Michael Jackson pays tribute to Anna Chaplaincy in his new book to be launched next month, Still Love Left: Faith and hope in later life (YouCaxton Belief, 2021). Join me, Debbie Thrower, with the author and friends for the online launch on 14 April at 6.00 pm when I'll be interviewing Michael.
Formerly the director of St John’s Winchester Charity, Michael Jackson is also an Anglican priest. His book is divided into sections entitled 'Making sense of the past', 'Embracing the present' and 'Facing a certain future'. He writes:
'Those who age successfully are in my experience those who acknowledge the need to meet the challenges of later life by continuing to explore their spiritual identity. This has been well described as "making your soul".'
The church and ageing
'It is of fundamental importance that the church,' he continues, 'engages with this aspect of ageing. Its track record has not always been good. Happily though, greater interest in ageing and spirituality is resulting in initiatives such as the rapidly growing Anna Chaplaincy for older people sponsored by The Bible Reading Fellowship.'
Book your free place for the online launch: Meeting Registration - Zoom
The truth is I've been waiting for just such a book as this. I had known it was coming because I’ve worked with Michael co-leading retreats and training days on the opportunities and challenges of growing old for some time.
Michael is impressively widely read and has, by his own admission, been ‘gathering wood’ in the way the painter Auguste Renoir described when his friends reproached him for doing everything but settle down to paint. His riposte was that ‘a roaring fire requires the gathering of a great deal of wood!’
Now, we have an abundance of good things gathered for us to read and reflect on. For, as Michael says, ‘it is important for each one of us to explore the internal opportunities for successful ageing as much as the external.’
Be warned, I shall plunder this book shamelessly for so many examples to help myself, and others, regard ageing realistically and excitedly as an adventuresome path to maturity.