This past Sunday in my morning message, I mentioned the growing phenomenon of “Encore Careers”. This has to do with finding a meaningful way to invest the latter years of one’s life, as opposed to simply shutting down, as it were, and pursuing only leisure activities. A good place to start reading about this whole matter is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encore_career.
An official webpage can be found at: http://www.encore.org/. While there, note the book available, written by Marci Alboher and titled The Encore Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life.
About a decade ago, another book came out by Steve and Janie Sjogren titled 101 Ways to Reinvest Your Life (Colorado Springs: Navpress, 2003). As the title suggests, the book lists more than a hundred ideas for reinvesting one’s life in the latter or retirement years.
I thought I would post their suggestions here today for those who may be intrigued by this whole concept, and who are possibly considering how they might apply themselves to make a difference with the remainder of their lives. The authors grouped them by category.
Being eleven years old, some of the terminology might seem a little dated. For instance, #3 might now say "Marketplace Chaplain", #4 might now be changed to say "Smart Phone Coach", and # 38 and/or #62 might today say "Blogger". Nonetheless, they are still good solid ideas that will get most any interested person thinking in the right direction.
So, having acknowledged that material available on the official encore web page listed above may have more up to date nomenclature, here are the fine suggestions first put forth over a decade ago by the Sjogrens:
BUSINESS
1. Business "Launcher"
2. Small-Business Coach
3. Outreach Director to the Business Community
TECHNICAL
4. Personal Digital Assistant Consultant
5. Computer Repair Technician
6. Website Designer
7. Web Radio Station Owner
8. Computer Skills Instructor
9. Website Translator
10. Computer Purchase Consultant
11. Information Technology (IT) Coordinator
MINISTRY
12. Airplane Pilot (for Church/Mission Organizations)
13. Habitat for Humanity Worker
14. Small-Groups Starter
15. Small-Groups Coach
16. Baptism Director
17. New-Believer Director/Coach
18. Newcomer Director
19. Church-Planting Coach
20. Director of Ministry to People in Need
21. Alpha Course Director/Consultant
22. Door-to-Door Intercessor
23. Prayer Warrior
24. Hospital Visitor
25. Wedding Minister/Coordinator
26. Funeral Minister/Chaplain
27. Pastor on Call
28. Missionary
29. Missionary Encourager
SPORTS
30. Sports Instructor
31. Athletics Coach (for Students)
PASTORAL CARE
32. Professional Listener
33. Hospital Waiting-Room Attendant
34. Church Planter
35. Internet Minister
36. Fire and Police Chaplain
37. RV Park Minister
38. Internet Evangelist
TEACHING
39. English as a Second Language Teacher
40. Secretarial Skills Instructor
41. Exercise Class Instructor
42. Craft Class Leader
43. Literacy Worker
44. Reinvestor Coach
45. Missions Mentor
46. Household Financial Coach
47. Household Etiquette Coach
48. Nutritional Coach
49. Leaders of Tomorrow Mentor
50. One-to-One Discipler
51. Servant Evangelism Activist/Coach
52. New Moms' Group Coach
53. Professional Grandparent
54. Marriage Enrichment Coach
55. Premarital Seminar Leader
56. Divorce Recovery Seminar Presenter
57. Parenting Mentor
58. Homeschool Network Teacher
59. Teacher of Teachers
60. Job Skills Teacher (to People in Need)
61. Special Skills Teacher (to Groups)
62. Idea Broker
PRACTICAL CARE
63. Professional Grocery Shopper
64. Cook
65. Color and Makeup Consultant
66. Appliance Repair Technician
67. Pool Cleaner
68. Landscaper
69. Reader (for the Blind)
70. Animal Caretaker
71. Grass Cutter/Snow Remover
72. Volunteer Coordinator
73. Health-Care Assistant
74. Food and Clothing Ministry Liaison
75. Politician/Political Activist
76. Writer/Editor
77. Information Researcher
78. Foreign Language Interpreter
79. Health-Care Provider (for People in Need)
80. Flower and Vegetable Gardener
81. Music Therapist
82. Missions Coordinator
83. Car Mechanic
84. Taxi Service Provider
85. Roving Disaster-Relief Worker
86. Cleaning Angel
87. Roving Mobile Car Technician
88. Telephone Contact Coordinator
89. Home Secretarial Worker (for Busy People)
90. Tax-Filing Helper
91. Professional Organizer
92. Artist
93. Shut-In Meal Driver
94. Community Festival Coordinator
95. School Assistant
96. Videographer
FINANCIAL
97. Fund-Raiser
98. Insurance Company Liaison
99. Car Buyer (for the Busy, Widowed, or Divorced)
100. House Buyer
101. Best-Deal Researcher
After a lifetime of experience in the workplace, most everyone has something to offer. Why not consider using what all the Lord has taught you to assist and improve the lives of others? The outcome will invariably be a win/win for everyone involved, including you.
