First, the Greek admonition applies—Know thyself.  Retirement brings many changes.  But it also is grounded in some of the lifelong constants of personality.  I had the time to reflect and discover.  Also for me, moving back full time to Frederick, felt like starting over again in a new town.  Although my wife and I have lived here since 2006, much of that time for me has been spent living in different communities where my work took me.  So, I have faced the joy and the uncertainty of being a newcomer again, even in a town that has been my home for twenty years.  Knowing that I am introverted meant that I had to overcome the anxiety of meeting new people.  Think of walking into a new school and figuring out where to sit in the lunchroom. Where will I fit in?  Will I be accepted?  Can this place provide the sense of community I need?

I felt this anxiety walking into every new setting, even those where I knew at least some people.  For instance, I decided to join the local Rotary Club.  Having been a Rotarian for many years in other towns, it seemed like a good way to meet people and to get involved in the community.  Overcoming my shyness, I began to brave the new breakfast hall.  Soon I found a welcome and encouragement that eased my worries and engaged me with a whole new group of acquaintances.  Joining projects and committees also broke the ice and in a short time, I had expanded my circle of friends exponentially.  This setting has provided me with a toe hold of community to be part of here.  I immediately became involved in community projects and causes ranging from volunteering to place flags downtown on holidays to joining a local effort to promote affordable housing.

The second lesson has been this—Be open to the new; do not cling to the past.  One of my new Rotary friends invited me to learn how to play pickleball.  This new sensation has been sweeping up retiring Baby Boomers across the country.  While it’s an easy game to learn, it is devilishly challenging to master.  However, I met a whole new group of people, also eager to learn and, more importantly, to make friends.  Novice pickleball was an excellent way to open myself to a whole new social group.

Not only was the exercise good at peeling off a few pounds, I found my stamina, coordination, and social life improved.  The only drawback was the aggravation of arthritis in my knees.  (But after all, Boomer pickleball is keeping orthopedic doctors in business these days!)  Even more importantly, pickleball provided a strong sense of acceptance and a new community.  As I learned names, I also learned about the families and histories of my new friends.  And they learned about me.  I looked forward to being together during the week.  And pickleballers gathered for picnics and happy hours, too.  This group expanded my deepening sense of community and the welcome that I needed.

Finally, expand the horizons.  As a shy person, I find it easy to stay close to home running the temptation of becoming reclusive.  Instead, my wife and I have been able to expand our international travel.  One of our traveling friends joked that we are now in the “Go Go” phase of retirement, meaning these early years of greatest energy and activity.  And we have been on the go.  Already we have logged trips to Ireland and Scotland, Japan, and our longest trip ever, six weeks in Australia and New Zealand.  Most recently, we hiked for two weeks along Hadrian’s Wall in northern England, learning about Roman Britain’s history and culture.  Of course, more trips are planned.

Travel also has opened new friendships and expanded our understanding of the world, its people, and its cultures.  We now have a whole new circle of people with whom we correspond and plan to travel in the future.  My world has grown and my sense of belonging expanded.

I have found some of the pathways to a meaningful retirement.  The introvert in me is happy.  This time has enabled me to reflect and sort my life’s experiences.  I have a fuller understanding of who I am and the decisions that make up my life’s journey.  The introvert in me is feeling content and satisfied overall.  I have a deeper sense of accomplishment and pride in who I’ve become.

Moreover, the joiner in me is also happy in my new communities.  While our communities change as we age, they are no less important to our well-being, maybe especially so in retirement. Our need for that sense of acceptance, belonging, and purpose remain strong.  I am still exploring and discovering all this now that I have one year of retirement under my belt. Overcoming my shyness and meeting my need for social connection continues to motivate my retirement pathway.  With any luck, and the help of my orthopedic doctor, I will continue to enjoy this journey for many years ahead.

The post The Journey of Our Whole Self in Community appeared first on United Church Homes.

