and give devotions. One of the Catholic
deacons in the area has come for 20 years
to give a service every Sunday and serve
communion. He has said to me more than
once that the elders of Rolling Fields are
family to him. There were several other
Protestant ministers who would come
in regularly to hold a special service or
visit. All along I am thinking, ‘This is an
amazing community.’”
This sense of community at Rolling
Fields was eventually tested in a way no
one could imagine. On Tuesday, Oct. 4,
2018, a tornado struck the Rolling Fields
community. All nursing home residents
were safely evacuated, and through
much work, support and prayer, the
staff members were able to return to the
community within three weeks, with the
singular goal of working together to bring
their elders “home.” The surrounding
Conneautville community provided
care and support, both in service and
financially, organizing drives for those
who had lost their belongings and
providing temporary living arrangements
for those who were displaced due to the
tornado damage. The staff continued to
serve. Despite this great challenge, the
sense of community that Rolling Fields
had built together remained intact.
Recent developments surrounding
the COVID-19 epidemic present
similar challenges. Outside visitors have
been restricted from the community,
and group dining and activities have
been restricted. A sense of frustration
and isolation by both elders and staff
threatens to discourage the community
there. Chaplain Petteys shares a creative
response by which this community was
strengthened:
“Our activities department had a grand
idea of having a Mother’s Day parade
around the building. Family came in
cars and pickup trucks with signs of
‘Happy Mother’s Day’ and ‘We love you!’
The elders of Rolling Fields experienced
community from their friends and loved
ones that day. I was there and witnessed
pg. 12 — lightandlifemagazine.com
the happiness from the love flowing
from that parade around our building.
Today, we continue with the COVID-19
pandemic, and I see a group of caregivers
who are doing their best to be positive
and caring to our elders who are isolated
from the family and community outside
of our building. As a chaplain, I am doing
lots of visiting and sharing the love and
messages of Jesus. I miss what we had in
the community before COVID-19, but
know fully that Jesus is walking with us
through this pandemic. We can trust Him
even if we do not know what tomorrow
may look like.”
From Rolling Fields, we can learn
that even severe times of testing can
be overcome with Christlike creative
expressions of community. Will we learn
this resilience from the experience of
older generations? Will we continue to
surround them with a community that
loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17)?
Commitment
As I take notes and learn from
other generations, I see the quality of
commitment on display at our Wednesday
night services at The Homestead, our
senior living community in Gerry,
New York. I see people committing to
pray for missionaries and ministries. I
see people committing to pray for one
another and for friends and relatives who
don’t yet know Jesus. I see our residents
committing to giving to meet the needs of
others.
Hearthstone Communities — located
in Woodstock, Illinois — provides an
incredible example of commitment.
Chaplain Randy Waller has served
Hearthstone for nearly 16 years. Not
only has he poured into the residents
there, but he has also provided a way for
them to demonstrate faithful stewardship
to the world around them. From July
2004 to March 2020, more than $52,000
in offerings have been collected at
the Hearthstone Village Sunday night
services and distributed to a variety of
organizations and ministries. Globally,
“I miss what
we had in the
community
before
COVID-19, but
know fully
that Jesus is
walking with
us through this
pandemic.”
+ Rolling Fields Elder Care
Community hosted a Mother’s
Day parade that allowed friends
and family members to express
their love and appreciation for
residents.
/lightandlifemagazine.com