Nursing Home Ministry

This is the Day

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us be rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 ESV

As we began the Christmas season at Life Care Center today, I shared the message that Christmas is the day that the Lord has made (specially chosen). Not even Mary and Joseph knew the exact day, if they had, they would have left a few days earlier! For each of our lives, it is the same. Many days come along that challenge our faith, our joy and endurance. We sometimes stop and wonder how God could have allowed this to happen to us. But all the days, both happy and sorrowful are given to us by the hand of our loving Father. I hope you will be uplifted and encouraged by the message of this original song, “This is the Day”. 

This is the Day by Peter Caligiuri
Copyright 2022 all rights reserved
Use with permission only

Go Tell it on the Mountain!

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:9-10 KJV

While Thanksgiving weekend is a big date on most of our calendars, life at the nursing home stays pretty much the same. Sure, there is a big inflatable turkey behind me, and they served a special lunch yesterday, but few of the residents received visits from family members and fewer still have even been outside in months. But, just like those shepherds, who were overlooked by everyone else, God is sending them His message, that Jesus Christ has come down, right where we are. He came to give His life, so that we could have our sins forgiven and be restored to a loving relationship with our Father in Heaven. So, let’s “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere!”

Have You Invited Jesus for Thanksgiving?

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47 ESV

The story behind the writing of the hymn, “Pass Me Not” is both interesting and complicated. It all began one day when the now famous hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, went to speak at a prison. As she passed between the cell blocks, she heard one of the prisoners calling out, “O Lord, please don’t pass me by.” This led Fanny to sit down soon afterward and pen the familiar words, “Pass me not oh gentle Savior, hear my humble cry!” These were almost word for word the cry of the blind beggar named Bartimaeus who we meet in Mark’s gospel. Bartimaeus was sitting by the side of the road as Jesus began to pass and he cried out with both desperation and faith. Desperation, because he knew that only Jesus could help, and faith because he believed that He would. But even beyond the Biblical application, we can find even another layer of meaning, when we realize that, Fanny Crosby, just like Bartimaeus had been blind most of her life.

But as we sang together today at Sunshine Memory Care, I was struck by the fact that my friends there, were not singing these words in desperation or sadness, but with faith and joy. Next week is Thanksgiving and few of these precious people will have any family to sit down with, and the piece of turkey with a bit of gravy on their lunch menu is all the celebrating they will get to do. But God knows every one of them by name. He has the hairs of their heads all numbered and if no one else will sit down with them, they know that Jesus will, if they simply invite Him in! If Jesus remembers them, He also remembers you. In all the busyness of your holiday season, remember to slow and then invite Jesus into your heart for Thanksgiving! It is an invitation He will never refuse!