AG Senior Adults

The latest issue (Fall 2026) of Primeline, the AG magazine for senior adults, will soon be hitting U.S. mailboxes. (we distributed copies at last week's national SA conference.)

This issue features an article about Brian & Jan Hard, amazing lay people from Pennsylvania, plus a message to all AG senior adults from Dr. John Easter, the executive director of AG World Missions.

For all those who would like a free subscription to Primeline, go to our department website (sam.ag.org) and scroll down to the Primeline area; it's easy to sign up.

This issue will be uploaded soon to our website for those who prefer to read it digitally.

What a fantastic national AG Senior Adult Conference we had last week in Branson! Far beyond our widest expectations - thanks to ALL those who made the trip to the Hilton Hotel Convention Center! (and thanks to Suzan Scott from Global Univ for serving as our Conference photographer! Loads of excellent pictures.)

From the first session on Monday night through the Sight & Sound production of "David" on Wednesday afternoon, we sensed God's presence among us.

Let me recap some of what happened:
• Coming from 39 different states, we saw 1,022 seniors registered; our 3 general sessions at the Hilton Convention Center averaged 942 in attendance.
• Huge thanks to our incredible speakers – Martha Tennison, Rick Ross, and Ruthie Oberg; each of them was used of the Lord to encourage and challenge us to be the “renewed” senior adults God wants us to be. (We also enjoyed Cynthia Wood’s dynamic short sermon she shared just before Martha preached. Two ladies preaching the Word, one a 14-year old, the other an 84-year old! We were blessed.)
• Thanks also to worship leaders, Ron and Paula Kelley; our special musical guest, Dan Parotti; and former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft for leading us in that inspiring Hymn Sing on Wednesday morning.
• We’re also grateful for the presenters and panel members who led our breakout sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and thanks to all of you who attended the sessions. We set attendance records there also, with an average of 719 people attending breakouts each day.
• We are very thankful for the way the Convoy of Hope team welcomed about 700 of us to their campus in Republic on Tuesday; the tours and the lunch were excellent. It was an honor to interview Hal Donaldson as he shared the amazing, supernatural story of Convoy. As of this date, our total for the Convoy offering, counting cash, checks, credit card giving, and 36 of you who made faith promises is $101,344. Thank you for your generosity!
* We hosted 200 widows & widowers after the Tuesday night session - thanks to AG Execs Doug Clay, Rick Dubose, & Brad Kesler for being there and loving each person there. (Grateful to Marlene Craft, Cindy McKinley, and their teams for helping with the gifts!)
• We capped off the Conference by attending the Sight & Sound theatre production of “David” with over 900 of you. What a thrilling afternoon – the last song was so good, we wanted it to last forever!

For those who chose not to attend the Convoy event, or perhaps were unable to attend because of the limited seating, we would still welcome any gifts for Convoy of Hope you desire to give. You can give two ways:
• By sending a check made out to: GCAG (General Council of the AG), designated to account #020706 (STL – Convoy semi), and mailed to: GCAG, 1445 N Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO 65802
• Or online giving – go to: giving.ag.org and make sure you notate Account #020706 and Convoy semi
• If you have any trouble with the online option or have any questions at all, feel free to call Craig Wilson at our national offices at 417-862-2781, ext. 2141.
• Hal Donaldson has already let us know that in the coming year or so, there will be a new COH semi that will have words on the cab that will say, “Partially paid for by the Assemblies of God SENIOR ADULTS!”

At the conclusion of the Wednesday morning general session, an important announcement was made regarding future leadership of the national AG Senior Adult office. Here is some background info that may help:
Late last year, Sherilyn and I shared with the AG executive leadership that we felt the time was approaching when we needed to hand the baton of the SA leadership to someone else, perhaps someone a bit younger. In January of this year, we shared this news with our district/network Sr Adult leaders, plus made things public through various announcements on social media.
We have served 54 years within our AG fellowship in various positions, and have been honored to serve in each place, as a pastor, a professor, or a district or national leader. It is now time for us to simply be “ambassadors for Jesus” without any official titles. We will stay active in our local church – Central AG in Springfield, lead a small group in our home, stay active in the life of Maranatha Village, the retirement community where we live, plus hang out at Evangel Univ as much as we can, attending concerts, sporting events, and recitals. We love both the young and the not-so-young!
We have 3 children and 9 grandchildren, none of whom live near us. They live in Colorado, Texas, Alabama, New York City, and England. We cherish the time to visit all of them a bit more often!

