Nursing Home Ministry

Everyone Can Be a Volunteer

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He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. Luke 10:34 NIV

My volunteering in nursing homes began with a friend named Darryl, who with his wife Beverly went to church with us. Then one day Darryl had a massive stroke and ended up in a nursing home about thirty minutes away from where we lived. Since my job was in that city, Beverly would often ask if I could stop by some day after work to visit him. Though that sounded like a nice idea, but I procrastinated because I knew how tired I was at the end of the workday. Every week I made another excuse, but every week Beverly persistently asked (and the Holy Spirit was convicting me!) Finally, I decided to at least give it a try, and that visit, some thirty-four years ago, opened the way to becoming a volunteer chaplain, which has been of the greatest blessings of my life.

But being a volunteer goes far beyond the walls of long-term care facilities. For example, we have friends with three daughters, ages 10-17. Their youngest is named Laura and Laura is a down’s syndrome child. Raising their girls with equal love has been a tough balancing act because sometimes Laura requires so much time and energy that the other two have had to put their own time with mom and dad on hold. Then there is my good friend Rob in our men’s group who has multiple sclerosis. Rob struggles just to stand up and get a grip on his walker, at the end of each meeting, and yet he is there most weeks, in part because his wife Lisa helps him to get ready. If you think that these people are the exception, you would be correct. But the story of the Good Samaritan shows us, that God has strategically placed people in all our lives, to give us the opportunity to be what Jesus would call a volunteer – a good neighbor! As a neighbor we all know a Laura, a Rob or a Darryl and what we decide to do can change their lives and ours forever.

I once heard someone say that “If you can get paid for what you love to do then you will never work a day in your life.” But as a volunteer I like to think that “If we just love for free, the people God has put in our path, then one day we will discover treasures in Heaven that will last forever! “

The Power of Two

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Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19 ESV

The power of two has been obvious ever since God looked down at Adam sleeping in the garden and said, “It is not good for man to be alone!” Moses had his brother Aaron, and Joshua stuck with Caleb. Jesus regularly sent the disciples out two by two, and even taught us that having a partner in prayer can move Heaven. In nursing home ministry, it is so easy to get so motivated to just get out there and get something done that we might forget to look to others for help. Being motivated to launch out is a great way to get started, but having a team member in ministry is vital to carry on the work.

But you might say, “I don’t know anyone who is interested in helping in nursing home ministry. But our lack of handy volunteers isn’t a problem for God. What He wants from us is simply the willingness to work with those He brings our way. Even when it seems we are alone at a facility, God just may surprise us from unexpected sources.

One of my favorite “volunteer stories” is about a man named Bruce. Bruce worked in the maintenance department of one of the facilities that I visit. After the service, Bruce would often greet me with a smile, a handshake, and a comment about how he also loved the hymns. One week Bruce asked if he could help sing with me. Though it seemed an odd request, I was later surprised and delighted as I heard his rich baritone voice joining in with me on “How Great Thou Art.” Not only was that a special blessing for me, but the residents also loved Bruce’s singing. Bruce reminded me that we were able to do far more together than either of us could do alone. Because we sang together, people had the chance to see their maintenance man in a whole new light. Though many residents looked forward to my coming in every Friday, Bruce could be there to encourage them or pray for them every day. Sadly, it was only a month or so until Bruce moved on to another job, but the memory of how God uses us together has encouraged me to always be keeping an eye out for the next “Bruce” who God might bring my way!

Connected

/ pastorpete51 / 9 Comments

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 ESV


On July 26th, the Olympic Summer Games will begin in Paris. There thousands of athletes will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in 32 sports. Like the ancient Greek games, the winners will proudly go home with those medals and mount them in display cases for everyone to see. But Jesus told His disciples that following Him, was not like that. Individual achievements were not to be their hallmark. Instead, Jesus made it clear that everything we do was about being connected, and specifically, being connected to Him. He told us that without Him, we could not accomplish anything. I know that in my nursing home ministry, there have been times when, just adding up the services put on, the number of people coming, or seeing how many children can be persuaded to sing carols at Christmas become goals in themselves. But Jesus said that living for Him was to be nothing like that. Instead, we are to simply remain in connection with Him, and He will accomplish the work of bringing about the fruitfulness. Yes, having a crowd show up for a service is fulfilling, but connecting people one by one to Jesus is what really matters. Think of the ministry of Jesus Christ. Certainly, He drew large crowds, to the point that He fed 5,000 men in one and 4,000 in another. But the goals of Christ were always far different than what ours would have been. He didn’t have folks sign “New Visitor” cards, collect contact numbers or start planning for an even bigger event. Instead, Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. ” (John 6:56) Jesus was not pursuing popularity, but connection. He didn’t want to know how many were visiting, He wanted to know who would abide in Him. This was nowhere more evident than at the end of His life as He hung on the cross. There, the earthly ministry of Jesus ended as He connected to one disciple, one parent, and one soldier. Though countless millions would later come to faith in Him, that day Jesus focused only on those three who were nearest to Him. Alone and suffering terribly, He did not debate theology, but He prayed for forgiveness for those who had put Him there. He finished the work of our salvation, by being cut off and forsaken, so that we could be included and connected to Him. And if the Son of God loved us so much that He gave up everything so that we could be connected to Him, then we must be willing to give up whatever He asks to help people, get connected to Him. Last Friday we just returned to one facility where services had been cancelled for the past month due to another Covid outbreak. It was so great to get together and be connected again, and today’s video is the closing song of that service. I hope you join us in celebrating that connection by the grace of our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ!