The Retirement Journey

Here in our summer Journey series, we have our colleague, ministry wife, Elsa Siriano sharing with us her journey from ministry days to retirement days.  Elsa is also the author of the book, The Other Side of the Pulpit. You can find it here or contact Elsa directly at naaanny90@aol.com ($15 + $3 shipping & handling)

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Conversations with a Colleague.... The Retirement Journey by Elsa Siriano

How do we retire from serving the Lord who has called us into ministry? 
After 45 years pastoring churches in New England and New York state, we shut the church door and drove away. 
 It is easy to feel forgotten when we retire.
 
The hard part is NOT being the pastor’s wife, not having the fellowship, not involved in the women’s ministries, the day-to-day operations of the church, or having friends in the church, OUR church.
 
We now attend Faith Church, in Rochester, NY, where our daughter and son-in-law, Darla and Steve Edlin pastor.  In the past I was introduced as “This is our Pastor David’s wife.” Now it’s “This is Pastor Darla’s mother.”  Sometimes it’s an honor and sometimes I wish simply to be known by my name- Elsa. I learned to spell it as a child when everyone called me Elsie. It irritated me then that people got it wrong. Yet it’s in those times I remember: My name is written in God’s Book of Life. He knows my name and all that it holds. He also knows my whole journey and where I’m at now. 

So with the feelings of loss in our ministry role, how can we manage the transitions toward retirement?
Use the talents/giftings the Lord has given you - For the past 14 years, my husband, David, and I have traveled a new journey.

• David is passionate about the message of Bible prophecy being fulfilled in the present time.  I, as the title of ‘pastors’ wife’ am now the traveling companion, helping with the sale of our books and giving a personal testimony in churches.
• We both lead a small group at church.
• I love quilting and teaching hand piecing and hand quilting in my small group of sixteen women of all ages.

So, in retirement, continue to use those talents the Lord gave you. They will look differently than the church setting, yet this new season brings new opportunities.

•  Continue to get out there.
• We may not have money for a lot of traveling, but we can do small trips locally. 
• Read, write, exercise, take walks
• Be involved in your church seniors’ gatherings
• Connect with your community.
• Don’t just sit and remember all the old days or go over the hurts and blessings but instead get up and move.

 
Leave a legacy - I admonish women to be busy blessing others. I give a neighbor family pasta sauce when I make it once a month. Find creative ways to share God’s love. The world still needs a Savior, and YOU may be the one to share that word of encouragement or act of love with them in their day.

• Bake a cake for a neighbor or someone in need.
• Call someone and give them an encouraging word.
• Pray with them.
• Visit someone in a nursing home or hospital
• Smile and share a kind word with a waitress/clerk and tell them you appreciate their service.
• Invite someone over for dinner or meet them for lunch

 
Be an intercessor – During our busy days of practical ministry needs being met, we didn’t always have time for deep intercession. This is a great time in our lives to be intercessors. We have time to pray and encourage those in need. 

Enjoy the people around you – In retirement, you are all of a sudden 24 hours a day with your husband.  We’ve been married 59 years. I am Swedish/English and my husband is 98% Italian.  How do we exist?  We have learned when to debate and when to just be quiet. We make time for each other.  
 
Now in our twilight years, David and I enjoy each other, our children, our grandchildren, and a great grandson. Every night when my husband and I get into bed, we hold hands, pray together, share a good night kiss and say, “I love you.”  Little things mean a lot. 

It’s been a journey and now in this season of my life I still want to be used of God.  I will be 85 years old in May 2022 and I have more to give. Maybe the old bones won’t let us walk the malls, or ski, or even walk for a mile.  But we can pray, encourage others, bless others, and continue to grow in our giftings. We can still let our light shine as Christ shines through us.  

Don’t be the old person that is grumpy and complains about the food, about the new songs in church, or about how the young people dress.  Remember all that God has brought you through and the lessons you learned. 

• Be the light in someone’s dark world.
• Put that smile on your face and bless someone with a kind word. 

 Getting old is a privilege. A reminder that God is not through with us. We have trusted Him through our ministry journey, and we continue to trust Him through our retirement years.