Mission Service Activity of the Month
February 2019: Sharing Jesus’ Love in Action – Support for our Elderly and Shut-ins
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
February is the month people share their love with others. Here are a number of ways to show your love and support for the elderly and shut-ins in your community.
Ideas to help support the elderly and shut-ins:
- Take a group of women and visit some of the elderly at a nursing home, veterans home, or shut-ins in their homes.
- Bring Mustard Seed Devotions such as Comfort from the Psalms , How Lord?, Joyful, Joyful, and Living in Joy. Some can be purchased in large print. Encourage them to share the Mustard Seeds with other residents and their caregivers.
- Bring Portals of Prayer that they can share with their neighbors. You can purchase them from CPH or give any leftovers you may have from your church. These are also available in Spanish and large print.
- Bookmarks or tracts can be given out during Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
- Create bookmarks, or make treats with a message attached that you can hand out for holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Veteran’s Day. Encourage the person you visit to share these with other residents.
- Plan an event at a nursing home such as bringing a youth choir or orchestra from your Lutheran or public school.
- Have your local LWML plan a tea or other event for the nursing residents.
Things to do while you are visiting:
- Sing hymns from the Lutheran Service Book.
- Share a devotion with them.
- Read a Christian book with them and discuss it. Check out CPH for books such as Joyfully Aging, where readers gain insight on the limitless opportunities to witness their faith to others and live vibrant, grace-filled lives.
- Pray together. Pray for the church, each other and your families, disasters, worries, etc.
- Play cards, a board game or put a puzzle together.
- Bring your pet to share with them but make sure you call ahead to see if the nursing home will allow pets.
- Give them a massage or a manicure.
- Eat a meal or snack with them or take them out for ice cream. Make sure you clear this with the staff before doing so. Some may have dietary restrictions.
- Remember them on holidays and their birthday with treats or a small gift.
- Visit them after Sunday service to share the church bulletin, newsletter, and that Sunday’s Gospel message. Talk with them about upcoming events at church to keep them informed.
- Bring old photos that you have taken at church and talk about them.
- Take them for a walk to the chapel or community room.
Mission servant event idea:
- Make a photo album (84 cents) and label it “God’s Promises”. Decorate covers with printed cardstock. Inside all the pages include Bible verses, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Nicene Creed. Slide pages into the photo album.
- Make adult clothing protectors and give them as gifts.
- Make a lap blanket.
Resources - There are countless videos and web-sites on how to make adult clothing protectors and lap blankets. Here are just a few:
- How to make adult clothing protectors.
- How to make a lap blanket video
- How to make no sew fleece blanket any size
Other Resources - Please check out the Shut-In and Nursing Home Kit on the Gospel Outreach webpage.
A Prayer as you Plan:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for the opportunities you give us to help and encourage those who are aging and are unable to do things that they have always loved to do. We pray for those who are no longer able to live in their homes and are now living in nursing homes or assisted living. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to visit and spend time with the aging and to share your word and love with them. Amen.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing
(I Thessalonians 5:11).
The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!
