The Joys of NOAC

I have been at National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) since Wednesday. NOAC is held in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. What a gorgeous place. It was overcast and rainy until today. Now as the Brethren are loading up their suitcases and heading for their homes, the sun comes out and the place is alive with beauty.

I roomed with Shirley Boyer here at NOAC. Besides enjoying each other it confuses the heck out of everyone. I can't tell you how many people had to tell me how much they loved my father, Chuck. One man said to me today, "I am one of the millions of people who was a fan of your father, Chuck." This is Shirley sitting in the rocking chair as we wait for our ride to the airport.

I came to NOAC to preach the closing sermon. There were a little over 800 of us over 50-year-olds. The theme was "Passion and Purpose in a Changing World." I was asked to preach on the changing world part. I used an illustration of my youngest son being chosen as a LA Opera Scholar during his emo phase of life. It was a fun story to tell.

NOAC is one of the few places left in the Church of the Brethren where I feel at home. This conference is a place where people with open hearts and open minds come. There are good reasons to be over 50!