At the United Church Homes Center for Abundant Aging’s Symposium on Creativity & Aging, held on October 31, leaders, practitioners and partners came together to explore a powerful truth: creative expression is not limited by age — it is expanded by it.

This year’s Symposium focused on how creativity fuels wellbeing across the lifespan. Experts shared evidence-based insights on the benefits of lifelong learning, the role of curiosity and self-expression, and how older adults thrive when given new avenues to explore identity, purpose, joy and community. Attendees were encouraged to consider how creativity can reconnect us with what makes us feel most alive.

For one attendee’s son, the message hit home in a deeply personal way.

A Moment of Inspiration: David’s Story

Lars Olsen, longtime friend and supporter of United Church Homes, left the Symposium with more than notes and inspiration — he left with a renewed idea for his 92-year-old father, David.

David had played trumpet in the University of Minnesota marching band in the 1950s, but life, work and time pulled him away from his instrument. He hadn’t held a trumpet in decades.

After hearing speakers discuss the transformative impact of creativity and lifelong learning, Lars felt a spark. Why not help his dad reconnect with a passion from his past? Inspired by the Symposium, he signed David up for trumpet lessons.

The result? Something extraordinary.

David had his first lesson recently — and he has been eagerly anticipating it for days. Picking up the trumpet again takes effort and he’s using muscles he hasn’t used in years, but the joy is unmistakable. After just one lesson, he signed up for weekly Friday sessions because of how good it made him feel.

Lars said: “Your event made a real difference in his life — and in ours.”

To make this story even more meaningful, David is also being served by United Church Homes’ NaviGuide service, making this a beautiful example of how United Church Homes programs work together to support older adults thrive with meaning, purpose and connection.

Why This Matters

Rev. Beth Long-Higgins, Director of the Center for Abundant Aging and Vice President of Engagement said, “David’s story is exactly what the Symposium hopes to spark each year — real moments of growth, joy and rediscovery in the lives of professionals, older adults and their families.”

Creativity changes lives. Sometimes in big ways. Sometimes in quiet, beautiful ways — like a 92-year-old man picking up his trumpet again.

This is the difference United Church Homes is dedicated to making.

The post A 92-Year-Old’s First Trumpet Lesson in 70 Years appeared first on United Church Homes.

Needless to say, these first few months have been a transition for sure. From a burgeoning calendar of commitments to a calendar largely focused on my own and my family’s needs/wants has changed the way I organize my life. This will be no surprise to any of you who have navigated retirement, especially the early years of it. You may even be saying to yourself, “Just wait!” So here are a few lessons I have learned in these first months of my retirement journey.

Lessons Learned

There’s a lot to do! When I stopped working, I was surprised by the sheer number of tasks that need to get done. Applying for Social Security and Medicare have been foremost and time consuming. It’s not as easy as letting your HR team handle all this over the years. Now it’s on me! Many exchanges of documents, filling out forms online, and then the endless waiting for the next step. I started this process more than 90 days before my employee benefits stopped. After two months, I’m still not through all the hoops.

I decided to stay involved in some nonprofit boards of special interest to me. Could continuing my service on one or two boards take so much of my free time? But then a new group approached me. And a fourth one recently sent an inquiry of my interest. The pitch is usually about all the time I have, and their board only meets quarterly. Then of course each of these groups naturally needs more than that with committees, projects, and governance. I find myself involved in three governance related projects already. I didn’t know I had that much to share about boards!

Now focused on fitness and community, I’ve joined a gym and the Rotary Club in my hometown. This has provided an opportunity for more routine exercise, community service, and meeting new people. One of my new friends in the club has even been teaching me pickleball! (Note to self – pickleball is the number one cause of orthopedic injuries in my demographic.)

There’s a loving partner around! When I stopped working every day, my wife, a retired pastor, and I discovered that we had a new reality to navigate, too. She joked that suddenly I was around a lot, occupying space in what had been her “domain.” I have to give her credit that she did make room for a bit more of my stuff as we adjusted our home to two full time occupants again. And we have discovered that we still like each other! So, we now have found some activities to do together like going to church (and sitting together for once), a date night at the theater, and spontaneous dining out on the town. We still do our own activities and pursue our individual interests, of course. But all this adds to the family calendar, too.

