Today I Felt Like I Heard Heaven’s Choir / by Pastor Richard Daughtridge

Pastor Richard A. Daughtridge

Today I was at Loyalton, in Hagerstown, Maryland, in the Memory Care Unit. At first several residents were apprehensive not knowing what to expect with a big guy sitting on a stool with a guitar. The change of scenery seemed to threaten them.They seemed a little frightened.

The care givers were still trying to finish up taking the blood pressure of a few residents and a couple of residents weren’t cooperating. Their behavior seemed a little agitated. The nurses were very patient, and loving calmed them. They worked with such kindness and were so gentle.

I thought, “What a hard job they must have.”

Then I wondered , “How will I ever get this group’s attention?”

The smallest distraction seems applified.

Then it was time to start. All eyes were on me. I felt like a parrot, perched on a stool.

Then the twelve string guitar seemed to take over.I played “Jesus Loves Me” through once and sang lightly. They reacted immediately.

“Now who wants to sing with me? “Again there was everything from blank stares to attempts to communicate with such as nods, shrills cries and applaud.I then recited each line of “Jesus Loves Me”, telling them the words, one line at a time.

“ Jesus Loves Me this I Know” Then they joined in as we sang one line at a time“Jesus Loves Me this I know”.Their expressions changed as they chimed in. It almost startled them when they heard themselves sing the words. It was like watching a child learn to talk . A few minutes later they sat expectantly waiting for the next song.One line at a time again I would say the words and then everyone would join and sing together.

“I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart”

“I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart”

The joy of the moment started to show in their smiles. They were singing together.They were worshiping together.

It dawned on me that they couldn’t read or remember the words but after hearing me say the words a line at a time they sang them back to me with melody. It was as as though the melody wasflowing from their very innermost being. We were connecting with God and each other. We were indeed worshiping. It was amazing to hear and watch as their expressions as they changed from blanks and frowns to happiness.

Sometimes one or two stroke victims would slur their words from their partial paralysis but the melody was with the rhythm and to them they were singing and worshiping again. In my opinion there is no greater therapy.

So many werethe moments and services in the pastI had entertained them by singing to them. I remembered wondering if they were getting it. The blank stares seem so empty. Today I realize something great, “They wanted to sing again and they were singing. To me they sounded like Heaven’s Choir.

Forty five minutes had passed and we sang “In the Garden”,” No one ever cared for me like Jesus”, “In the Sweet By and By” and the list goes on and on.

Today we had our weekly Bible study in the Assisted Living Section of Loyalton in addition to the weekly Song Servicein the Memory Care Section.

Wednesdays are filling up. Next week on Wednesday we will have four services in one day. Two in Memory Care Services,(at Loyalton and Avalon Manor) One Bible Study (Loyalton) ,and a Worship service (Avalon Manor).

This in addition to the many shut-ins that we will visit this week is what makes this ministry so rewarding. Thanks for your prayers and support.Pastor Richard

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Today Sunday December 14th Christmas For Shut-ins Continues

Today we will make over 40 visits to rooms in the Tri- State Area . Our Christmas tree at home is surrounded with Gift Bags filled with treats and cuddly animals along with prayer shawls and lap blanket s knitted by homemakers clubs all around the tri state area. Thanks to so many of you that made this a reality. The sparkle in the eyes of the shut-ins are our greatest rewards.

We’ve asked activity directors to target those who have very little family and those most likely be getting few if any visitors at Christmas. The response has been overwhelming.

We will be serving the Alzheimer’s unit at Loyalton with a Christmas party and the soft knitted blankets bring such comfort to those going through some of the scariest times of their lives. Interestingly, as we sing the old hymn and Christmas Carols ,many sing along as the words are embedded in their souls. It brings them such comfort.

We will be at Loyaton each week this year in the Assisted Care Unit for a Bible study and in the Alzheimer’s Unit for a song time each week.

In addition we’ve agreed to conduct our chapel service the first and third Sunday of each month at 6:00 PM.

In 2009 we’ll conduct Chapel Service at Quincy Nursing Home in the Colestock Building every second Sunday at 3:00 PM.

Many thanks to all our volunteers and the staff that cares for the special people.

Delivering God’s Love To Shut-Ins In Tri-State Area (Christmas Visits Begin)

Christmas Party Rose Manor. Santa gives out home made lap quilts.

We are now in the process of making our Christmas visits. A number of local ladies have hand knitted over 60 lap blankets and prayer shawls which we are wrapping and delivering in our care bags to residents. Many thanks to Betty Rogers and all the local talent that have served so faithfully to bless the shut-ins in the area.

In our busy lives we must not forget the sick, the suffering, the widowed, and the less fortunate.

It’s hard to imagine how it feels to say good bye to family, friends, home, possessions and independence and then be sent to an unfamiliar home.

Nurses and care givers do so much to love and care for shut-ins but spread over so many patients and with constant emergencies there is only so much that they can do. Physical and medical needs are often so great that their spiritual and social needs are not always seen as a priority.

Shut-ins need friendship, worship, and encouragement. We meet the growing needs of many of these dear people during this critical time in their lives.

The mission of Not Forgotten Ministries will target these needs. They can’t attend church so we bring church to them. Many in their lifetime have never connected with a church yet faith in God is critical during these final chapters of life.

The mission of Not Forgotten Ministries is to recruit people to address the worship and friendship needs of those unable to connect with the outside world. We are a church to shut-ins, a collective arm of Christian believers reaching out to those who cannot go to church. Richard Daughtridge, Ministry Director

Going to Heaven? Is there life after death? By Richard Daughtridge

Richard Daughtridge Director

Going to Heaven? Is there life after death? By Richard Daughtridge

A very popular song in the sixties was, “Oh where can my Baby Be”.

The lyrics said, “Oh where Oh Where can my baby be. The Lord took her away from me. She’s gone to Heaven so I have to be good so I can see my baby when I leave this world.”

It provoked the listeners to address some real life questions about Heaven and how to get there .

The one line said, “I‘ve got to be good so I can see my baby when I leave this world.” The implication is that the way to Heaven or eternal life after death is being good.

We’ve been told since childhood, “If we are good God will be pleased and will take us to Heaven, but if we are bad the Devil will get you.” Is this true?

Will we ever reach the merit level or be good enough to go to Heaven?

The Bible teaches that it is through grace (unmerited favor) and love (agape unconditional love) that we are ushered into a relationship with God. Both are received through faith (hearing, believing and accepting).

“Our going to Heaven has nothing to do with our being good. It has everything to do with God’s goodness to us.”

Romans 5:6

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 4:24-25

But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; [25] Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Romans 5:8

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Cor. 15:3

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

Goodness is given to us in seed form as part of our rebirth. We accept this love and favor through faith, which is the medium of exchange that God uniquely uses to connect us once again to the spiritual world in which He lives. Regeneration (new spiritual birth) is a work of grace that happens as we believe and accept this gift when hearing the message that God wants to have a relationship with us. (gospel)

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Galatians 2:16

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Romans 5:1

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 5:1

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Titus 3:7

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

“Our going to Heaven has nothing to do with our being good. It has everything to do with God’s goodness to us.”

True or False?

This writer has come to the conclusion that we through faith have been justified (made acceptable to again be in God’s presence), spiritually reborn (our spirit which died in the fall of man has been now recreated), and have been given eternal life (where we will live with God our Father forever).

This is only the beginning

We now being reunited with God spiritually are empowered to live a life on earth in a way that pleases Him. When we mess up he doesn’t throw us away. He forgives us and as we grow, we get stronger in our faith to overcome temptation and honor Him with our life.

We did not start this journey alone and neither can we finish it without God. While we are excited about going to Heaven, God has called us to become a part in the efforts to share this good news with man. