Adventures in Retirement

Adventures in Retirement is not, as the title may suggest, about armchair travel; rather, it's about staying close to God in one's later years. Narrated by retired Anglican vicar Jeremy Collingwood and his wife, Margaret, this three-part production from Britain's Christian Television Association aims to show that no matter what their circumstances, retirees can live full and enriching lives and, most important to the Collingwoods, serve God, as each of the individuals profiled here is engaged in some way with Christian service or community. The first episode features a variety of subjects: a farmer who has turned his spread north of Bristol into Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, complete with evangelical lectures; a Baptist church where retired folks run a vacation bible school with a pirate theme; a volunteer gardener; and a woman who once worked in an orphanage in India and now spends her days in prayer. Episode two contrasts a couple who become active in a church community after moving to Spain, and a bedridden woman who finds fulfillment in her faith. The third episode focuses on a retired and widowed pastor who says that no matter how difficult circumstances may be, “God has a plan and a purpose”; a woman who attributes a miraculous recovery from liver cancer to prayer; and a man who redeemed an ill-spent life by finding Jesus and working with alcoholics. Despite a decidedly British feel that may seem quaint to some American viewers, this would be of interest to Christian audiences. Recommended. Aud: P. (F. Gardner)