We are very pleased with the selection our AG leaders have made in naming Dr. JIMMY and RENATA WHITE as the next Sr Adult national leaders. Jimmy already works in our AG offices, serving as the Director of Adult Discipleship. Since the SA role is part-time, he will actually be serving in both capacities.
Dr. Jimmy was raised in Florida, but most of his pastoral ministry has been in Arkansas. In fact, over the past year, he has been serving (remotely) as the Dir of Senior Adults for the Arkansas District.
His undergraduate academic degree is from Nelson Univ (SAGU), and his graduate degrees (M.Div. and D.Min.) are from Oral Roberts University.
Jimmy and his wife, Renata (a school teacher), have been married for 37 years, have 3 married children and 5 grandchildren (one more on the way!).
Jimmy White is a gifted leader who has a skill set and gifting that will serve the Sr Adult department very well, with the capacity not only to lead Sr Adult leadership meetings well, but also to create excellent resources for local SA leaders. Good days are ahead for the national Senior Adult Department.
If you desire to encourage Jimmy in this new role he will assume on October 16, his office email is: [email protected]

As announced at the conclusion of the Conference last week, the dates for the next national SA Conference are October 2-4, 2028 (our conferences are every 2 years), once again to be held in Branson, MO. Should the Lord delay His return, we hope to see you there! Please mark your calendars.

(Thanks to our amazing Events Services team - Tim L, Janell C, Sheila M, & Tim W....to Beth Qand the AG Store...to Danette Richardson and our amazing volunteer ushers, greeters, & hosts...to Elly M, Sabrina S, and Susan K in our Adult & Family offices.)

II Cor. 4:16 – Therefore we do not lost heart. Thought outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being Renewed Day by Day!

Stay strong in Jesus…and don’t be grouchy! Be filled with God’s Spirit and let His love be reflected in your life. You are loved and appreciated.

The big day has arrived! It's September 21, 2026.
The national AG SENIOR ADULT CONFERENCE begins today in Branson, Missouri!

Registration at the Branson Hilton Convention Center begins at noon.
Exhibits open at 1:00 pm
Doors open to the Taneycomo Ballroom at 6:00 for the first General Session tonight, which begins at 6:30 with Martha Tennison speaking!

Thank you for your prayers; please keep praying over these next three days - we ask for God's anointing on every part of this Conference!

Please be praying for the 1,000+ senior adults who are beginning their journey soon to the national Sr Adult Conf in Branson!

Good news about the weather - though SW Missouri has been horribly hot and humid the past 30 days, the forecast for Branson is mid-80s on Monday and Tuesday. We are thankful!

Registration is still open for the Conference - go to: samconference.ag.org There is still room for YOU in the Taneycomo Ballroom! (no lodging rooms left in the Hilton, but room in the Conference sessions)

We have made an app available for your smart phone; go to your phone store and download AG Events. It will have all the schedule and details about the Conference.

ALSO...we are live-streaming the 3 general sessions from the Hilton Ballroom:
Monday, Sept. 21 - 6:30 pm - Martha Tennison speaking
Tuesday, Sept. 22 - 7:00 pm - Rick Ross speaking
Wednesday, Sept. 23 - 10:30 am - Hymn Sing: John Ashcroft, Ruthie Oberg speaking
Go to: samconference.ag.org for the livestream link at the times above.

Thank you for praying for all of us!

With just 1 week before the start of our national AG Senior Adult Conference (Sept. 21-23 in Branson, MO), we have two items of GREAT news!

First, we have over 1,000 seniors registered for the Conference at the Hilton Hotel Convention Center! They are coming from 39 different states across America!

