Kay

Mark wrote: “If this passage is dealing with eldership what is their ministry? Are elders instructed elsewhere i the bible to be over 60 and only pray (not to mention be widows)? No i don’t think so. They are to shepherd the church. Now because this passage clearly deals with younger and older issues it is not sensible to translate this passage as some sort of obscure eldership, not backed up by other scripture nor reliant on the context of the passage.”

Mark,
One of the main points of the passage IS sorting out who should and should not be on the “role.”

In context we must take into consideration the very young age a woman could become a widow at that time. Betrothal followed as soon as possible after puberty and consummation of the marriage shortly after that. Many, if not all, the younger widows could have been mere teenagers. It appears Paul may have been trying to discourage teenage widows from hastily making “pledges” they would grow up and regret. I can tell by your last comment that you do see that somewhat.

You know that the daily duties of any elder are not listed in Scripture. We have our modern day notions of what an elder is expected to do, but that is not outlined in Scripture either. How is praying not an aspect of shepherding the church?
Our example, The Great Shepherd “He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb.7:25)