By Barbara Chalfant
Half of my work as the Presbytery’s Associate for Mission is to serve as pastoral care for 11 low-income older adult homes and one family housing community in West Virginia. Several have roots in the mission of Presbyterians here in the state and were birthed and built by Presbyterian prayers, dreams and determination. Others have been added as they share the same management company, National Church Residences. These homes are:
AGSTEN MANOR: 715 Randolph St., Charleston, WV 25302
BROOKS MANOR: 23 Brooks St., Charleston, WV 25301
CEREDO MANOR: 351 High St., Ceredo, WV 25507
EDGEVIEW SQUARE APARTMENTS: 11 Edgeview Lane, PO Box 195, Harrisville, WV 26362
EDGEWOOD VILLAGE: 40 Edgewood Ave., Richwood, WV 26261
ELK RIVERVIEW TERRACE APARTMENTS: 1 South Main St., Webster Springs, WV 26288
OAKWOOD TERRACE APARTMENTS: 872 Westminster Way, Charleston, WV 25314
RIVERMONT PRESBYTERIAN HOMES: 60 4th Ave., Montgomery, WV 25136
RIVERVIEW APARTMENTS: 312 Clay St., Sistersville, WV 26175
ROXANNA BOOTH MANOR: 1315 Chestnut St., Kenova, WV 25330
TEAYS VALLEY MANOR: 5281 Teays Valley Road, Scott Depot, WV 25031
TWIN OAKS PLAZA: 201 Oak Hill Ave., Oak Hill, WV 25901
Every month, I visit each home, deliver copies of the Older Adult Newsletter and check in with the managers, service coordinators and maintenance staff. It is not easy for the staffs of these residences. They spend so much time, energy and loving kindness taking care of their residents. They often become the substitute families for residents who have no family or have lost contact with their support system. They deal with the day-to day-struggle with poverty, mental and physical illness, the effects of loneliness, and, yes, death. They are amazing and gifted humans caring for a unique part of our population.
In the last year, I have added a quarterly craft class in most of the older adult homes. It gives me more contact with the residents and more time with the staff to listen, share stories and pray with and for them. It is a delight!
If you are interested in joining me to do a craft or to lead or engage in any other ministry or mission with these amazing folks, please call me at the Presbytery office or email me at missions@wvpresbytery.org. You will love the stories they tell, and you will laugh, cry and forever be touched. Come walk where God often walks!