By the Rev. Paul Graves
As I sat in one of the presentations about Boomers at Boomerstock, this famous refrain came to my mind: “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose…” by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster. Kristofferson is not a Boomer, having been born in 1936.
“Me and Bobby McGee” became an iconic song during the 1970’s, a pivotal decade for Boomers. I can still hear Janis Joplin’s raspy voice wailing out the mournful lyrics of a drifter and his girlfriend, Bobby McGee. Her version of the song is by far the best, recorded a few days before she died of a drug overdose.
I am not a boomer, having been born four years before the designated “Boomer Generation” of 1946-1964. But like our entire country, I am deeply affected by how the Boomers are perceived and how they have impacted our nation.
The Boomer Generation is also identified by significant events — like Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, Woodstock, etc. Speaking of Woodstock, this iconic music fair on August 15-18, 1969, is still with us.
The spirit of Woodstock was with us through a large group of United Methodist leaders from around the country in late September. We attended BOOMERSTOCK, a gathering that helped us explore how to be more effective in ministry with Boomers.
For three days, we listened to speakers identify the wide variety of characteristics of the Boomer Generation. We began to catch glimpses of how our denomination might reach out to boomers and to get in touch with their strong desire to be needed.
Lynn Swedberg and I are bringing back to our Conference Council on Older Adult Ministries (too) much material on who boomers are, some of the things they seek, and how they are open to engaging with activities that mean something significant to them and the world around.
I’ll simply introduce the dynamic labeled “Boomer Spirituality”. Craig Miller, a staff member with The General Board of Discipleship, has written what I expect will be a helpful book when it is released in early 2017: “Boomer Spirituality: Seven Values for the Second Half of Life.”
We previewed his findings and reflections at Boomerstock. Like members of every generation, each of us are strongly shaped by the values we were raised to believe are important and by the experiences within us and around us that confirm or question those values.
Miller has identified seven values that, in some identifiable ways, characterize Boomers (no longer called “baby boomers”, by the way). They are: 1) Brokenness 2) Loneliness 3) Rootlessness 4) Self-Seeking 5) Godliness 6) Supernaturalism 7) Wholeness.
Craig Miller was quick to admit “What else is new?” about these values. They are pretty common values in almost every generation of people. They reflect basic human desires and needs.
“Supernaturalism” was Craig’s word to describe the innate desire of people to search for spiritual sense and meaning beyond their own limited experiences. I’m eager to read his book to see how he fully describes how Boomers both embrace and challenge those seven values. My hunch is that we non-Boomers (older and younger) will nod “yes” to the values, even if we experience them much differently.
Through Boomerstock, I was reminded that while Boomers grew up with many experiences unique to 1946-64, they simply filtered their experiences through the values and needs that reside in every person living now, and in persons preceding us in death. After all, we’re all human beings, you know!
P.S. As I reflected on the Bobby McGee chorus, I wondered about a new twist on Freedom that hopefully reflects the Gospel: “Freedom’s just another word for someone more to be.”
Learn more about Boomerstock at bit.ly/boomerstock.
Follow “Older Adult Ministries in the PNW” on Facebook (@ccoam). The Rev. Paul Graves serves as the chair for the Conference Council on Older Adults ministry.
