A warm welcome, a reassuring smile, and a vibrant daily life. Feeling comfortable, secure, and appreciated can go a long way toward helping anyone with memory challenges feel more at ease. At Epworth Villa, assisted living memory support is designed to help residents and their families experience the security, dignity, and services that help each resident lead a more active, vibrant life. Call us today to see how your loved one can benefit from memory support and begin another chapter of vibrant life! 405-749-3517
Did you know that Assisted Living Residents are welcome to attend the campus-wide Vespers service on Thursday? Our chaplains, spend time with the residents of Assisted Living to check in, pray and visit – whatever the resident needs and wants. At Epworth Villa, we evaluate each resident individually and design a custom program that nurtures and enhances physical, mental, and spiritual health.
I really like what Chaplain Laura did last week with the disciples’ encounters with Jesus and the Holy Spirit — presence, peace, and power. We’re familiar with Jesus’ greeting, “peace be with you,” and the wind and fire of Pentecost. Obviously, the Holy Spirit is an important part of our Christian walk, too. This raises two questions. First, what IS the Holy Spirit? It’s God’s Presence that Jesus WAS. Then when Jesus left, he promised that God’s Presence would be with us through the Holy Spirit. Second, how do we experience that? We think of that happening in church, worship, or personal devotional time. Some of us have even had the blessed experience of the Holy Language of speaking in tongues. That may be an important part of our discipline. But are there other ways, too?
I think Jesus gave us a clue during his remarkable conversation with the woman at the well in Samaria. Jesus asked for a drink, offered her Living Water, then asked her to go get her husband and bring him back. When she said she didn’t have a husband, Jesus agreed and said, “You’ve had five, and the one you have now isn’t your husband.” Her jaw dropped and she replied, “Oh, I see you are a prophet! Well, we worship God on this mountain. You say the temple in Jerusalem is the only place where God is.” “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… But the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth’” (John 4:21-24).
Jesus reveals that God’s presence can’t be contained in a physical location. I take that to mean that God’s loving presence is not just to be found in church or only in what we call worship. I most frequently experience God’s Presence in worship. I’ve even been moved to tears standing in empty worship spaces — cathedrals in Europe with their high vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows. God’s presence is strong in Brill Chapel, during Vespers, and in quiet times. God’s presence is strong in my little home chapel (once a second kitchen).
Rev. Helen Taylor and a cygnet of Owen and Phyllis the Epworth Villa Swans
I’ve also felt God’s Presence powerfully in nature, even as a child, lying down on the warm curve of concrete covering our storm shelter and looking at the stars. Then there are sunsets, sunrises, rainbows, majestic mountains, Niagara Falls, still lakes, the silence of deep woods, and strong ocean waves. And, of course, God’s Presence and love come to us through people and even through books.
Perhaps these things happen to you, too, but you might not call them God’s Presence. That might even sound sacrilegious. I confess that this view comes from my own faith and practice of trying to be open to God’s Presence in every moment. That feeling in my heart of deep awe that often brings tears is the same in both worship and nature. This is what is in my heart to share here with love.
The beauty of life does not depend on happy you are, but how happy others can be because of you.
-Unknown
Today we are spotlighting Erma, CMA/CNA. She has been with Epworth Villa for a little over 17 years. When asked what was her favorite thing about Epworth Villa, she said the Residents. She said they are so, so important to her. Erma can usually be found on the 4th floor of Assisted Living. She exudes love and kindness and is a treasure to all who know her. Thank you Erma, for all you do!
In 2007, I was blessed to have participated in a three-week medical mission trip to the island of Papua in Indonesia. I had planned to address that amazing journey or the importance of financially supporting foreign missionaries (I support one in Japan and one in Turkey), but the Spirit laid it on my heart to discuss how each of us as Epworth Villa residents can be missionaries at home.
All of us can, and should, give to others. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” Many churches have signs that can be read as one leaves the sanctuary stating, “You are now entering the mission field.”
It is comforting and warms the heart to see many of our residents assist others. One resident makes personalized birthday cards for those on her floor. Some other residents diligently send much-appreciated birthday and thank you cards. Other residents make it a point to look prospective residents and their families in the eye and smile as they tour our beautiful community.
Another way to see Epworth as your mission field is to eat with a resident who is eating alone in one of our dining venues. We have all come upon a lost new resident or visitor. Ask if you can help and guide him/her to the proper destination.
Epworth Villa is our mission field. We can all be Epworth Villa missionaries. What will you do?
“First of all it’s great! So many activities, I can be as busy as I want to be. The staff take very good care of me. I love the bible studies and I enjoy being with other people.”
