Grace Cathedral
We ended our small group activity series for 2024 on a happy note! Our last activity was at Salesforce Tower Park where we enjoyed an afternoon of a live jazz performance. The afternoon was crisp, and we were among a wide range of people attending that day. Much to our delight, there were small children in strollers and people on their lunch break who came to hear the jazz in the park with us.
The park itself is one mile in length and sits on the fourth floor of the Salesforce Tower building. I had never been, so I arrived early to get situated and find seating for our small group. Upon arrival, I noticed there was an intimate group of small children in strollers enjoying an animated story time under a white tent. The storyteller was so enthusiastic and narrated the characters so well, I found myself remotely tuning into the story while I pushed tables and chairs together.
Snacks in hand and the “Seniors with Grace” sign on display, I was ready to welcome our group. The band was starting to set up, and I watched them take their time to unpack their instruments and get situated. The band consisted of a drummer, pianist, bass celloist, saxophonist and trumpeter, and they all worked in harmony to create some beautiful music for us.
I don’t recall the name of the songs they played that day, the memory recorded in my heart is the feeling the music touched inside of me. Music is such a powerful inspiration for so many, I play it every day and often wake up with a song playing in my thoughts in the morning. So, you could say they were speaking my “language”.
As I was enjoying the music, I noticed everyone around me was getting into the music as well, smiling, tapping their foot or just closing their eyes to take it all in. Our small group of seniors were in a happy place, as they snacked and listened to the music. A few members of our group opted to walk around the park afterwards just to sightsee for a while.
Smiling, like laughing, is contagious and I was so pleased that we ended our small group series for the year on a happy note with music. As we embrace the holiday season and plan for another year of small group activities, we will be sure to include another visit to the park for more jazz inspiration.
I get nostalgic every time I see a kitchen apron, the garment ignites happy memories of my grandmother and our time together in her kitchen. This month, we took our Seniors to the De Young Museum for the Fashioning San Francisco exhibit. Our hope was to help those in attendance to revisit the past and remember a happier time or person by viewing the garments on display.
I live in a building that was built in 1916, so I was looking forward to viewing fashion pieces from this era. One of my favorite pieces was an early 20th Century dress, that had gold silk and was adorned with black lace from that era. The mannequin had their hair pulled up into a loose bun (again, to match the era of the dress) and her hands delicately at her sides. I kept imagining a lady walking into my building wearing this outfit and using our birdcage elevator. All the displays entailed various mannequins in animated poses to enhance the outfit they wore.
Many of our Seniors were fascinated by the pieces they saw, some garments brought back happy memories of childhood outfits worn by family members back in the day. The garments that brought back fond memories for several seniors were office suits and sleepwear. There was a total of five separate rooms that were dedicated to the exhibit, and we took our time walking through each one.
The museum did a great job of providing some historical background on all the displays. Next to each exhibit was an introduction with some historical references on how the garments were used or what inspired their creation. For example, I learned that the evening gowns worn at many of the balls in San Francisco were used primarily to promote charity events and solicit donations.
There was even a section dedicated to shoes, which triggered fond memories for me, as I used to work in a department store selling women’s shoes in my college days. One of my favorite items on display were a pair of colorful boots that were knee-high, had a thick heel and a rounded toe.
After a while, we started getting hungry, so we all walked over to the park across the way and had a box lunch picnic in the park. It felt good to rest and get some nourishment after our stroll down memory lane together. Our picnic among the shady trees was the perfect end to an afternoon of exploring, memories, and fun.
Our second small group activity is very near and dear to my heart, as it’s one of my favorite things to do. We took our Seniors to an afternoon high tea at Sip Tea Room in San Francisco on Thursday, May 9th. We had a total of nine ladies attend this activity, and they were all delighted to come out and enjoy an afternoon of tea and nibbles.
We started out by enjoying two preselected pots of tea: English Breakfast (caffeinated) and Honeybush (herbal). I was expecting a three-tiered display of sandwiches, scones, and sweets. However, we were pleasantly surprised as each one of us received our own individual plate of treats.
We each felt so special! The tea room had something for everyone. Once everyone arrived, we all started chatting with each other on numerous topics.
The bites were so tasty, some of the sandwiches we enjoyed were egg salad, fig preserves and green apple with sharp cheese. Our scones were filled with currants and served with lemon curd, clotted cream, and raspberry jam.
