From The Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
Back in early July I was scheduled to lead a midweek service at a local long-term care facility.
I have three other volunteers from the church who assist me, as their schedules allow, and it turned out that all three were able to come on this day.
We arrived for the service, arranged chairs, and set out hymn books.
But nobody showed up.
The service usually lasts 30 minutes so we decided to wait for a bit, even canvassing down the hall for prospects to attend.
We were met with blank stares and zero interest.
After 15 minutes a man came in with his elderly mom and sat her down, but he left right away because he had to get to his workplace.
This sweet lady, a Francophone, knew very little English, yet seemed to enjoy the songs we sang, nodding her head along with the tune.
We learned her name and I did my best to speak with her at the close of the service using my limited French.
One of my volunteers then escorted her back to her room.
My initial reaction was one of frustration.
My schedule is a busy one and I had wondered how this time could have been spent better otherwise, along with that of my church volunteers.
But then it dawned on me.
Why were we there?
Was it not to bring joy and comfort to the cognitively challenged residents through a simple worship service?
In the grand scheme of things, did it really matter how many came?
It also occurred to me that in all likelihood this dear lady would not have even remembered the time we had together.
However, as one pastor friend of mine once remarked, who regularly visited a parishioner with dementia in another long-term care home, “Your visit may not matter 10 minutes after you’ve left, or even be remembered, but it mattered to her at the time.”
Gulp!
Who am I to decide what the worth of another person is, anyway?
To our Lord, EVERYONE has value.
Let’s never forget that!