Relationships with family adjust as well. Now Dad is more available for projects. He is more easily found and tends to answer the phone more quickly, too. I have discovered that this new reality has opened new possibilities to reconnect with the wider family network knowing they still need me for some things. And I have learned to control my need to “dad-splain.” There is more time to join in their lives again now, adult to adult. And that is a lot of fun.

Learning who I am! To live is to navigate constant change. Retirement is a big one, to be sure. I can already say that there are stressors to this passage as much as any in life. One of the biggest is understanding my core identity remains intact—my gifts and graces, my incompleteness and vulnerabilities, my personality and my self-worth. My identity starts with being, not doing. So, I am no longer doing what I did during my lifetime of work. But I am still able to define and pursue interests, passions, and new missions. There is purpose and a new kind of freedom to be curious and explore.

Shortly after I retired, my wife and I travelled to Scotland and Ireland. We love to travel and this time going and coming wasn’t bracketed by managing work demands. The usual anxiety of compressing vacation between work is gone. This actually made traveling a qualitatively better experience, too. We have planned more travel in the coming year, too.

Finding My Own Path

Notwithstanding those “experts” who counsel against the pitfalls of retirement, I am finding my own path. I now can turn my attention not only to learning about the world, but also about myself beyond my resumé and accomplishments. When my wife retired a couple of years ago, someone gave her a little plaque that read, “No is your new favorite word.” Now I am learning when to say no and when to say yes as I begin retirement. It’s actually a new kind of freedom I hadn’t expected. Maybe that is the true gift of retirement. I have entered my seventh decade of life free to be me. Stay tuned. I’m learning.

For Reflection (either individually or with a group)

Read the blog. Read it a second time, maybe reading it aloud or asking someone else to read it aloud so you can hear it with different intonation and emphases. Invite the Divine to open your heart to allow the light of new understanding to pierce the shadows of embedded assumptions, stereotypes, and ways of thinking so that you may live more abundantly. Then spend some time with the following questions together with anything or anyone who helps you reflect more deeply.

• If you have finished your primary career, what is the best part about the changes in your life?
• What has been the most important lesson you have learned? Why?
• If you are still working, how do you envision your “retired” life?

Download a pdf including the Reflection Questions to share and discuss with friends, family, or members of your faith community small group.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth V. Daniel is a distinguished leader in senior living, healthcare and housing services with more than three decades of experience including service as Chief Executive Officer of United Church Homes. During his 14 years at the helm of UCH, he spearheaded transformative growth, nearly doubling the organization’s size and revenue. His visionary leadership advanced UCH’s mission through the expansion of its senior living portfolio and the introduction of innovative programs like NaviGuide. Under his guidance, UCH became a national leader in senior living. Rev. Daniel’s past includes serving as Executive Director of Ingleside at Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., and 19 years with Phoebe Ministries in Allentown, Pennsylvania. A Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, he is also a Fellow and Certified Nursing Home Administrator with the American College of Health Care Administrators. Rev. Daniel holds a Master of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, which honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. In 2019, Heidelberg University awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for his outstanding service to the United Church of Christ and United Church Homes. Throughout his career, Rev. Daniel has been a respected thought leader, serving as Chairman of the Board for LeadingAge Ohio and earning accolades such as the Visionary Leader of the Year award in 2022.

Courtesy of The Center for Abundant Aging, promoting the riches of Abundant Aging; advocating for an inclusive society that conquers ageism; and delivering education and resources to transform how we think about elderhood.

Blog: Copyright 2025, Rev. Dr. Kenneth Daniel, All Rights Reserved. Photo designed by Freepik.

The post Greetings From the Front Line appeared first on United Church Homes.