Since that upcoming Sunday was Mother’s Day, we asked the table what each person’s plans were to celebrate the special day. Coincidently, we were surrounded by books, which provided the perfect opportunity for us to introduce our upcoming Senior Book Club on Tuesday, June 25.
Everyone departed with a big smile and some leftover bites in-hand, grateful for the afternoon of treats and companionship.
In the spirit of expansion and connection, we have created some new small group activities for our Seniors to enjoy. It is our hope that by sharing special moments with friends, old and new, our Senior community will strengthen its connection with each other and with Grace Cathedral.
Our first small group activity in this series was a visit to The Aquarium by the Bay for a private event, Breakfast with the Otters.
We decided to visit the Aquarium on Thursday, February 29 – Leap Day. It was an unforgettable day of fun, learning, and fellowship. We started the morning off with a buffet breakfast (scrambled eggs, veggies, fruit, toast, juice, and coffee), and then we visited with the Otters while they had their breakfast.
The Otters ran through a caged tunnel (see image) into an area that was secured by tempered glass so we could watch them play. We also had the privilege of visiting with one of the scientists who cared for the Otters, and we learned a lot about their migration patterns and anatomy. The four Otters that we were able to visit with were all male and we were advised that most of the female Otters were down in southern California caring for their offspring.
We were also informed that they like to play with each other in a manner like canines; they often look as if they are fighting, but they aren’t.
Afterward, we explored the Aquarium to learn about the other exhibits on display. We were greeted by a small robot on wheels who guided us around the room. The first exhibit we explored after the Otters was the Sardines and the Sharks. They even had a giant set of shark jaws with two sets of teeth on display. The jaws were so big we could have stood inside of them!
Everyone expressed delight and wonder as we walked through the Aquarium, marveling at each exhibit. We even got to pet some baby Sting Rays! To my surprise, their fins felt very soft and silky…
However, the best part of the day was how we were able to connect in a more intimate setting and learn new things about each other. Our group size was small enough that each person felt seen, heard, and safe enough to open up and share their thoughts with the entire group. I learned a lot about the group at the Aquarium!
We weren’t just learning and growing on our own but together as a group, and it showed in the way we navigated through the Aquarium together—no Senior left behind. Our group formed a single line to walk through the underground tunnels of the glass-domed tanks, which provided 3D views of the fish. We also took several group photos to commemorate the day.
We all arrived with a smile and left with one, GRATEFUL for the day of fun and each other.
This year’s Senior Retreat was a huge success! We all had a great time, and we spent the three days together getting to know each other through fellowship and food. For me, this was my very first visit to the Bishop’s Ranch, and I explored the grounds with a fresh eye for everything.
At times, it felt like camping in the vineyards as we had communal dining, lodging, and games among landscapes of lush vineyards in the background. Upon arrival, we were served lunch (the first of many tasty meals that we enjoyed), and to my delight, lunch included scrumptious sugar cookies as big as my hand.
The first order of business after lunch was to get acquainted with each other. We all wore name tags and introduced ourselves. We had a group of more than twenty people, and this was a first visit for many of us. Once names were exchanged, we began our retreat discussion on “Finding Joy.”
Finding Joy sounds like such a simple concept, but for many, it’s a challenge. We explored many things that prevent us from experiencing joy (fear, anger, hurt, grudges, disappointments…, etc.). Because our group was so big, some of the more reserved folks were reluctant to speak up, so we broke out into small groups.
I found myself sharing things in the small groups from my past that I would normally be uncomfortable sharing.
When we weren’t in small groups, we enjoyed the scenery of the grounds and visited with some of the residents. One of the advantages of being on a ranch is being surrounded by animals; we had cats, goats, birds…and chickens. These ranch residents truly enhanced our experience. One chicken in particular brought immense joy one day as we were making our way to the Ranch House for prayer.
We named this lively bird, the “Prayerful Chicken” as it jumped up and bolted towards the ranch house as we were walking on the path to attend an afternoon service. In a sudden instance, this silly bird brought us so much laughter that we certainly found our JOY that day. This seemingly insignificant and hilarious incident provided us with one of the main sources of finding joy, which is laughter.
By the end of the retreat, we had made some new friends and felt connected to the ministry and each other. Our small group discussions and fellowship made a lasting impression on me, and they stayed with me long after I arrived home that Thursday evening.
I am grateful for the opportunity to meet and connect with this group of Seniors with Grace, and I look forward to our next retreat in March 2025.