Eastleigh Community Church

“Link” is a social group for anyone interested in meeting other people, chatting, learning new skills, and going on outings. We meet at the church on Tuesdays at 10:30am during school terms.

Activities include craft, cooking, relatively sedentary games, quizzes, occasional outings and a short devotion.

Cost $4 – some activities and outings extra.

A light lunch is served at 12 noon.

A program is available from the Church. (Phone 0418 569 008 or email ecc@eastleigh.org).

Everyone is welcome!

Nearly 2 million Australians regularly attend church. For a number of reasons, going to church is especially beneficial for older adults, as it keeps them active and involved in the community. If you know someone who would like to go but isn’t, do what you can to help them get to church. Often, the people who need something are afraid to ask. Inviting them along or giving them a ride to their own church can mean a lot. Today, Eastleigh Community Church shares some tips to guide you as you work to help the older adults in your life.

Going to Church Keeps them Active

While going to church isn’t exactly a workout, going in person does require older adults to get up, get dressed, and go. And maybe they’ll stay for more than just the service. They might join others for coffee or Bible study or other social events. This gets the body moving and helps it heal. We want to keep our grandmas and grandpas healthy for as long as possible, and small steps like these can make a big difference in helping them keep a healthy lifestyle. Walking with them to the service can help their bodies, and being connected to the community helps their mental health.

When older adults attend regularly, they’re spending time with people. Meeting people increases the likelihood of being invited to social gatherings or events where they can participate or even get involved in. Attending church can also help them to make friends. Even if they’re shy, being surrounded by people can help ease loneliness. Your helping them get to a church may lead to others reaching out and helping too.

Church Engages the Mind & Body

Church is good for older adults. Prayer is good for older adults too. One enhances the other. Prayer and meditation actually turn on the immune system and help us live longer lives.

Prayer combats depression, gives a better sense of self-control, and reduces stress. Prayer can also help manage pain. Helping someone get to church is helping them pray. The atmosphere of a congregation engaged in prayer once a week may help them develop the habit throughout the week.

Experiencing faith requires you to stretch your mind. The Bible is filled with metaphors and Jesus taught through figurative language to invoke the imaginations of His followers. When you leave a service you’re still thinking about it, and it may inspire you to pick up the Bible during the week. If you’re helping an older person get to church, you’re helping them engage their imagination.

Church services are also filled with music, which can have incredible effects on memory and cognitive functions. Banner Health explains that music can bring back memories even in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients, and “encourages engagement with the present.” Many churches, like Springs Lighthouse, also post their music online so people can access it from home anytime.

Church Can Provide Access to Services

Church members often help each other out. When they need help with a home repair or getting to and from a doctor’s appointment, they’re likely to find a member of the church community glad to pitch in. If there are days you can’t help them with a ride or there’s a Sunday when they’re stuck at home, many churches offer live streaming so they can still feel like a valued member.

Even if your loved one is unable to leave the house, many churches offer services to help bring church – along with other important resources – to them. Pastors or care teams often visit members of their congregation who cannot make it to services, and there are often online services or even remote Bible studies to keep these valuable congregants connected.

Volunteers would also likely come to help your loved one remove clutter in their home, which can increase mobility - and therefore activity - and decrease anxiety. Too much clutter can actually contribute to depression and anxiety. The church members might even bring in some potted plants or clean windows to allow a little more of Mother Nature into your loved one’s home. Being in nature can lift mood and decrease anxiety, too.

However you experience your faith, make sure it positively affects your life, and try to give back as much as the community gives to you. If you know an older person who would benefit from going to church, don’t be afraid to reach out. It will boost their mood and make them feel like they’re a part of something special.

 Article written and published with permission by Betty Vaughan.

At Eastleigh Community Church, we're all about Jesus. Whether you know him already or you're still exploring following Jesus, we'd love to meet you and get to know you. If you would like to find out more about the Christian faith or to be baptised, contact our church office on telephone number 03 9570 3148. 

Are your cupboards bare? Are you struggling for food?

The 3165 Community Facebook Group have partnered with Eastleigh Community Church to launch the Eastleigh Community Pantry. It is a free service for the whole community! Come anytime and take what you need! Tell your friends, neighbours, family. All welcome.

It is located in the Eastleigh Community Church rear carpark at 216 East Boundary Road, East Bentleigh