For truly, as Jesus Himself said (in Acts 20:35), "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
An official webpage can be found at: http://www.encore.org/. While there, note the book available, written by Marci Alboher and titled The Encore Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life.
About a decade ago, another book came out by Steve and Janie Sjogren titled 101 Ways to Reinvest Your Life (Colorado Springs: Navpress, 2003). As the title suggests, the book lists more than a hundred ideas for reinvesting one’s life in the latter or retirement years.
I thought I would post their suggestions here today for those who may be intrigued by this whole concept, and who are possibly considering how they might apply themselves to make a difference with the remainder of their lives. The authors grouped them by category.
Being eleven years old, some of the terminology might seem a little dated. For instance, #3 might now say "Marketplace Chaplain", #4 might now be changed to say "Smart Phone Coach", and # 38 and/or #62 might today say "Blogger". Nonetheless, they are still good solid ideas that will get most any interested person thinking in the right direction.
So, having acknowledged that material available on the official encore web page listed above may have more up to date nomenclature, here are the fine suggestions first put forth over a decade ago by the Sjogrens:
BUSINESS
1. Business "Launcher"
2. Small-Business Coach
3. Outreach Director to the Business Community
TECHNICAL
4. Personal Digital Assistant Consultant
5. Computer Repair Technician
6. Website Designer
7. Web Radio Station Owner
8. Computer Skills Instructor
9. Website Translator
10. Computer Purchase Consultant
11. Information Technology (IT) Coordinator
MINISTRY
12. Airplane Pilot (for Church/Mission Organizations)
13. Habitat for Humanity Worker
14. Small-Groups Starter
15. Small-Groups Coach
16. Baptism Director
17. New-Believer Director/Coach
18. Newcomer Director
19. Church-Planting Coach
20. Director of Ministry to People in Need
21. Alpha Course Director/Consultant
22. Door-to-Door Intercessor
23. Prayer Warrior
24. Hospital Visitor
25. Wedding Minister/Coordinator
26. Funeral Minister/Chaplain
27. Pastor on Call
28. Missionary
29. Missionary Encourager
SPORTS
30. Sports Instructor
31. Athletics Coach (for Students)
PASTORAL CARE
32. Professional Listener
33. Hospital Waiting-Room Attendant
34. Church Planter
35. Internet Minister
36. Fire and Police Chaplain
37. RV Park Minister
38. Internet Evangelist
TEACHING
39. English as a Second Language Teacher
40. Secretarial Skills Instructor
41. Exercise Class Instructor
42. Craft Class Leader
43. Literacy Worker
44. Reinvestor Coach
45. Missions Mentor
46. Household Financial Coach
47. Household Etiquette Coach
48. Nutritional Coach
49. Leaders of Tomorrow Mentor
50. One-to-One Discipler
51. Servant Evangelism Activist/Coach
52. New Moms' Group Coach
53. Professional Grandparent
54. Marriage Enrichment Coach
55. Premarital Seminar Leader
56. Divorce Recovery Seminar Presenter
57. Parenting Mentor
58. Homeschool Network Teacher
59. Teacher of Teachers
60. Job Skills Teacher (to People in Need)
61. Special Skills Teacher (to Groups)
62. Idea Broker
PRACTICAL CARE
63. Professional Grocery Shopper
64. Cook
65. Color and Makeup Consultant
66. Appliance Repair Technician
67. Pool Cleaner
68. Landscaper
69. Reader (for the Blind)
70. Animal Caretaker
71. Grass Cutter/Snow Remover
72. Volunteer Coordinator
73. Health-Care Assistant
74. Food and Clothing Ministry Liaison
75. Politician/Political Activist
76. Writer/Editor
77. Information Researcher
78. Foreign Language Interpreter
79. Health-Care Provider (for People in Need)
80. Flower and Vegetable Gardener
81. Music Therapist
82. Missions Coordinator
83. Car Mechanic
84. Taxi Service Provider
85. Roving Disaster-Relief Worker
86. Cleaning Angel
87. Roving Mobile Car Technician
88. Telephone Contact Coordinator
89. Home Secretarial Worker (for Busy People)
90. Tax-Filing Helper
91. Professional Organizer
92. Artist
93. Shut-In Meal Driver
94. Community Festival Coordinator
95. School Assistant
96. Videographer
FINANCIAL
97. Fund-Raiser
98. Insurance Company Liaison
99. Car Buyer (for the Busy, Widowed, or Divorced)
100. House Buyer
101. Best-Deal Researcher
After a lifetime of experience in the workplace, most everyone has something to offer. Why not consider using what all the Lord has taught you to assist and improve the lives of others? The outcome will invariably be a win/win for everyone involved, including you.
For truly, as Jesus Himself said (in Acts 20:35), "It is more blessed to give than to receive."