Aging is, to some extent, a state of mind arising from personal and cultural attitudes. It is also a biological and social reality. For Christians, life can be joyful at any age if we recognize that each moment is a gift, have confidence that we are loved and forgiven, and trust in the promises of God.

The first session should be both informative (help participants replace some false ideas about aging) and encouraging (create a safe space in which they can examine their attitudes about growing older). At the end of the session, each person should also be thinking about how his or her faith can make a difference as he or she grows old, a topic that will be explored at more length in session 2.

The second session discusses the fact that later years give us an opportunity to be reflective and to integrate our life stories with the story of God's love in Christ. This session should help participants make fresh connections between their spiritual lives and their aging-related concerns--either those they are currently facing (for older participants) or those they will someday experience.