Bob Burroughs, 2007 W. Hines Sims Award Recipient

Well, here we are - a room full of retired church musicians and I know what you are thinking: What is Burroughs going to say that could have any possible impact on my retirement life? I told my friend, Jere Adams recently via email, perhaps he and I would be the only ones in this session! I'm honored you would come.

Retirement is something I didn't think would ever come my way. I thought I'd be doing what I've always done--'til I kicked the bucket. But, just like your experience, it didn't happen that way. And, I knew I had been officially retired when, at my retirement reception, my boss, Dr. John Sullivan, Executive Director of the Florida Baptist Convention, asked for my Convention Credit Card!

"Out of sight, out of mind" can certainly fit retired church musicians. We are no longer in the loop, so to speak, after we have gone the way of retirement, unless we intentionally choose not to go down that road.

A book by the wonderful and excellent writer, John Eldridge, is titled THE WAY OF THE WILD HEART…A Map for the Masculine Journey. You should get this book. It sells for $24.95 but Amazon.com has it for $14.99.

In this book, Eldridge outlines his personal ideas of the stages a man goes through during his lifetime. These are some of his thoughts:

THE COWBOY STAGE: the time in a young boy's life when he is discovering who he is, what he is capable of doing, learning to be rugged and always in motion (even a bit on the dangerous side). Remember when you wore the cape of Superman, and jumped off things, thinking at any moment you would fly? How about the days of Captain Marvel, Tom Mix, Gene Autry and the thoughts that you could do all the things they did, and not be injured?

THE LOVER STAGE: continues into the teens and into the early twenties. This is where the young man learns about and comes to grips with love --different kinds of love and what the experiences can be as he learns about girls, dating, and most importantly, learning from his father what is right (or learning from his father what is wrong - and sadly, this is most often the case).

THE KING STAGE: is middle adulthood, where the man is encased in his job, family, and in charge of something (some more than others)! He continues to learn in this stage, again from his father, how to do it right or wrong.

The final stage is THE SAGE STAGE. This is the one Eldridge writes the least about because he is not yet there! The Sage Stage comes in the sixties and up, when the man is slowing down, enjoying the fruits of his labors (or not) his adult children and grandchildren, and is often regarded by those younger than he as one who has wisdom, experience, and know-how, having "done that" - and has walked through the fire and has survived. Sages are usually sought out for advice, council and personal wisdom.

This is where we are today, Dear Friends. We are all sages in one sense of the word, and are regarded by others as wise because of our age and experience. Whether or not this is actually true depends on how you have viewed your journey and where you are at this time in your life.

I recently learned an African Proverb, which says: “When an old man dies, the world loses a library!”

What a great thought! What a unique concept, for in it's truest sense, that is exactly right. What a library was lost when the likes of Robert Shaw, Warren. M. Angell, Hines Sims, James D. Woodward, Mable Boyter, Robert Webber, and other giants of our time passed on to their reward!

If, on your journey to retirement, you have chosen to quit, sit, rock, walk, watch TV, and not keep up with what is going on in the world around you, then in the truest sense of the word, you are probably retired. I hear from retirees often who tell me some of their stories and I sense they have dropped out of life, given up, expect nothing, and are just waiting to die. How sad! It doesn't have to be that way, regardless of how you have been treated in the journey of life.

I hear from others who are still active, alive, energetic, and involved in ministry-and happy with where they are-being a sage and counseling those who are following behind. Not one of us in this room would desire to go back to the age of 30 or 40 and do again what we used to do - unless, of course, we could know then what we know now!

These are the ones who, though retired, still do things that stretch their minds and gifts. One sure way to do this, whether you want to or not, is to become computer proficient, if you are not already. My wife, Esther, is called “Techno-Nana” by our three teen granddaughters. She is quite proficient on the computer, the Internet, and even writes and maintains the copy on her own website…which is www.estherbministries.com (should you be interested). She has an iPod with her name engraved on it. It is almost full of songs and she uses it to walk, work out, listen to messages, tapes and the like. She does most of the things herself, and when she gets stuck, she calls on one of the three girls, who, as you suspect, can knock out her problem in less than the time it takes them to text message a friend!

Those who keep up with technology are the ones who will be able to discuss things with peers and others. I cringe when men our age tell me they just don't do the Internet. They never learned it well and don't want to learn anymore about it or keep up with it. Again, how sad!

These kind of comments remind me of these comments from the early 20th century:

WESTERN UNION Internal Memo, 1876:
This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.

DAVID SARNOFF'S associates, in response to the founder of RCA, urging for investment in the radio:
This wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?

THOMAS WATSON, Chairman of IBM, 1943:
I think there is a world market for maybe five computers and each will weigh 1.5 tons.

MGM EXECUTIVE MEMO after first showing of the original movie, "The Wizard Of Oz":
"That 'rainbow' song's no good. Take it out."

MODELING AGENCY, rejecting Marilyn Monroe in 1944:
"You'd better learn secretarial skills, Kid, or else get married.
You'll never make it in show business."

CONCERT MANAGER, who fired Elvis Presley in 1954:
"You ought to go back to driving a truck, Boy."

FILM COMPANY'S verdict on Fred Astaire's 1928 screen test:
"Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."

A BERLIN PROFESSOR, 1914:
"Brain work will cause women to go bald."

