Godly Play to share stories in which people of all ages can discover meaning. It has been used successfully in many settings including churches and care homes. More information can be found on the Out of the Box website.
Creating dementia inclusive churches - MHA and MWiB (Methodist Women in Britain) have worked together to produce a guide called Creating dementia inclusive churches. It’s full of information about dementia, practical suggestions for buildings and worship, and signposting to other organisations. You can obtain a copy by emailing chaplaincy@mha.org.uk. The pack is free from MHA but if you would like to make a donation towards production costs, we suggest £5.
Biblical Yoga was developed by an MHA chaplain. It uses gentle exercises and reminiscence alongside a Bible passage and is proven to support and encourage people to participate in meaningful worship. You can read more about and download free resources on our Faith communities page.
WELL workshops (Worship Engagement in Later Life) are offered by MHA for any group that is interested in learning more about dementia and how to lead engaging worship for people living with it, in churches or care homes. The workshop is interactive and includes an introduction to Biblical Yoga. For more information please email chaplaincy@mha.org.uk
Spiritual Eldercare has a wealth of free resources to meet the spiritual needs of people in later life, especially those living with dementia. There are interactive Bible studies, nondenominational worship services, and professionally recorded sing-along hymns with clear lyrics.
Page last updated: October 2022.
