2023 CONFERENCE

September 14-15, 2023 | Grosse Ile, Michigan

Clergy and lay leaders got inspiration from POAMN’s 2023 conference, September 14 and 15 in Michigan. They discovered the adventures and hobbies that await older adults and explored opportunities to try new things, including ways to continue service to God and local and global communities.

PRESENTATIONS

View the slides from a presenter by selecting a slide image below. The slides will open as a PDF file.

Volunteering in Retirement Communities
Cindy Ray, PAHSA
View slides
Or find information online

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program
Sue Hurst
View slides
Or find information online

Living Waters for the World
Steve Benton
View slides
Or find information online

Muddy Boots with Appalachia Service Project
Doug Wood
View slides
Or find information online

New Approaches to Aging in Place
Patrick Bultema
View slides

Community Grown Gardens
Danielle West
View slides
Or find information online

What Should I Know About Alzheimer’s Disease?
Cynthia Carlsson
View slides
Or watch video recording

AGENDA

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

9:00	Opening Worship with Communion	Rev. Loren Scribner
	Opportunities to Serve
	– Community Grown Gardens	Danielle West
	– AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program	Sue Hurst
	– Living Waters for the World	Steve Benton
	– Roundtable
12:00	Lunch
	More Ways to Get Involved
	– Volunteers in Global Service	Jon Brown & Eileen Lindner
	– Muddy Boots with Appalachia Service Project	Doug Wood
	Yoga	Heidi Miklos
	What Should I Know About Alzheimer’s Disease?	Dr. Cynthia Carlsson
	Building a Dementia-friendly Congregation	Pat Baker
5:30	Dinner
7:00	Networking and Conversation

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

9:00	Welcome/Announcements
	New Approaches to Aging in Place	Patrick Bultema
	Hackers, Scammers, and Other Bad Actors	Ray Kramer
	Volunteering in Senior Living Communities	Cindy Ray
12:15	Closing Worship	Rev. David Montgomery
12:45 – 1:30	Lunch

SPEAKERS

Pat Baker

Patricia “Pat” Baker is the director for older adult and caregiver ministries at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Tucker, Georgia. Currently POAMN’s president, she has been involved with POAMN since its inception in the early 1980s. Her career in the field of aging and caregiving spans five decades working in public, private, and faith positions.

Steve Benton

Steve Benton is Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church’s volunteer team leader for Living Waters for the World. A Presbyterian mission resource, Living Waters for the World trains volunteers to implement and operate sustainable water purification systems and health programs around the globe. The Grosse Ile team has made five trips to Cuba since November 2017 and has installed water filtration systems in Havana and Ciego de Avila.

Jon Brown

Rev. Jon Brown serves on the board of Volunteers in Global Service, an organization that connects experienced people with justice-based projects for the global good. He also is pastor of Old Bergen Church in Jersey City, NJ.

Patrick Bultema

Patrick Bultema is co-founder, chairman, and CEO of KareTeam, a software startup focused on enabling aging people to live their best lives, on their terms, in their place, connected with family and friends. Ordained by the Presbyterian Church (USA), Bultema is uniquely qualified to lead KareTeam’s focus on helping churches to transform their ministry with aging people to greater levels of significance and impact.

Dr. Cynthia Carlsson

Dr. Cindy Carlsson is professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and director of the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute. She is also a staff physician at the Madison Veterans Affairs Hospital where she sees patients with memory loss. Dr. Carlsson leads research focusing on early detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sue Hurst

Sue Hurst is a retired nursing home administrator and an elder for the Adult Nurture Committee at Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church. She enjoys volunteering as a local coordinator for AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, which provides free tax assistance with a focus on taxpayers who are over 50 and have low to moderate income.

Ray Kramer

Ray Kramer is a retired information technology (IT) professional and an elder at Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church. He has held IT positions at a variety of organizations, including a state university and a public school district. In retirement, Ray continues to follow trends and issues in computer security and generously shares his experience, knowledge, and cautions with others.

Eileen Lindner

Rev. Eileen Lindner is a retired Presbyterian minister and is treasurer for Volunteers in Global Service (VGS). She served as a site supervisor for an early VGS placement in the US from a Scots pastor who co-ordinated a Festival of Faith and the Arts. Her long term interests have been in the Middle East and in child advocacy.

Heidi Miklos

Heidi Miklos has taught yoga for more than 20 years. She enjoys helping others discover the mental, physical, and spiritual benefits of practicing yoga. In addition to teaching yoga, Heidi is a corporate travel agent. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, biking, and sailing.

Cindy Ray

Cindy Ray is the executive director of the Presbyterian Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (PAHSA). She is also employed as a senior communication specialist with Presbyterian Homes & Services. Cindy served for over 25 years as pastor to congregations in Florida, Missouri, and Minnesota. She currently serves on the Dementia Friendly America National Council, Minnesota Council of Churches finance commission, and the Women in Leadership Advisory Board for Minnesota State University-Mankato, MN.

Danielle West

Danielle West is the volunteer director of Community Grown Gardens in Grosse Ile. Each year, they produce 16,000 pounds of produce on less than one acre of land using sustainable growing techniques. One quarter of their yield is donated to local organizations that feed those in need. The rest is sold locally to fund the organization’s operations. Through educational programs, CGG teaches others the value of growing food. Danielle also is the state Director for a career technical student organization.

Doug Wood

Doug Wood is an ambassador with Appalachia Service Project (ASP), a Christian ministry that repairs and replaces homes for people in Central Appalachia. He became inspired to join in 1987 after hearing youth give moving testimonials on the impact of serving others in the mountains. Doug is a retired school administrator and lives in North Muskegon, Michigan.

WORSHIP LEADERS

Rev. David Montgomery

David Montgomery is the interim pastor at Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church (GIPC). David’s early career focused on helping troubled youths by using camping to teach them to rely on and trust one another. As his interest in faith issues and the Bible grew, he eventually graduated from the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He has served congregations in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio and as the executive director of Toledo Campus Ministry at the University of Toledo.

Rev. Dr. Loren Scribner

The Rev. Dr. Loren M. Scribner is a retired minister of the Presbyterian Church, USA. Since his retirement in 2003 he has had the honor of teaching religion at Marygrove College, Henry Ford Community College, and the University of Detroit Mercy. He currently worships at the Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church.

CONFERENCE HOST

Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church

7925 Horse Mill Rd
Grosse Ile Township, MI 48138

Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church is home to a vibrant Christian community. With historic and lively worship and music and generous giving of time and money, the congregation is a testament to the Christian conviction that we are here to serve a greater cause.

Grosse Ile cares for and nurtures older adults through its York Connection Ministry. They do this through programming specifically designed to meet the physical, social, and intellectual interests of older adults. Although older adults are at the center of York Connection activities, friends of all ages are welcome to join.

h