Communion of the Saints

A minister friend of mine from the city said it all began because of his mother – in – law. After he and his wife took her to the church service at her nursing home, he asked his mother – in – law if she had enjoyed going to church. Her answer was quite emphatic. She had not been to church in years! Afraid her memory was suddenly failing, my friend reminded her that she had just attended church. “No!” was the response. “That wasn’t ‘real’ church. I know the people at my church. We have music, an organ and organist and a long sermon. And the building looks like a church. I have just attended chapel and it is not the same as church.” After this conversation, my friend and his wife decided to enact the words of Proverbs 23:22 and they, “Listened to their father, who gave them life and didn’t despise their mother when she was old.” They decided long – term care residents and shut – ins should have the opportunity to attend “real” church.
Three times a year, at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, his church hosts a service for seniors. I had the opportunity to take three seniors to this Christmas service. As I drove into the parking lot, I had to slow to a complete stop as the lineup of wheelchair buses made it impossible to park. Seniors were helped out of buses, taxis and cars by family members or care staff. A doorman greeted us and helped us find our way to the sanctuary. Everyone was given a large – print edition of Our Daily Bread. We were treated to a carol sing led by one of the ministers on staff at the church, a wonderful soloist sang many of the old and dear hymns and then we were treated to a full gospel sermon by the senior minister. But the hospitality extended further. While we were enjoying the service, 30 – 50 volunteers were preparing a full Christmas dinner. All 200 of us enjoyed a wonderfully home – cooked meal with all the traditional trimmings.
I took many opportunities to “spy” on the seniors. I wanted to see how this event was going over. Some looked perplexed at all of the attention. Others drank it in like a sponge! I marveled at how little it really takes to bless the heart of a senior or shut – in.
Does your church lead a monthly service at the local nursing home, retirement home, rooming house or hospital? For the last 16 years, St. John’s, Bradford, Ont., has led the worship service at our local nursing home in the months that have five Sundays. Five to eight members of St. John’s come each time, along with a pianist and our minister. We sing the old favourites (sometimes more than once), read the scripture (very loudly) and hear a condensed version of the Sunday morning sermon. Although the staff invite and porter the Presbyterians to our service in the chapel, many more from other denominations and no church affiliation in particular come. It may not be their “real” church in our nursing home chapel but we do our best to re – create the church these seniors relate to. But it wasn’t until one elderly resident asked if we could have communion that we began to partake of this sacrament together. He said he hadn’t had communion in the six years he had lived in the home since only the Anglicans and Catholics served their members this sacrament each week.
What an honour it is to serve communion to someone with dementia. Someone who no longer remembers their name, how to use a spoon or where to find a washroom when they need it, will open their mouth to receive the elements and then say, “Amen.” In fact, on the first Sunday we served communion, a sweet, old Presbyterian woman glared at her daughter when she refused to allow her to have communion. The mother was unable to communicate verbally but that didn’t stop her from using her facial muscles. I was somewhat new to working in the home but realized the older woman was furious. I quickly went over to intervene and see if I could help appease her. Her daughter said, “My mother is no longer able to take food and liquids by mouth unless the food is pureed and the liquid thickened. How can she swallow this dry bread and little grape juice?” Mother won that day. The daughter relented and allowed her mother to have a little piece and an even smaller sip because she knew how much it meant to her—not just the partaking of the elements but doing so with her peers in our little church. You should have seen the look on Mother’s face as she savoured the bread and the wine!
Are we acting with honour toward these, our parents? Is the church forgetting this growing segment of the population? Or are we forgetting the continuum of care from the cradle roll to the grave? God bless the vision and the hardworking volunteers at the churches who do. May they lead the way. Hebrews 13:16 says, “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.”