Calvin Synod Herald, 1987 (87. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
1987 / 1. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD — 7 — REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA PANORAMA Survey Finds Baby Boomers Are Coming Back to Church Ranks of aging will grow The Commerce Department's Central Bureau reports that the number of people over 65 is expected to double by the year 2020, and will make up more than 20 per cent of the population. Fifty years from now, one of every five Americans will be elderly. Figures from recent years indicate that the number of elderly is growing faster than other population groups. By 2010 the number of elderly will rise rapidly as the post-World War II baby boom will mature. Within 30 years an aging society will be upon us that will effect many of our churches, which even now are made up mainly of elderly people. In 1960 out of 179 million Americans there were almost 17 million people who were 65 or older. In 1980 out of 226.6 million Americans 25.5 million were 65 or older. In 2030 the American population is expected to be 304 million, out of which those who will be 65 and over are expected to be 64 million. The generation that spurned institutional religion during the 1960’s is coming back to church, according to a recent study by two researchers at UCC-related Hartford (CT) Seminary. The study by William McKinney and David Roozen concentrated on people now between ages 31 and 41, part of the “baby boom” generation bom between 1945 and 1965. Using public opinion polls, they found that 42.8% of the baby boomers responding in 1984 attended worship at least three times a month. Only 33.5% of them reported this attendance level between 1972 and 1974. The increase of nearly 10% came during a period of general nationwide decline in worship attendance. The rise primarily involved people who used to go to church only several times a year and now go regularly. For the most part, people who previously were away from church altogether are staying away, the researchers report. Though baby boomers are now having children of their own, and it’s a big reason for their increased church attendance, it’s not the only reason why the UCC should want to attract them, Dr. McKinney says. He feels the UCC “has a lot in common with the values of this generation,” including concern about issues of justice and peace and an openness toward individual struggles about what is moral and what is not. R. Alan Johnson, secretary for evangelism and membership growth with UC Board for Homeland Ministries, says five factors seem to attract members of the baby boom generation to churches: *Worship experiences, including good music and preaching that is relevant to daily life and rooted in the Bible. *Nurseries. “They have waited a long time to get married and have children, and they’re not going to leave their kid in some dusty little corner.” *Programs that “help people grow spiritually, rediscover life’s meaning and understand what that means in today’s world.” *Being welcomed into “a church community, a place of connectedness, which seeks to make a difference in the world.” *A climate that strengthens family life while also being open to young people who are single or are living together in various forms of commitment. Keeping You Posted The Winters: The Kids Asked So Many Questions Kem and Gerald Winter drew away from religion while in college. Two years ago, when they turned 30 and 31, they joined St. John UCC, Freeport, IL. “The children asked so many questions,” reports Mrs. Winter, “especially about Christmas and Easter. We felt we had to provide adequate answers.” The couple also felt that society and the world needed help, but did not know what they could do about it. “The church gave direction to our energy,” they say. What was gained went further than the Winters’ original reasons for attending church, however. Note the couple: “We as a family are firmly bonded together because of our participation in St. John’s.” Christian worker claims media distortion In a EP News article appearing in Vital Christianity, Claude Moeller, the South African national coordinator for Focus on the Family, says American media coverage of events in his country is distorted and may contribute to the downfall of the government and a subsequent Marxist takeover. “It would be worth anybody’s while to pay attention to the Soviet expansion strategy over the whole world,” he said. “First they promote violence and unrest to make a country ungovernable or controllable only by military force. Then they move to take over the nation.” | Moeller explained that he is not a sup- j porter of the white South African gov- j ernment’s policy of racial separation. “I haven’t got any sympathy with apart- I heid,” he said. “It is a disgusting and j shameful policy, and I’m very sorry j about it. But the Marxist forces are using i apartheid as a reason to promote violent I overthrow of the government. Their goal j is not to have a democracy or treat blacks ) j better, but to have a Marxist dictatorship j I in South Africa, which has the strongest j ' military on the African continent and -controls vast quantities of strategic mineral resources.” The political situation in South Africa is portrayed simplistically by the American media, according to Moeller. “It is not blacks against whites,” he explained. “Blacks are being killed by blacks. Christians are being killed by non- Christians, and moderates of both colors are being killed by revolutionaries.” Moeller said there are actually ten major black factions and two white factions seeking control of the country. (Your Church)