On February 7, Rev. Daniel assumed his new role as senior strategic advisor to the organization he has so faithfully served for 14 years.

When he joined UCH in 2010, the economy was just beginning to recover from the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. It was a time of uncertainty and vulnerability. But Rev. Daniel embraced the challenges UCH faced and immediately recognized that he and others throughout the organization shared a common spirit of compassion.

“What I found when I joined United Church Homes and visited my first community was a palpable sense of caring,” Rev. Daniel said. “I remember thinking ‘It’s here! Now how do we deepen it?’”

The UCH Board wanted change. In Rev. Daniel, they found a servant leader committed to the organization’s growth and innovation. They found a leader who would position UCH to meet the challenges of an ever-changing landscape.

“Throughout my career, I’ve worked with a lot of CEOs,” said UCH Board Chair Karl Ulrich.  “Rev. Daniel is one of the best examples of servant leadership I’ve ever experienced. He never forgets that this organization is, at its core, about people. It’s about achieving results for those we are honored to serve.”

Rev. Daniel and ken Young facilitating the ball drop at the annual golf outing in celebration of The Trinity Community at Beavercreek’s 50th anniversary.

Among Rev. Daniel’s early priorities was ensuring that UCH’s mission, vision and core values were on target, clearly stated and embraced throughout the entire organization.  Simply put, he embedded mission into UCH’s culture.

He also set about branding all the UCH communities as one integrated organization – a dramatic change from the past when each community had its own logo and identity, with little connection to the others.

“Today, we all truly believe and understand that we are servant leaders,” said Vice President of Healthcare Operations Laura Farrell.  “That wasn’t the case before Rev. Daniel.  He is a true leader in every sense of the word and has helped me develop in every aspect of my work.”

Ken Young, who now serves as UCH president and chief executive officer, is also grateful to Rev. Daniel for his mentorship.

Rev. Daniel handing over UCH to new President and CEO Ken Young.

“He contributed so much to my growth,” Young said. “He is a dynamic leader – professionally, personally and spiritually. He is an extraordinary role model for doing things the right way, with compassion and always striving for quality.”

There’s a lot to celebrate about Rev. Daniel’s contributions to UCH’s growth and success.  He cites the organization’s remarkable response to the COVID pandemic as an example of its employees’ resilience and commitment to those they serve.

“We were warriors throughout the pandemic,” he said.  “During the early months – a chaotic period as we learned more about the virus and as the guidance constantly changed – we all came together. Our top priorities were protecting staff and residents through our efforts to limit the spread and ensuring that residents did not suffer from feelings of isolation and loneliness.”

“Initially, we held daily calls with more than 50 key staff to share challenges and successes and support one another,” he continued. “Eventually, we moved to weekly calls – Thankful Thursdays – to continue learning from one another and celebrate the synergy that allowed UCH to thrive despite the many challenges we faced.”

Reflecting on his service, Rev. Daniel cites creation of the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program as a highlight. The multi-faith clinical internship for developing professional skills in spiritual caregiving is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). Celebrating its ten-year anniversary in 2025, the program has evolved and grown as a result of a shift to online learning and virtual meetings implemented by necessity during the pandemic.

Another unexpected outcome of the CPE Program is residents’ response to engaging with students.  It has become part of abundant life at the Trinity Community at Beavercreek which hosts the program.

Another highlight for Rev. Daniel was receipt of a transformational contribution totaling $20 million beginning in the early months of the pandemic. The major donor, who preferred to be anonymous, allowed UCH to increase the Campaign for Abundant Life goal to $45 million – the most ever raised by a UCH fundraising campaign.

“Not every president or CEO embraces a role in philanthropy,” said Vice President of Advancement Gloria Hurwitz. “Donors only support organizations with leaders they trust.  Our fundraising success – and our ability to grow our portfolio of communities and services – is a wonderful reflection of donors’ trust and confidence in Rev. Daniel.”

During his tenure, UCH raised an impressive $93 million dollars, increasing the number of seniors it serves and positioning it for continued success.

