I was "eliminated" from my last position in October 2005. It is my fear that my age is playing a big factor in getting my foot into the door of prospective employers. Also, I have only a certificate of completion of a Christian Missions course that I took in the sixties and have no certifications in the field of HR. I have learned this most wonderful field by learning on the job for over 20 years. What can I do to surpass the age and degree deficiencies and get opportunities of at least being called in for interviews?

Sorry to hear you were "eliminated" from your last position, and I trust you have been able to develop a strong job search plan. You might want to consider taking the HR certificate courses at a local college, and/or studying for the SHRM certification PHR to off-set lack of formal education. In this way you demonstrate interest in continued learning and commitment to the HR field. Your resume alone may not generate interviews, so networking, involvement in association meetings, and working in a contract HR capacity is more likely to get your qualifications in front of decision makers. You may want to also consider temporary HR work at a staffing firm as a recruiter, which would also introduce your work directly to employers.