Guest AuthorOn Friday 6 February 2026, the Christian Research Association and the University of Divinity hosted an in-person and online research seminar: Communities of Meaning: Enrishing Life in Retirement. The seminar provided a forum to release recently collected data through a series of papers prepared and presented by members of the research team. We were delighted with the rich conversations each of the presentations intiated around the table and online. Each story was different, but each significant in helping us to understand the importance of community in social connections and meaning-making among retired people in Australia.
The seminar presentations are now available for viewing via the website of the Christian Research Association. Alternatively, you can view the individual presentations directly through YouTube, using the links below.
Assoc Prof Robyn Wrigley-Carr (Whitley College, University of Divinity): Escaping Loneliness in Retirement
Dr Fleur Creed (Alphacrucis University College and St Francis College, University of Divinity): Transition to Retirement.
Dr Stephen Reid (Christian Research Association and the National Centre for Pastoral Research): Keeping Active for an Enriching Retirement
Dr Enqi Weng (Deakin University): Continuum of (Dis) Connection Digital Participation and Meaning-Making among Older Australians
Rev Em Prof Philip Hughes (Pilgrim College, University of Divinity and Christian Research Association): Contributions of Organisations to Meaning Making.
The research team, which also includes Prof Johannes Luetz (Alphacrucis University College), who was not able to be with us the day, is continuing to work on the data and preparing papers for relevant academic journals around the world. We have also started writing a more popular book which we hope will be useful for people who are retiring and for those who care for them, as well as for those who run the organisations for retirees. We hope the book will be released early in 2027.
The primary goal of the research is to discover what attracts retirees to become involved in organisations and how organisations can contribute to their sense of wellbeing and meaning. If you are someone who is nearing retirement, transitioning to retirement or whom has been retired for a while, or are a representative of a community organisation or service provider of activities or services to this age group, you will find these recordings have a lot to offer your thinking and practice.
What can our churches and community organisations be doing to help those ageing to find
meaning and purpose from their participation?
What steps should we take as we age to bridge
the transition between work and retirement?
How can we ensure all are valued as they age and able to
meaningfully share their knowledge and skills?
If you would like to explore some of the above questions, get involved or contribute to the research on Communities of Meaning, please email: admin@cra.org.au.
The Christian Research Association thanks the University of Divinity for the Research Grant that made this event possible.
Watch
Whitley College
University of Divinity
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