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It seems that in our modern society, there are certain ones that are - simply put - just forgotten.

As the melting pot of the world, some categories of people become lost in all the shuffling. Some are even deemed to be expendable, unnecessary, in the way, or otherwise pushed into the background until they are hardly noticed, much less shown much concern.

We still have the homeless which is a major shame in a country so rich, although they have received some publicity and help.

There is another group of Americans that are, if not forgotten, at least ignored by many..

The elderly.

A few years ago, an elderly lady (almost 90 years old) ask for help in locating a church that she could attend. She had attempted to attend a few that were located not far from where she lived. Being impaired physically (not mentally), she needed a church not too far away from where she lived. I set out to find what she needed in a local church, although we lived a long distance apart.

The ones she had attended were too loud. By that I mean the music was unbearably loud, with drums that shook the walls of the meeting place, and speakers that I could hear long before I reached the front door. Knowing this, I began a search for one she could attend with a measure of comfort.

Having contacted a few churches and Pastors, I finally walked into one that was relatively new to me and to her, but fairly close to her. The Pastor met me before the service, during which I described my 90-year old friend, and her need. With hardly a blink he informed me that it would best for her to go somewhere else. His was a "young person's" church.

After a moment of composure, I departed. That is all that he had to say. Frankly, I could hardly believe what I had just heard.

We never were able to locate a church that would accommodate this wonderful Christian lady.

She died in her home a year or two later without the support of a local church, although she had a daughter who helped care for her. I was privileged to conduct her funeral.

Perhaps this is rare. But it put me to thinking - is it really?

There are of course many groups, ethnic and otherwise that have been "marginalized". That's a polite word for having been ignored or denigrated by society in general.

Recently, friend mentioned to me that the church she had been attending had become a "young person's church". She felt unaccepted, and frankly, unwanted.

She discontinued attendance.

All this may be rare. However, there seems to be a trend...

What about your church?

"So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter." - Ecclesiastes 4:1

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

Mercy and not Sacrifice (Sept. 30, 2010)