The United Lutheran Seminary has received a grant of $250,000 from the Lutheran Foundation for Long Term Living (LFLTL) to implement the project: “Aging Grace-Fully: Author Lecture Series.”
The project is being funded through LFLTL’s Community Benefit Initiative. The aim of the initiative to encourage programming that enhances the lives of people in a variety of societal settings, especially ministries that celebrate the contributions of aging adults in society.
The Aging Grace-Fully program will be implemented under the auspices of the Kindling Faith Continuing Education Initiative at United Lutheran Seminary. Kindling Faith expands upon previous programs and events through ongoing collaborative efforts with a thinktank group consisting of alumni and friends of the seminary, who will contribute ideas on program development and best practices. Programs and events are offered throughout the year via Zoom and in person on both the Gettysburg and Philadelphia campuses of ULS.
“This exciting program will feature eight authors over a period of eighteen months who will give lectures on various aspects of aging adulthood,” said Rev. Dr. R. Guy Erwin, Seminary President. “The bulk of the grant will pay the authors’ speaking engagement fees, travel and accommodation. We will also buttress our own marketing efforts to reach the broadest possible audience.”
Kindling Faith will host the Aging Grace-Fully series in the chapel of the seminary’s Gettysburg Campus which can offer livestreaming so people can also attend virtually. The seminary will collaborate with chaplains of all the church-affiliated senior living facilities within driving distance and use the alum email network to market the series to all synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American and its full-communion partners for those who cannot attend in person yet might be interested in attending.
“At United Lutheran Seminary, we are dedicated to raising up saints for ministry in many different contexts, including ministry to aging adults.” says Dr. Martin Otto-Zimman, Senior Director of the ULS Kindling Faith Continuing Education initiative. “This program will benefit our student population as they prepare to work with people of all ages. Many of our graduates are already involved in chaplaincies, church relations, and other roles in retirement communities in the Mid-Atlantic region. This program will benefit not only our alums, but aging adults from a variety of backgrounds and denominations. Our intention is to invite participation from retirement living communities all over the Northeastern United States.”
About Lutheran Foundation for Long Term Living
In 2006, working closely with The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services – Office of Long-Term Living, The Lutheran Home for the Aged of Erie, Pennsylvania was provided with the opportunity to create and grow a new and exciting program focused on providing quality health care services to the elderly.
Seizing the opportunity to advance Founder Dr. Gustave Benze’s mission, a program called, “Living Independence for the Elderly (LIFE), known nationally as the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), was created.
LIFE-NWPA, as part of the Lutheran Home for the Aged of Erie, Pennsylvania, initially only operating in Erie County, grew to operate in 12 counties throughout Northwestern Pennsylvania. Due largely to the growth and success of the LIFE-NWPA program, The Lutheran Home for the Aged of Erie Pennsylvania has been able to create and identify an additional opportunity to provide charitable services to the elderly.
In 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, the Board of Directors authorized the creation of a charitable organization to be called The Lutheran Foundation for Long Term Living (LFLTL). The specific purpose of the new foundation is to help other non-profits throughout the world, and to support, enhance and grow that original mission to assuring “long term living” for all. Instrumental in this transformation, modernization and growth of the dream has been the many devoted years of service and leadership from Pastor Albert U. Gesler, Jr., class of 1959 from the former Luther Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, a predecessor school to United Lutheran Seminary.
After naming Mr. Mark J. Gusek the Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of The Lutheran Foundation for Long-Term Living on October 14, 2021, the Board of Directors granted and bestowed upon Pastor Albert U. Gesler Jr., the title of Founding Chairman of the Board of the Lutheran Foundation for Long Term Living. Pastor Gesler died on December 5th of 2021, but his legacy lives on in the work of the Foundation. To learn more about grant opportunities for your organization visit The Lutheran Foundation for Long-term Living website at www.lfltl.org.
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