Second, we WILL livestream the 3 general sessions from the Hilton Hotel!! We are thankful that those who cannot make the trip can at least watch online.

We will livestream the following sessions:
* Monday night, Sept. 21 - 6:30 pm (Martha Tennison speaking)
* Tuesday night, Sept. 22 - 7:00 pm (Rick Ross speaking)
* Wednesday morning, Sept. 23 - 10:30 am (Hymn Sing with John Ashcroft; Ruthie Oberg speaking.)

To watch the livestream, go to our Conference website: samconference.ag.org, and click on the link that will appear toward the top of the main page. Everything should be live approximately 5 minutes before each session start time.

Please pray for all those traveling to Branson in the next few days! And pray for God's Spirit to move among us all in a powerful way! Our Conference theme is: Renewed Day by Day! We want that to happen for everyone at the Conference, and those watching online.

My friend, Don Tucker (retired AG missionary to Africa), writes a column periodically; he calls it "Memo from the Corner Office." He's an excellent writer and I love reading his stuff.
His last one is extra special, so I have his permission to put it out on my page. Hoping my senior adult friends will read it, especially those recently retired or approaching those years!
(Don't stop reading too soon - the last paragraph is absolute gold!)

Don Tucker:
Now thirty-three months into retirement, almost all the adjustment crises are past. There is one frustrating one that lingers. I can’t keep up with what day of the week it is. I’m usually one day ahead, but sometimes one day behind. I frequently think Friday is Saturday. In fact, any day of the week but Sunday can be a miss.

I’ve heard from other retirees saying they experienced the same thing. I’m afraid to ask how long it lasted for them.

The most frequent explanation is no longer having a set schedule with office hours, appointments, scheduled meetings, and such. I hope that’s it. Otherwise I’m stuck thinking today is tomorrow or yesterday while I have a great fondness for today.

The phrase "the golden years" was coined for seniors, not by seniors. It was originally a marketing scheme promoting large-scale retirement communities to assure a happy, active retirement—thus the “golden years.”

I confess that almost every time one of my senior friends talks about arthritis, bursitis, knee-itis, hip-itis, or blood pressure-itis, I tend to interject, “Ain’t these Golden Years grand?!?”

Contrary to what one may think reading some of these memos when I’m reminiscing, I have no desire to return to the past. It’s gone.

It still contributes to who I am, however.

One of the motivations I have for writing is to record things—to remember.

But I’m interested in living—not for back then—but for today, and tomorrow.

Sure, like most of us, there are things and experiences from yesterday which I miss and remember fondly (others, not so much!). But to return to yesteryear? Huh-uh.

I mean, I like a good cowboy movie about cattle drives, wagon trains, stagecoaches, outlaw chasing, etc. But an audio-visual 45-minute visit is adequate. No need—or wish—to return to those days and sit in the saddle all day.

I may write about the neighborhood corner grocery store, but Walmart online shopping and home delivery aren’t bad!

I may fondly remember the green swing on the front porch, but my pushbutton recliner with built-in USB port is A-okay for today.

I have warm memories of my first car, a 1950 black Plymouth. Heavy as lead. I worked harder back then to steer, stop, and shift. No, a warm memory but no going back. I like my current vehicle’s cameras, buttons, and that GPS female voice who won’t let me get off the interstate to use the restroom without calling me back like I’m an idiot. It’s all good. I just tell her to stifle!

I know, we have Putin, co***ne, covid, Iran, and other menaces today. Back then we had World War II, the Great Depression, polio, Khrushchev, and the Cold War.

It seems that most of us have an innate tendency to resist change—thus our attraction to the way things used to be. In lots of things, we want life to remain as we have become accustomed to, to remain the same and not change.

Well, it doesn’t, and it won’t.

I’m encouraging myself to enjoy the moment. I’m not promised a specific number of tomorrows, and I’m not going to waste any of today’s moments pining for yesterday.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it!

Think I’ll go watch 4 or 5 episodes of Andy and Barney—Maybe “Life of Riley”—Maybe “Jack Benny & the Beatles!”

