Christian Activities for Senior Citizens

Senior citizens are often retired and sometimes have extra time on their hands. If you host a gathering for senior citizens at your church or community center, consider leading the group in some Christian activities. These activities are an enjoyable way to help seniors pass the time, as they reflect on their Christian faith at the same time.

Host a Christian book club for a group of seniors. Choose books that have a Christian theme such as books by Christian authors like Peter Hess and Carol Fosdick. Or, opt to read a biography of someone well-known in the Christianity community, such as Billy Graham. Have the seniors read the books on their own time and then gather to discuss the book and their perceptions of it. The club can meet each week or every other week in a room at the church or in someone's home. This activity is enjoyable for seniors, both during the group session and outside the club when they are reading the books.

Many senior women know how to sew, and some men might enjoy sewing as well. Host a weekly sewing circle for any senior citizens who want to participate. Rather than sewing items for themselves, guide the group members to make things for the needy. For example, they can create quilts for local homeless shelters, or for families in the area who have been displaced by natural disasters or personal tragedies. Seniors can make clothing to be distributed at a local homeless shelter or a center for underprivileged children. In addition, the Christian magazine "Guideposts" sponsors a knitting project each year to which seniors can contribute. Helping others can make seniors feel useful.

Hymn Lines is an interesting game for a group of seniors to play. Before the group gets together, come up with lines from a number of the hymns that your church regularly sings, such as "Just As I Am" or "The Old Rugged Cross." Announce the line to the group and let the seniors take turns in either trying to guess the song title or name the next line. You can also play this game in teams and have each group write down their guess for the correct answer. Call out the answers when the game is over to see which group wins. This game is enjoyable to seniors and can help them keep their memories sharp.

Before the senior group gathering, write a selection of Bible verses on slips of paper. Choose verses that most Christians would be familiar with such as John 3:16; fold the slips of paper and place them in a bowl. When the seniors arrive for the gathering, have each one take a slip of paper out of the bowl. Give them a few minutes to reflect on the verse and think about how it has been meaningful to them in their lives or has helped them in a certain situation. Each senior can discuss his or her thoughts with the group. Some seniors can begin to feel isolated if they are newly retired and don't know many people in the church, and this activity can help them meet others who have had similar experiences.