--- title: Abundant Aging - Center for Abundant Aging | Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald (2) description: Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald served in parish ministry for nine years before being called into conference ministry as Area Minister for the Grand West Association in Michigan. She retired in 2023 from that position. Ruth served on the community board for Pilgrim Manor, then a United Church Homes community, and has been an active board member for the Fountain Hill Center for Counseling and Care, and Ele's Place--West Michigan (a healing center for grieving children and teens) all in Grand Rapids. Ruth has two grown children and three precious grandchildren. Travel, hiking, knitting, and reading fill her “spare” time. (2) --- [![Center for Abundant Aging](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/wp-content/uploads/uch-logo-200x84.png "Center for Abundant Aging")](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center) [Back to United Church Homes](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. - [Educational Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/clinical-pastoral-education-cpe/) - [Quellhorst Endowment Fund](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/quellhorst-scholars/) - [High School Community Service Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/high-school-community-service-opportunities/) - [Internships-Undergraduate and Graduate](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/internships-undergraduate-and-graduate/) - [Research Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/research-opportunities/) - Engagement with Congregations - [Resources for Worship and Reflection](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/resources-for-worship-and-reflection/) - [Age-Friendly Congregations](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/age-friendly-congregations/) - [Church Resources](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/church-resources/) - [About the Center](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Meet Rev. Beth Long-Higgins](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/meet-rev-beth-long-higgins/) - [Advisory Committee](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/advisory-committee/) - [Press Releases](https://www.abundantaging.org/category/press-releases/) - [Contact the Center](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/contact/) # About Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald served in parish ministry for nine years before being called into conference ministry as Area Minister for the Grand West Association in Michigan. She retired in 2023 from that position. Ruth served on the community board for Pilgrim Manor, then a United Church Homes community, and has been an active board member for the Fountain Hill Center for Counseling and Care, and Ele's Place--West Michigan (a healing center for grieving children and teens) all in Grand Rapids. Ruth has two grown children and three precious grandchildren. Travel, hiking, knitting, and reading fill her “spare” time. ## Recent Blog Posts ### Light Breaking Through the Dreariness By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  January 26, 2023 Want to use these Abundant Aging blogs as a resource for individual reflection or small group discussion? Beginning with today’s blog, you will find questions at the.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/light-breaking-through-the-dreariness) ### Hold Back By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  December 01, 2022 Eighteen years ago, my 49-year-old husband died, very suddenly, while he was traveling. December 9, 2004 is a date that can conjure up so many memories and emotions,.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/hold-back) ### Civility and Citizenship By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  November 03, 2022 Beth Long-Higgins began this series by contrasting the ways members of her family expressed their citizenship and reminded us that, even in their differences, they held.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/civility-and-citizenship) ### Grace Through Technology By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  October 13, 2022 The dictionary defines “technology” like this: [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/grace-through-technology) ### Words of Hope By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  August 25, 2022 Frederick Buechner died this week. If I correspond with you in matters not related to my job, you’ll see that part of my “personal” signature is a quote from him... [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/words-of-hope) ### A Hidden Passion Sparked By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  June 16, 2022 In 2008 I traveled to the border lands between Arizona and Mexico. This was a trip required for my graduation from seminary; an “intercultural immersion” experience... [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/a-hidden-passion-sparked) ### Step by Step By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  May 12, 2022 One step at a time. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/step-by-step) ### Art That Moves Us... To Our Knees By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  March 31, 2022 When I was young, I knew most of the nooks and crannies of the Detroit Institute of Arts. Our family attended a large, downtown church and sometimes on Sunday afternoons.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/art-that-moves-us...-to-our-knees) ### My Music Life List By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  February 24, 2022 Life Hymn-list One of the blessings of this pandemic time has been the regular schedule of meetings with the “circle” of folks who participate in writing this blog. We.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/music-life-list) [\< Previous](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org) [1](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald) [2](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/2) [3](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/3) [4](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/4) [5](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/5) [Next \>](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/3) [![Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/wp-content/uploads/UCH_RFPCAA_Horiz_4c-1-1.png "Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging")](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/the-center-for-abundant-aging/) #### Educational Opportunities - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/clinical-pastoral-education-cpe/) - [Quellhorst Endowment Fund](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/quellhorst-scholars/) - [High School Community Service Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/high-school-community-service-opportunities/) - [Internship-Undergraduate and Graduate](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/internships-undergraduate-and-graduate/) - [Research Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/research-opportunities/) #### Engagement with Congregations - [Resources for Worship and Reflection](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/resources-for-worship-and-reflection/) - [Age-Friendly Congregations](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/age-friendly-congregations/) - [Church Resources](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/church-resources/) #### About the Center - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Meet Rev. Beth Long-Higgins](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/meet-rev-beth-long-higgins/) - [Advisory Committee](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/advisory-committee/) - [Press Releases](https://www.abundantaging.org/category/press-releases/) Standards of Conduct [United Church Homes, Inc. (UCH) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude or treat people different because of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, disability, genetic information or ancestry. Spanish: Chinese: German: Arabic: Pennsylvanian Dutch: Russian: French: Vietnamese: Korean: Italian: Japanese: Dutch: Ukrainian: Romanian: Albanian: Korean: Bengali: Polish: Tagalong.](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/wp-content/themes/uch-theme/assets/pdf/UCH-Discrimination-Policy.pdf) © 2026 United Church Homes, Inc. All Rights Reserved.