Under his leadership, UCH’s owned and managed assets have grown to nearly $400 million, allowing the organization to provide support, through housing and services, to greater numbers of older adults.

Ulrich and Rev. Daniel are both justifiably proud of the trusting relationship between senior leaders and members of the UCH board which has contributed so much to the organization’s success.

“Open communication is critically important,” Ulrich said. “You cannot underestimate the importance of transparency. The strong relationship between the board and UCH’s senior leaders under Rev. Daniel’s leadership has played a key role in positioning the organization for continued growth and innovation.”

“He was the right guy to have at the top of the organizational chart through the challenges UCH faced during the pandemic,” he continued. “The strategic plan jointly developed by the board and senior leadership is a key part of Rev. Daniel’s legacy.”

So, what’s next for Rev. Daniel? When he steps down from his role as senior strategic advisor and fully retires July 1, he and Barbara – his wife of 39 years – will enjoy the many things they love to do together. Their travel plans over the next year include visiting Ireland, Scotland, Japan and Australia.

He looks forward to spending more time with the people he loves most: his family. His plans for an abundant life also include remaining active, with regular exercise in the form of yoga and pickleball.

“I’ll always have close ties to United Church Homes,” Rev. Daniel said. “UCH is positioned for continued success and I will enjoy cheering it on from the sidelines.”

This story appeared in the 2025 spring issue of Spirit magazine: Spring 2025 – United Church Homes

The post A Legacy of Leadership: Celebrating Rev. Ken Daniel’s 14 Years of Service appeared first on United Church Homes.

United Church Homes Announces Leadership Transition

MARION, OH (January 6, 2025) – United Church Homes (UCH), one of the nation’s leading nonprofit senior living organizations, has announced a key leadership transition set for February 2025.

On February 7, 2025, Rev. Dr. Kenneth Daniel will formally step down as Chief Executive Officer of United Church Homes and Radiant Alliance. Ken Young, who has served as President of UCH since July 2023, will assume the role of President and CEO, while also joining the Radiant Alliance as its CEO representative.

To ensure a smooth transition, Rev. Daniel will continue to support the organization as Senior Strategic Advisor through June 30, 2025, before retiring fully. This planned transition concludes Rev. Daniel’s impactful 14-year tenure, during which UCH experienced remarkable growth and innovation.

Since 2011, under Rev. Daniel’s leadership, UCH has nearly doubled in size and revenue. His tenure saw the expansion of UCH’s senior living community portfolio and the launch of innovative services like the NaviGuide service coordination program, providing home-based and digital care for older adults. These advancements solidified UCH’s reputation as a leader in the senior living industry with a growing national presence.

Ken Young brings more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience at UCH to his new role. As President, he has been instrumental in leading UCH’s operations, strategic initiatives, and financial growth, positioning the organization to succeed in an ever-evolving industry. His leadership embodies a steadfast commitment to UCH’s mission of serving older adults with compassion, hospitality and innovation.

“This leadership transition has been carefully planned with unanimous support from the Board of Directors,” said Karl Ulrich, Chair of the UCH Board. “We are profoundly grateful for Rev. Daniel’s visionary leadership and the legacy he leaves. We are equally confident in Ken Young’s ability to lead UCH into an exciting future while advancing our mission and values.”

The Board of Directors also recognizes the dedication of the UCH team during this transition and looks forward to building on the organization’s strong foundation under Ken Young’s leadership.

For more information about United Church Homes and its mission to transform aging, visit www.unitedchurchhomes.org.

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About United Church Homes
For more than 100 years, United Church Homes has been committed to providing quality housing and services to older adults. Today, UCH is the 19th largest multisite, nonprofit senior living organization in the U.S. according to the 2023 LeadingAge Ziegler 200 ranking, serving nearly 7,000 residents in its more than 90 owned and managed market rate and affordable housing communities in 15 states and two Native American nations. United Church Homes leads with its mission to transform aging by building a culture of community, wholeness and peace for those it is privileged to serve.

