Have you met Pastor Laura? She has started a new program called the Chaplain’s Chat. Residents met for the first time today and discussed faith and #COMMUNITY and how in these times, we need each other even more.

The Chaplains Chat is just one of the many opportunities our residents have to gather together. Our purpose at Epworth Villa is “Enhancing Lives, So People Thrive.”We invite you to come #THRIVE with us – meet Pastor Laura – and be a part of our community.

Last month, Pastor Laura Glover started collecting stories, testimonials and votes for resident’s favorite hymns. 150 different hymns were nominated but these 10 came out as the favorites.

1. Amazing Grace
2. How Great Thou Art
3. Great Is Thy Faithfulness
4. In the Garden
5. It Is Well With My Soul
6. Because He Lives
7. He Touched Me
8. The Old Rugged Cross
9. O How I Love Jesus
10. Jesus Loves Me

“Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!” Luke 24:5-6

My favorite hymn is He Lives! I have wonderful memories of joyously singing this hymn on Easter Sunday mornings with my children. Rather than look for Easter eggs, we would wake up and run around the backyard shouting “He lives! He lives!” and singing this hymn.

That is one of the great things about this hymn; it is a joyous proclamation of a life-changing truth. Jesus lives, and because he lives, everything is changed. Death has no power over us for in the resurrection, Jesus defeated death for us all and offers us eternal life. Sometimes we can go through our days feeling burdened and overwhelmed much like the women who arrived at the tomb with their heads cast down on Easter morning. On days like that, I can hear Jesus asking me, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?” The Jesus who rose from the tomb defeating death is still alive and will defeat any other burden or challenge I may face if I only put my trust in Him. “He lives!” and that makes all the difference in my attitude, in my day, and in my life.

The other thing that I love about this hymn is how personal it is. “He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way… You ask me how I know He lives. He lives within my heart!” I know Jesus lives not because of what I was taught in Sunday school, or heard in sermons, or learned in seminary. I know Jesus lives because I feel His presence with me every moment. I see Him at work in the world and in my life through the Holy Spirit. My relationship with Christ is a personal one, and like all meaningful relationships, it is one that I must treasure and tend carefully every day. He lives! That changes everything for me, so I will joyously sing that Good News for the world so that others might know for themselves the gift of abundant life that is Jesus Christ. — Chaplain Laura