Reflections
While I have no desire to move back into yesterday, I certainly don’t want to lose it either.

History can be icing on the cake for family and friends today. Don’t hide it. Tell your stories, share your anecdotes. These memories enrich family life in countless ways.

Sometimes it’s fun to pull out Great Grandma’s old recipe. Cook it from scratch, just like she did. Serve it hot and ask everybody to sit down together to eat it—just like she did. For me, such intentionality warms and softens the cold edges of modern life—which can get frosty and sterile at times.

No need to stop just looking back there. I want to appreciate today’s world as well. See the good side. I want my children and grandchildren to know I value the world they live in. Every generation has its blessings and its burdens.

Yesterday was good. Tomorrow may be uncertain. Today is the one we’ve been given. Live it abundantly.

It's only 5 weeks before our national AG Senior Adult Conference in Branson, MO! We begin Monday night, Sept. 21 at the Hilton Hotel Convention Center, with Martha Tennison speaking at 6:30 pm.

Remember - the conference fee increases from $129 to $149 this Friday, August 21 (30 days before the conference begins on September 21.)

Our registration count as of today stands very close to 1,000; we only have room for another 100-125. Please don't wait too late.

Go to our conference website to register: samconference.ag.org

Yes, our room blocks at both venues of the Hilton Hotel are completely full, but our website gives other housing options.

LOVE this newsletter piece that came from our wonderful friends, Wes and Judy Wick, who lead a seniors ministry called YES - Young Enough to Serve:

The need to downsize is a recurring theme as we get older.

“Our kids won’t want our stuff.”

What’s worth keeping, and what should we toss?

While advancing years should be an incentive to wake up the minimalist inside us, it’s a tough battle for many. Tossing past mementos can feel like we’re slowly dying and snipping ties to our personal and family history.

I’m sure you’ve heard decluttering advice, encouraging separate piles to keep, sell, giveaway or toss.

Let’s turn our attention for a moment from the pain of loss to the question of: Who might benefit from some of our treasures currently sitting idle?

Judy serves as a chaplain at Brookdale Assisted Living in Scotts Valley. At a recent devotional, one lady lamented that there were no Christian books in Brookdale’s library. After discussion with Brookdale staff, that passing comment led to a book drive through our church’s women’s Bible study, yielding over a hundred Christian books, both nonfiction and fiction. A God-ordained upsizing match for our downsizing!

Perhaps a similar need exists at assisted living facilities in your community?

Adopting a mindset of becoming more effective stewards of our belongings can be freeing and energizing. And the act of giving while living carries more meaning for the giver and recipient.

Jesus’ directive from Matthew 6 (KJV):
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

May the Lord direct us to some strategic downsizing solutions—helping others, creating more space and freeing our kids or others from having to rummage through too much stuff when we’re gone.

Our registrations for the national AG Senior Adult Conference continue to increase - as of today, we are over 960 people registered!

Unfortunately, the trip to Convoy of Hope on Tuesday, Sept. 22 is completely FULL. We cannot take anyone else there because of space limitations in the COH chapel.

We DO still have room for another 100-150 registrations for the Conference, but keep in mind the price goes UP on August 21 from $129 to $149. Help us spread the word that the door may be closing soon. Ugh.

Go to our conference website: samconference.ag.org for all the details!

With just 7 weeks to go before the beginning of our national AG Senior Adult Conference, our registration count has gone over 925!

Yes, there is still a seat for YOU - we have a few spots still open. Go to our conference website: samconference.ag.org for all the details.

Also be aware that the Conference cost increases on August 21 to $149 (from today's rate of $129). Please register soon!

The Conference begins on Monday, Sept. 21 and concludes Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 23 - we'll meet at the Branson Convention Center at the Hilton Hotel in Branson!

We are about to reach the limit of 700 people going on the trip to Convoy of Hope on Tuesday, Sept. 22. That limit will probably be reached in the next couple of days.

Housing options (both parts of the Hilton Hotel are completely booked) are available on the Conference website.

If you have questions, call our offices at 471-862-2781, ext. 4004 or email: [email protected]