About Radiant Alliance
Radiant Alliance is a consortium of nonprofit organizations committed to revolutionizing health care through innovation, compassionate care, and collaboration. Its member organizations—Metta Healthcare (Ohio’s Hospice and Pure Healthcare), United Church Homes and Genacross Lutheran Services—offer comprehensive services that empower individuals and families across the health care continuum.

To learn more, visit RadiantAlliance.org and follow Radiant Alliance on Facebook and LinkedIn.

The post Leadership Transition Announcement appeared first on United Church Homes.

Like so many things, our thinking about retirement—that time after we finish our primary careers—is changing in substantive ways. Previously, it was believed that the first 22 years of life were for education, the next 45 years were to be productive both in raising families and in advancing careers leaving the last years for leisure.

But thanks to advances in medicine, public health, housing and food security, we have an additional 20-30 years in average life expectancy.

On Friday, October 4, 2024, more than 100 people gathered in person with 50 online to participate in the Ninth Annual Abundant Aging Symposium at the Nationwide Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. The theme was Meaning, Purpose & Redefining Retirement.

Why Talk About Retirement?

Financial planner Tony Hixon kicked off the event with the “why” we need to talk about our post-primary careers. Hixon, the co-founder and CEO of Hixon Zuercher Capital Management of Findlay, Ohio. He shared the story of his mother who retired after working as a director of hospice care at a facility. She had a heart for helping others, but the daily wear and tear of agency bureaucracy and changing regulations was becoming a challenge.

Six months after retiring, she took her own life, believing retirement was a road to financial and emotional ruin. That tragic event changed Tony’s approach to how he advises his clients, believing people need to go beyond looking at numbers. He has seen firsthand the effects of not having a plan to live a goals and values-based life after one’s primary career.

He talked about his four pillars for living such a life:

• Rediscover your uniqueness, answering the “Who am I?” question.
• Reorient & Repurpose answering “Where am I going?”.
• Social connections, “How will I get there?”
• Leave a Legacy, “Why is this important?”

Planning for Post-Primary Career

Richard Eisenberg, an “Unretired” journalist and podcaster talked about Planning for Post-Primary Career. Richard writes for MarketWatch (“The View From Unretirement”], on Next Avenue [about personal finances, work, retirement and aging] and on Fortune.com [about Medicare]. His podcast is “Friends Talk Money”.

Richard defines unretirement as being “retired from a full-time job, not retired from life”. He gave his five keys to a successful retirement.

• Know what you will retire “to”.
• Know your finances before you leave your full-time job.
• Don’t be afraid to say “no”. he says, “just because you can do something in unretirement, doesn’t mean you should.”
• Make a schedule, Fill up the calendar as much as you want but not more than you want.
• Be like Marie Kondo and keep in your life the things that bring you joy trying to keep out the things that don’t.

Why Hire Older Workers

The morning concluded with Janine Vanderburg, CEO of Encore Roadmap, shared the business case for age inclusion for organization’s workforce. She talked about the attributes of older workers, saying research shows older workers want to learn, are motivated to exceed expectations, and have better communications and soft skills as they age. Older workers stay calmer, and have increasing crystallized intelligence that includes pattern recognition–the ability to respond to something new by connecting it with something stored in memory. She also talked about the benefits of age-inclusive teams and the outcomes from the Alive Ventures Insights report that says older adults want to see (in advertisements) older adults having fun instead of being made fun of, falling in love rather than falling down, and starting new endeavors rather than starting to decline.

Finding Your Purpose and Meaning

Anna Hall, Founder of The Purpose Equation and Chief Culture Office, Front Porch Communities, spoke about finding one’s purpose and meaning.

She defined purpose as “Giving and getting meaning and joy every single day.” She went on to say it is not a role or a goal. Joy is important because it positively impacts your immune and cardiovascular systems, reducing stress and building resilience, which supports longevity.

