"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  

Ephesians 2:10

 

Attend A Create Your Second Act Workshop On October 17, 2008

Organize Your Own Group for a Second Act Wprkshop

For both women and men, there is a “Second Act” to life, an opportunity to pursue new, God-given direction that leads us to have greater impact for Jesus’ Kingdom.  It may begin with a career change, or kids leaving home, or simply as a tug on our minds and hearts. This six-week study will be an opportunity to reflect on our gifts and abilities; to experience what matters most to us; and discover what it all means for how God wants to use us during the Second Act of our lives.

The workshop consists of six one hour sessions with a small group and is usally conducted at Second Presbyterian Churhc in East Memphis. You may create your own group and is available to non-member of the church.  The cost is $15 for materials.  Call Brenda at 682-6201 for further information.

Click on this link to read a more detailed description of this workshop.

ARE YOU READY TO CREATE YOUR "SECOND ACT?"

Baby-Boomers (over 70 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964) have an opportunity to create their "Second Act".  Many in this generation are sensing that God may want them to move in a different direction, utilizing the gifts they've honed and the experience God has given them up to this point in life. The sense of God moving can come in many different ways: unsettledness, discontent, yearning, a desire to meet a clear need in Memphis or the world, or through a life change like the kids leaving the house, retirement, or unexpected job loss.

With an estimated 170,000+ boomers in Memphis, this group represents a vast resource for non-profits as Boomers search for meaningful outlets and opportunities to use their talents developed over a lifetime.  Properly harnessed and directed, this group could be transformative for non-profit organizations and our City, to become change agents to help community based organizations survive and succeed, and to start new ventures in areas of need.

Does this mean changing careers?  No, but the answer depends on you.  For many people, it does require a thoughtful and prayerful reconsideration of priorities and a reallocation of time.  This process of navigating midlife is discussed further below.

A Second Act Work Shop is planned.  Check back later for further details.

Read Boomer Byte Article from the Finishers Project

IT’S A PROCESS (A MUST READ FOR BABY BOOMERS)

As a baby-boomer, you have done a lot of things in your life. But navigating through midlife isn’t one of them. That’s an experience you only do once. You have been so busy with life, work, family, church that you are just now beginning to thinkabout the second half of life. Your career has been successful, but you find this satisfaction is an empty reward. You know there is more to life than accumulating things, career achievement and lifestyle.

You are considering how to balance your priorities and where serving fits in. You're asking if your current career is where God wants you to stay.  If a career change is not the answer, how can you serve and make an impact at your workplace and in your church and community?  There are usually four stages of this process. Different individuals move forward in their own time (several months to several years) and in their own way. But the fundamental process is generally consistent.

STAGE 1:     
Many people find midlife unsettling. They don’t realize they are about to enter a new stage of life. They just know that things seem different.  Something they can’t even define is missing.The trigger may be a significant life event—a child leaving for college, the death of a parent, the pain of divorce, a liquidity event, a significant career success or failure. Other individuals simply enter a calm season that provides the opportunity to truly see where life has—and has not—taken them. In this first stage you will likely find yourself asking such questions as these:

• I have accomplished what I set out to do, but is there more to life?
• Am I alone in feeling this way?
• How much (stuff, money, advancement) is enough?
• In what ways is my career a platform for something even more meaningful?

STAGE 2:    
You think less about what you have done and more about who you are. You may wonder if God has created another role for you on this earth. At this point, you may ask a different set of questions:

• What am I really passionate about?
• What are my core values and greatest strengths?
• How can I use my career experiences and talents in a different way?
• How can I make a difference in building God’s Kingdom?
• How might my spouse and I share this new experience?
• Who can come alongside me to provide wisdom and insights?

More information about your role in the Kingdom

STAGE 3:   
With a renewed vision of who you are and your purpose in life, you will be ready for a period of exploration. You’ll analyze different ways in which you might invest your second half and further develop your new world view. In this phase, you will likely ask such questions as these:

• How can I open up enough time in my life to pursue a new role?
• Does the new role mean a career change or applying this new role in my current career?
• How do I prepare myself and my family for a possible transition?
• What legacy do I desire to leave through my children and grandchildren?What specific arenas of service might fit my skills and passions?
• How do I begin to find the serving opportunities that fit me?

STAGE 4:   
The last leg of your mid-life journey is the process of engaging fully in your new role in your second half. It's about finding a new equilibrium in life—with a new and active commitment to serving. Common questions during this final stage include:

• How do I decide between various serving opportunities?
• How can I make my new vision fit with my financial situation?
• Where can I make my highest and best contribution?
• How will I measure my effectiveness?
• Am I growing closer to God and to those I love as I embark on this new journey?

The above is adapted from ideas from Howard Eddings, President of Memphis Leadership Foundation and Mike Gatliff, Minister to Middle Adults at Second Presbyterian Church of Memphis, and information supplied by Halftime and the Finishers Project.  For additional information, please review their web sites.

OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR TIME & TALENT

The link below is to our web page designed to connect individuals to opportunities to serve in Christian ministries andother non-profits in Memphis and the surrounding areas.  This page is targeted toward those with corporate leadership expertise or other skills or talents who are searching for meaningful outlets and opportunities to use those skills and talents to serve the community.   This would include those seeking volunteer opportunities, part-time paid positions or persons considering career changes.

View Ministry Job Opportunities in Memphis and the Mid South

This link will connect you to our ministries page which lists by category the over 75 Christian ministries in Memphis:

View links to Christian ministries in Memphis

Servant Leadership

"Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

                                                       Matthew 20:25-28 (NIV)

View Ministry Job Opportunities in Memphis and the Mid South