And my personal favorite:

In 1900, CHARLES H. DUELL, then Commissioner of the U.S. Office of Patents, after compiling all the new patents for the beginning of the 20th century, sent this letter to the President of the United States:

Dear Mr. President:
It is my high recommendation that you consider closing the US Patent office...because...everything that could possibly be beneficial to mankind has been invented!


Whether you like it or not, technology is here to stay. It isn't going away … and it will only get better, faster - as well as more complicated. Technology is happening so fast, we can't begin to understand what will take place in our world, even in the next 3-5 years.

Listen to these facts:

▪ There is a new Web page ever 2 seconds.
▪ There is a new product on the market every 30 seconds.
▪ World knowledge now doubles every 18 months, with more new information having been produced in the last 30 years than in the previous 5000 years!
▪ Micro processing speed doubles every 18 months and computer costs drop by half in the same period of time.
▪ By 2020, we will on be able to purchase a computer for $1000 that has the computing speed and capacity of the human brain.

This reminds me of a poem by Bill Thlenfeldt:
    I bought the latest computer.
    It came completely loaded.
    It was guaranteed for 90 days.
    But in 30 was outmoded!

Further food for thought:

▪ It took 40 years for 50 million people to have a radio.
▪ It took 13 years for 50 million people to have a TV.
▪ It took 4 years for 50 million people to be connected to the Internet.
▪ It took 9 months for 50 million people to have an iPod.

What does all this say to you and me as retirees?

To me, it says WE CAN'T QUIT or FULLY RETIRE. We have a responsibility to those who are behind us - to be sages for them, to be wisdom for them, to be encouragers to them, and to keep ourselves active.
So retirement does not mean we are through with ministry. Ministry, at our age, can come in a wide variety of opportunities. Some of you have a church part time, and I imagine they are ever glad to have someone with your skills and abilities to serve as their music person! Okay, what if you don't have a church right now? Can you sit back and just vegetate and be the choir critic? Absolutely not. That is the easy way!

Sing in the adult choir. And, what a great example that can be to others. You've been there, done that, and yet, you are still willing to be in the choir, to be led by someone else, and are a supported/helper/mentor and friend, to the director

This will surprise most of you, for some know my keyboard skills are, to say the least, limited, but I play the electronic keyboards in the Praise Band of our church! True! We have a band of young professions - lawyers, doctors, and others - who give two hours every Wednesday as well as an 8:30 AM Sunday rehearsal to prepare to play for the Contemporary service. They are sharp, read charts well, and they know how to play and not dominate the service. Everyone who knows me is astounded that I'm doing this. One friend wrote and said, "Be sure to put this on your resume with the added line: You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!"

Many of my retired friends serve in a number of other capacities, sometimes outside of their comfort zone.

Some retirees use their wealth of experience to teach Bible study, either in the Sunday School program or in their homes.

Still others volunteer for hospital visitation, senior adult visitation and church family needs. One retired friend worked for Dawson Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama as a staff liaison - without pay, for two years - and was truly a mentor/friend/counselor/sage and advisor to the staff.

Some retirees have the time to go to the elementary school and volunteer to read to those in the early grades. How the children love to have a grandfather come and read to them!

Others serve their city in community choruses, bands, theater groups, art councils and much more. The community arts need mentors and sages. And who better to have this kind of impact on others and be “Christ in the Marketplace” than those who have retired and have time, energy and experience to do the job better than most!

What about missions experiences? Retirees have the most free time. What better way to spend some of it than to go places where the needs are and use your experience and wisdom in either local, state, national or international mission experiences. Here are some possibilities:

1. As you well know, Katrina still has her mark on churches and people living in Louisiana and Mississippi. There are marvelous opportunities available if you can use a hammer and other tools in tearing down or building up churches that were damaged or helping people with their homes. Church groups from all over send people to serve there. Get involved in one and go!

2. There are local mission needs in your community and you can be of great service if you can find a niche that fits you.

3. The International Mission Board sends senior adults regularly to places that need their expertise in helping people with worship and music skills, theology, teaching something as simple as the English language or doing just plain hard work. Almost wherever you would like to go serve, there is a mission need there, and you could almost pick your spot.

4. There are places within the USA that the North American Mission Board would be most happy to send a retired senior who could help a small church with music and teach and train leaders.

Probably THE most important job we have as retirees is to be a major influence on our children and grandchildren. We may have not succeeded to our own expectations with our children, so now is a good time to make it up to them. It is without a doubt the time to love on, encourage, and be a part of the lives of your grandchildren. Mentor them. Love them. Be there for them. Write love notes to them. Send surprises. Talk in depth with them about life and the future. Be “wisdom” for them in a time of uncertainty. Please don't let any opportunity pass by that you can communicate with your children and grandchildren-ever!

Finally, don't forget your spouse. She stayed with you through thick and thin, good and bad times, and may have taken it on the chin may times when you were gone and were out there being a minister to a minister of others. Sometimes, she may have felt neglected and overlooked. There were times she was lonely felt abandoned. Now is a wonderful time to care for her in some special ways that would please the both of you.

So here we are - retirees, who either are still active, alive, and being sages in their circle of influence, sharing their wisdom and experience and leaving a legacy to those who will follow, or retires who have settled in their minds that they are retired, finished, through, washed up and are awaiting the Great Chariot to come and take them Home.

I doubt that fits anyone in this room.
 

Copyright Bob Burroughs, 2007