Hall asked participants to consider who they are BEing: teacher, creator, innovator, partner, connector, learner, leader, initiator, implementor. She quoted Brene Brown who said, “True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.” Hall concluded by saying that defining your purpose shows you the possibilities of endless opportunities.

Aging Well

Helen Dennis talked about a new model for retirement for career women she outlined in her book Renewment that brings women together in community to discuss topics of concern including resilience, ageism, uncertainty, self-care and changing priorities.

What are the characteristics of those who age well? Donna Kastner, Managing Director of Age Well Dayton addressed this question listing longing for belonging, forward leaning, confident plus humble, engaged (being both like-minded and different-minded), self-aware and striving, and agile + adaptive.

Questions to Consider Before Retiring

Rev. Beth Long-Higgins, the director of the Parker Center for Abundant Aging, closed out the event talking about spirituality—the way we seek and express meaning and experience and the way we experience our connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature and to the significant or sacred.

She asked participants consider five threshold questions for post-primary career:

1. What do I do with my (limited) time?
2. Who am I?
3. Who is my community?
4. Where is my place in creation?
5. Where do I find purpose/fulfillment?

She quoted Barbara Orsborn who said, “We have the opportunity not to grow old, but to grow whole.”

Long-Higgins asked two spiritual questions around your perspective. She suggests that as people age, they develop a Beginner Mind asking What would I like to begin? Additionally,, she suggests we benefit by continuing to use out mastery and ask, How can I continue to do that which I already do well?

The event closed with Richard Eisenberg being awarded the Annual Symposium Award in honor of Ruth Frost Parker for Richard’s contributions to transforming the way we think about aging—particularly retirement.

The post The Gift of 20 More Years of Life appeared first on United Church Homes.

At the time, I couldn’t imagine moving into retirement just yet. My congregation had empowered me to be the kind of pastor I have always wanted to be. I could preach, teach, and lead creative forms of worship. I led international exploration tours and mission trips and championed social action within the community. They embraced me for who I was and who I was called to be, and for that, I am eternally grateful. How could I give that up? At least not then.

The Call of the Inner Voice
Then in the summer of 2022, after leading the congregation through a major building project (completed in 2018), the challenges of COVID, and some significant staff changes, a small inner voice began to nudge me to consider the future. That voice was asking whether I wanted to spend the next years ahead in leading yet another period of major transitions.

My husband and I joined a group from our church to hike the Camino de Santiago in September of 2022. With time to walk and reflect, that inner voice became louder. I began to discern that it was time to celebrate my years as a parish pastor, open space in my life for where God may be calling me, and to provide an opportunity for my church to imagine its own future with new leadership. In other words, I was ready.
So, I retired in June 2023, the month of my 64th birthday and 40th anniversary of ordination to the Christian ministry. I am grateful for the retirement celebration my church planned that not only marked my 17 years as their pastor, but my 40 years of service. That celebration empowered and affirmed that God still had more for me to do.

Your New Word is No

One of my friends gave me a framed postcard that reads, “Your new word is ‘No.’”   It was a reminder to allow time for exploration of new opportunities before making a commitment. Retirement did not mean adopting the same kind of frenetic schedule like I had while working. It was difficult but I learned to say, “No,” to many things. I had to trust that eventually, the inner voice would say, “Ok, yes, this is it.”

For the first year, I embarked on some travel. This has always been something I love. Travel was also an opportunity to get distance from the routines of the church year that I had followed for 40 years.   More importantly, it gave me the freedom and the time to visit with family and reconnect with friends across the years of my life.

During this time, one of my friends gave me Riley Moynes’ Four Phases of Retirement. Phase 1 was vacation, traveling, no set routine. I did that.

Adapting to Change
The second phase, according to Moynes, is lost and loss — losing structure and identity and a sense of purpose. I can identify with this phase, especially because my husband has kept working at his profession. The rhythms of our lives have changed and we must adapt. I just have come to understand like anything else, this is just a phase I am going through.

