AGING WELL

a free online conference

耆樂融溶

免費網上中西教會聯合會議

A conference about Aging offered to you in 2 languages from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm (EDT/UTC-4) on June 21, 2025

Note: The plenary sessions of the conference are held in English; various workshop sessions will be held either in English or in Cantonese. At registration, participants can register for the English or the Cantonese workshops. The topics in English differ from those in Cantonese. 

 

REGISTRATION FORM

SPEAKERS

DOWNLOADABLE POSTERS

RIGHTEOUS AGING

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree… planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain, to proclaim, “The LORD is upright; He is my  Rock, and in Him there is no unrighteousness.” Psalm 92:12-15 (NIV)

 

It has been said “The twenty-first century may or may not be ‘greened’ by ecological awareness, but it will certainly be ‘grayed’ by its aging population.” Therefore, attention to aging deserves a high priority. As Christians, we have a Biblical mandate to show mercy to the elderly both inside and outside the church. As of 2016 there are more seniors aged 65+ in Canada than those under 15.  Moreover, in the GTA 2 out of 3 seniors are immigrants; in Canada, 1 out of 3 seniors is an immigrant. Of all the seniors, 1 out of 4 seniors lives alone and 1 out of 5 seniors feels lonely.  On top of that, 1 in 4 Canadians is a caregiver, with the number projected to double within 10 years.

 

To equip churches and church members for the huge task of caring for the seniors, 105Gibson Center, the Word and Spirit Institute, Connecting Streams (a part of Power to Change) and Grace Chinese Gospel Church of North York 北約恩典福音堂 are organizing a FREE ONLINE CONFERENCE. (For more information about the organizers, please click on the name of each organization).

The conference will be held on JUNE 21, 2025 from 9:00 AM till 2:30 PM.

THE ORGANIZERS OF THE CONFERENCE AGING WELL ARE ORGANIZING AN IN-PERSON CONFERENCE IN TORONTO ON NOVEMBER 15, 2025. THE CURRENT CONFERENCE WILL GIVE YOU A TASTE OF WHAT IS TO COME!

 

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:

DATE: JUNE 21, 2025

9:00 – 9:15 Welcome and opening with song and prayer (Sharon Leung)

9:15 – 9:35 Devotional: “Aging Well: Biblical Guidance” (Dr. Tom McCormick)

9:40 – 10:50 Workshop Session A

Breakout Room A1: Church Based Programs

• Learn from different churches what programs they have developed to stay connected with the elderly in their church
• Speakers: various speakers from different churches (follow the link HERE for more information about the speakers)

Breakout Room A2: Community Outreach – Missional Dimension

• Find out about the needs in the communities and about various initiatives that churches, organizations and individuals have developed to reach out to the elderly in the neighbourhood
• Speakers: various speakers from different Christian organizations (follow the link HERE for more information about the speakers)

Breakout Room A3: 全球老齡化意識 Global Awareness on Aging (Cantonese Session): 

• 認識人口老化對社會及個人的問題，特別是醫療護理、長者院舍及社區支援。
• Speaker 講員:   Rev. Ocean Ng 吳恩海牧師
• Learn about the key issues of how global aging affects societies and individuals, especially in the areas of healthcare, seniors housing, and community support.

Breakout Room A4:  本地教會對老齡化的意識 Local Church Awareness (Cantonese session):

• 隨著會眾老化，大多市華人教會要面對兩文三語的需要外，還要面對與下一代的文化差異所帶來的挑戰。
• Speaker 講員:   Pastor Jesse Leung 梁威遠傳道
• Address the needs of the aging population in the bilingual Chinese churches in GTA, especially the challenges of cultural diversity with the next generation.

10:50 – 11:05 Break

11:05 – 11:15 Interviews/testimonials

11:15 – 11:45 Keynote: “Aging Well: Next Steps” (Dr. Tom McCormick)

11:45 – 12:30 Lunch Break

12:30 – 12:40 Interviews/Testimonials

12:45 –   1:55  Workshop Session B: 

• To offer everyone a chance to attend both sessions in English or Cantonese, the afternoon workshops are similar and have the same topics as the morning workshops. You will automatically directed to the alternate workshop in your chosen language. If you can only attend one session (morning or afternoon), you will be asked to choose a session on the registration form.

• Breakout Room B1: Church Based Programs

• Breakout Room B2: Community Outreach

• Breakout Room B3: 全球老齡化意識 Global Awareness on Aging (Cantonese Session); Speaker 講員: Rev. George Yip 葉大銘牧師

• Breakout Room B4:本地教會對老齡化的意識 Local Church Awareness (Cantonese Session); Speaker 講員:   Rev. Felix Wong 王明德牧師

  2:00 –  2:30 Q&A, Panel Discussion and Closing

 

INTERESTED? 

Please follow the link below to fill out a registration form. A few days before the start of the conference, you will receive an invitation with the link to the conference ZOOM meet. 

LINK: REGISTRATION FORM

DOWNLOADABLE CONFERENCE POSTER

 

THIS ONLINE CONFERENCE IS OFFERED TO YOU BY

CONNECTING STREAMS/POWER TO CHANGE

105GIBSON CENTRE

WORD AND SPIRIT INSTITUTE

GRACE CHINESE GOSPEL CHURCH OF NORTH YORK 北約恩典福音堂

 

This free on-line conference is for the whole church, as we are called to take the entire gospel — in word and in deed — to the whole world, starting locally in our churches and in our neighbourhoods and bringing it to the world around us near and far.  What does that mean?  Come and learn about 

• Existing church programs for the aging

• Future plans and ideas 

• The needs in the surrounding community

• Available resources and opportunities for inside and outside the church

• Global and local awareness of issues around aging (Cantonese sessions)

 

THEREFORE, AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD TO ALL, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE  WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. Galatians 6:10 (NKJV)