Preaching in a Nursing Home

I worked for a short time in a nursing home as a Health Care Aide student. I hated it. I couldn't work fast enough and wasn't strong enough to lift people on my own. Nursing homes have changed since then - they would have to because Baby Boomers would not put up with being treated the way we have let their parents be treated. Its not abuse or bad food or anything - its the sheer boredom of being housed with a bunch of people day in and day out and the lack of privacy. And lack of respect - I like to feed someone by assuming they eat the way I do. No shovelling down the whole meal in minutes.

Anyhow, I was given the opportunity to lead worship for my church in the home we support. It bugs me that they are willing to send someone in who has only seen two services to do a whole worship on their own. I didn't even know what the previous passages were that have been given.

Shouldn't worship for those in prison and homes be as important if not more so then those at church? Isn't grace and discipleship still in effect? I treated it like it was and had to give a hard message because I followed the lectionary and the assigned passage was on the Acts 2 church - which is one of loving, sharing and prayng together.

My experience in the home has told me a lot. Residents are rarely unified. The ones that are healthier tend to avoid the ones that are "crazy" or "wet themselves". Everyone is desperate to look out for their own needs - and no wonder -its worse then living in residence in a university - you never get to leave!

At the end I wondered how the church people who came from my church thought I did, and then I realised that it didn't really matter. I may not have tons of experience but I know when I have done what God has asked me to do as a preacher. I didn't shy away from the hard message, I prepared, preached the Gospel and grace and the responsibility we have to respond. There were two that were a little more cognitive who seemed to appreciate the truth of the passage so I hope it blessed them.

Preaching in a church requires so much prep time, preaching in a home requires so much thinking and praying about application. I'm not sure which is harder.