GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP)–Need some fresh ideas for effective nursing home and homebound ministry?
Consider these:
— Manicure team — They show up at the nursing home each Tuesday at 10 a.m. with their plastic totes full of polish and nail files. Every week a long row of ladies in wheelchairs and walkers waits behind each nail table. No, they’re not professional nail technicians. They’re just a team of ladies from a local church, ready to minister with a listening ear, a gentle touch, nail polish and a prayer.
— Monthly birthday party — Make every resident feel special by planning a party for nursing home residents with birthdays each month. Stock a portable party box with balloons, streamers and birthday plates and napkins. Take a cake or cupcakes. Offer a prayer and Scripture for the birthday honorees.
— Adopt a grandparent — Teens, children or adults in your church can make a yearlong commitment to make weekly visits to their adopted “grandparent.” A nursing home director or minister at your church can provide names of residents or homebound members who need visitors.
— Banana bingo — For years members from our church played bingo each week at a nursing home with bananas for the prize. Residents never grew tired of it.
— Lord’s Supper — Deacons from your church can administer the Lord’s Supper to members in nursing homes or confined to their homes each quarter. Members of adult and youth choirs could divide into trios and quartets and accompany the deacons for the ordinance once each year.
— Bible study — With the nursing home director’s permission, schedule a weekly Bible study for residents. You could use a rotating list of teachers or the same teacher each week. You could plan a topical Bible study series, teaching biblical answers to relevant questions such as How can I get into heaven? or How do we lean on God? Advertise the topic each week.
— Story time — Announce a live story time at the nursing home. Read selected Bible stories. Read a weekly devotional book. Choose a novel with a Christian theme and read a chapter weekly along with a chapter from God’s Word.
— Read Through the Bible — If you are committed to a weekly visit at the nursing home or a homebound member’s residence, consider reading through the Bible. If you read a half-hour weekly, you could complete the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs in less than a year. Use a chart to mark off chapters for listeners to view progress. Read with enthusiasm the story that has truly changed the world.
— Hymn sing-along — Always a gigantic hit! It can be as simple as one pianist leading the group, or you can bring an entire ensemble or choir and lots of instruments.
— Worship — Sundays without corporate worship would be heartbreaking. Plan a weekly service for the nursing home, complete with sermon, music and an evangelistic invitation. A retired pastor would be effective in this setting.
— Penmanship — Write letters for residents you visit. Or help them write a weekly journal entry in a book for them. Or spend several sessions writing or recording memoirs.
— Centerpieces — A group of talented ladies from your church could create Christmas centerpieces for dining tables at the nursing home. If they’re industrious, they could make centerpieces for several holidays.
— Touch of sunshine — Can your nursing home ministry team place a birdbath or bird feeder near the nursing home’s window or patio? Or plant flowers?
— Develop relationships — By visiting the same hallway or individual every week, you’ll begin to learn names and needs. Always ask the residents if they would like for you to pray with them before you leave. Young ladies from our church made seasonal door decorations for residents on their hallway. They became known as the “door darlings.” Corny? Yes. Effective? Very.
— And with that hug, share Jesus — Never forget that many of the residents of any nursing home are not Christians. They need more than good deeds and smiles. They desperately need to know Jesus personally. Make a point to know the spiritual condition of each person you visit. Then share God’s plan of salvation.
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Diana Davis is a writer in Indianapolis. This article, which first appeared in the Southern Baptist TEXAN, is adapted from a chapter in Davis’ book “Fresh Ideas: 1,000 Ways to Grow a Thriving and Energetic Church,” published by B&H Publishing Group.
