Nursing Home Ministry

Happy Day at the Nursing Home!

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This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24 NKJV

Those who only observe nursing home ministry from a distance, may think that we pass our time as in the words of the hymn, “Softly and tenderly,” And yes, that would be accurate for that small part of each service when we slow down and come humbly into God’s presence. But were we to plan the entire song service with only the slow and hushed hymns, half our residents would be sound asleep! So, here is one of our opening songs at Friday’s church service at Life Care. We sang a Sunday school song about a happy day, when I am “livin’ it for my Lord!” I do hope you will listen carefully for their voices and ask yourself if God might be calling you to also consider volunteering for nursing home ministry in your own community. After all, it’s a happy day when, “I’m living each day on the promises in God’s word!”

It's a happy day, and I thank God for the weather
It's a happy day, when I'm livin' it for my Lord
It's a happy day, and things are gonna get better
When I'm livin' each day on the promises in God's word!

BUT
It's a grumpy day and I don't like the weather
It's a grumpy day, when I'm livin' it for myself
It's a grumpy day
And nothin's gettin' any better
Cause I'm livin' today
With my Bible on the shelf

BUT
It's a happy day, when I'm livin' it for my Lord
It's a happy day, when I'm livin' it for my Lord
It's a happy day, and things are gonna get better
When I'm livin' each day on the promises in God's word!

It’s Saturday – But Sunday is Coming

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It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. Luke 23:55-56 ESV

Now usually the phrase is, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.” but it is no less true on our Saturdays. Fridays are the time of suffering, but Saturday is more final still. The dead body of Jesus lay in the tomb. A stone was rolled across the entrance and two Roman guards stood outside. Do you ever wonder what the disciples were thinking, or how Mary the mother of Jesus as well as Mary Magdalene and the other faithful women were coping with the crushing weight of grief?

There are few audiences in America that may appreciate the depth of despair in which our faith is challenged to the max than people in long-term care. We were blessed yesterday to have Pastor Joe deliver this message to us, and the highpoint wasn’t his yelling, pounding on the podium or shouting (because none of that happened!). The highpoint was hearing the dear voices of residents echoing back to him, “But Sunday is coming!” Some have lost roommates, are suffering physically and feel forgotten by everyone. So, when they dan say with assurance, “But Sunday is Coming!”, their faith gets me excited, and I do hope that this sweet, simple message will also be a blessing to you on this Easter Saturday morning. No matter your situation, how big the stone lies across the entrance to the door of hope or how big the powers are that guard it: it may be Saturday in your life: “But Sunday is Coming!”

Just Another Day at Nursing Home!

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. John 11:5-6 ESV

“Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so,” are the words to a song that practically everybody knows, and here is a Bible verse that starts with a list of some of those folks. The puzzling thing to me here is that Jesus loved them, but it appears He decided to do absolutely nothing to help out. Is that what it feels like in your prayer life sometimes I know that it certainly seems the case for the people in the nursing homes I visit. Each week we come and sing, serve communion and pray, but each week the crowd sits in their wheelchairs, maybe one of them is in the hospital, or another has passed away. “Where is Jesus? “, we might ask. The astonishing, perplexing and confusing answer is that He is right where He was 2,000 years ago that afternoon in Bethany. He is sitting and waiting for the right time to come and tell Martha the most wonderful news of all. “I am the resurrection and the life… Do you believe this?” (verses 25-26). Yes, in spite of how it seems and no matter how confusing things appear, Jesus is the resurrection, and the worse things appear, the better will be His coming.

Some people have commented on this blog about how important it is to do nursing home outreach but are unsure of where or how to start. This week’s message gives a pretty accurate glimpse into how this wonderful mixed-up ministry functions. Doors slam. People are wheeled in (and out), the loudspeaker occasionally gives announcements, and the lunch ladies wheel their carts through on their way to residents who can’t get out of their rooms. My prayer is that you will be encouraged to see that through all the craziness, Jesus still reaches out and touches hearts and touches hearts because no matter how long hopes have lain in their graves, Jesus is still the Resurrection and the Life!