​A History of Columbia

Older Adult Ministry

In 1999 Rev. Sally Robinson was employed as the first full-time Chaplain at NBA Lenoir Retirement Community in Columbia.  In 2001 the Ivis Silvey family, members of First Christian Church of Columbia, created an endowment with the National Benevolent Association (NBA is the social and health services division of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)), to provide a financial foundation for this ministry.  Following the bankruptcy of NBA in 2004, and the sale of Lenoir to Fortress Investments LLC, all NBA chaplains’ positions were eliminated.  In response to losing their chaplain, the residents of Lenoir petitioned the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to continue the ministry to older adults among their residents.   As a result the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Mid-America created the position of Chaplain for Older Adult Ministries.

On April 1, 2005 Rev. Robinson assumed the position as Chaplain for Older Adult Ministries. Originally housed at the Northeast Area Office of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Mid-America. The ministry found they could no longer office there.  Changing the name to Columbia Older Adult Ministry became nested at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Columbia, MO on January 2, 2009.

This ecumenical ministry continues to be nested at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with a 15 member Advisory Board made up of First Christian Church members along with representatives from Broadway Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Olivet Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), First Presbyterian Church USA, Columbia United Church of Christ, Missouri United Methodist Church and St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (ELCA).  

Ministry

Columbia