United Lutheran Seminary has been granted $250,000 by the Lutheran Foundation for Long Term Living (LFLTL) for its new project, “Aging Grace-Fully: Author Lecture Series.” This initiative is part of LFLTL’s Community Benefit Initiative, aimed at enhancing the lives of people in various societal settings, focusing on celebrating the contributions of aging adults.
The project falls under the Kindling Faith Continuing Education Initiative at United Lutheran Seminary, involving collaboration with alumni and friends for program development. Featuring eight authors over eighteen months, the series will explore different aspects of aging adulthood. The grant covers authors’ fees, travel, accommodation, and marketing efforts to reach a broad audience.
The series will be hosted in the chapel of the seminary’s Gettysburg Campus with options for live streaming. The seminary plans to collaborate with chaplains of church-affiliated senior living facilities and use its alumni network for marketing. The target audience includes synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its partners.
Dr. Martin Otto-Zimman, Senior Director of the ULS Kindling Faith Initiative, emphasized the program’s benefits for students preparing for diverse ministries, including those to aging adults. Many graduates are already engaged in related roles in retirement communities in the Mid-Atlantic region. The initiative aims to engage retirement living communities across the Northeastern United States.
Background on LFLTL: Founded in 2006, the Lutheran Foundation for Long Term Living started with the “Living Independence for the Elderly” program in Pennsylvania. It grew into a foundation in 2020 during the pandemic, led by Pastor Albert U. Gesler, Jr., with a mission to support long-term living for the elderly. To learn more about their grant opportunities, visit www.lfltl.org.