The third phase is trial and error when one explores new possibilities to find meaning and purpose. I have been pleased and a bit relieved that people still think of me for projects and programs. While I haven’t jumped at anything long-term, I have found the opportunity to teach or lead a trip to be fulfilling.

In the second year of retirement, I find myself between the loss phase and the trial-and-error phase. Although I will always be identified as a pastor, I am also reclaiming my identity as a valued family member, friend, mother, and spouse. I have been engaging in a variety of community efforts, mostly events, to see where my heart and passion might want to engage further. I have seen how the gifts and skills I utilized as a pastor can be transferred to a variety of settings in the community and the community welcomes those gifts.

It hasn’t been a smooth passage. For example, I tried to engage in a major project in the wider church that gave me meaning and purpose, but the timing was not right, the demands too great. So I needed to step away.

What’s Next?
I am enjoying having time to do things without the pressure of work deadlines, meetings, or others’ expectations. At the same time, I continue to wonder, “What’s next?”
The fourth phase according to Moynes is reinventing and rewiring – answering the question of one’s mission and purpose and how to squeeze all the juice out of retirement. This phase hasn’t kicked in just yet. But I am sure it will.

I am grateful for supportive and understanding kids, spouses, and good friends who are willing to listen to me as I navigate this new season in my life. I have come to understand that being a loving and supportive family member and friend also gives me satisfaction, as well as new meaning and purpose.

While I may not have planned to retire when I did, I’m content with the timing. I remind myself every day that it’s okay to be in transition and I am not required to make decisions about what tomorrow may bring. Trusting in the Spirit, just as I did in my early years of ministry, helps me believe that with each change, God has something new planned for me. I just have to be patient knowing it will all be revealed in its time.

To learn more about options for post-retirement success and how to begin preparing even prior to finishing your primary career, join us in person or online for the 2024 Abundant Aging Symposium, Purpose, Meaning and Redefining Retirement on October 4^th. Discount for those over the age of 55 and for students.

For Reflection (either individually or with a group)

Read the blog. Read it a second time, maybe reading it aloud or asking someone else to read it aloud so you can hear it with different intonation and emphases. Invite the Divine to open your heart to allow the light of new understanding to pierce the shadows of embedded assumptions, stereotypes, and ways of thinking so that you may live more abundantly.

• If you have not yet retired from your primary career, when do you think you might do so? Why then?
• If you have already finished your primary career, where are you in Riley Moynes’ Four Phases of Retirement: 1) vacation, traveling, no set routine; 2) lost and loss; 3) trial and error; and 4) reinventing and rewiring.
• What are you most enjoying about your current phase and what do you find most annoying?

Download a pdf including the Reflection Questions to share and discuss with friends, family, or members of your faith community small group.

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About the Author

The Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel began her ministry with Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ on July 1, 2006 after 23 years of service to congregations in Pennsylvania. She graduated summa cum laude from Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C., and holds both Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Lancaster (PA) Theological Seminary. Pastor Daniel has been awarded the Distinguished Alumna Award from Catawba College and served on many United Church of Christ boards, as a trustee of Catawba College, and Chair of the Lancaster Theological Seminary Board of Trustees.

She is recognized as a leader in the Frederick community for her efforts to advocate for social justice. She has lent her compassion and tireless desire for change to organizations such as the Frederick LGBTQ Center, the Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs, and to the Frederick Area School Supply Drive, which provided more than 1,700 disadvantaged students with needed school supplies in 2019 alone. She is chaplain to Frederick’s Junior Fire Company, serves on the Frederick Chief of Police Advisory Board, and is active in Rotary Club International, having earned its prestigious Service Above Self award in 2006.

Most recently, she served as co-chair of the capital campaign for the Emergency Family Shelter Program.

Rev. Daniel and her husband, Rev. Kenneth Daniel, CEO of United Church Homes, are the proud parents of sons Mark and Christopher.
Rev. Daniel retired as Pastor of Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ in June of 2023.
View all articles by Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel

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