As followers of Christ, caring for others is essential to our spiritual growth and maturity. It is what takes us from the intellectual vagaries of belief to the robust practice of faith. We need only open our eyes and heart to find many in need of God's love through us.
One outreach for our congregation is in a local senior housing complex. While our initial interest was in maintaining contact with members that had become frail, it has quickly become a vineyard full of opportunities for loving engagement.
The only formal element in our efforts is to hold services every Thursday evening. Between 20-30 people show up to sing, pray, and share the Eucharist together. I am amazed at the joy on display despite the fact that many in attendance are frail. The spirit is more than willing even though the flesh is weak. And God's presence is felt despite the absence of all the trappings of church. The only physical symbol in the room is a brass cross that we bring to create a simple alter.
From there we have branched out to bringing communion to residents too frail to come down to services. Staff members are happy to identify new faces and help us keep track of familiar ones.
Beyond communion, there are other simple opportunities for touch hearts in this community. Birthday and holiday wishes are always welcome, particularly for those without family in the area. Homemade sweets bring large smiles (although check with staff for dietary restrictions). The lonely are not difficult to find.
We have also hosted films, choir performances, and dinners. The one problem with these events is that they attract too much interest rather than too little.
The only real cost in all of these efforts is time. As Christ told the disciples in Matthew 9:37, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." It is worth every minute and the Lord of the harvest will be pleased.
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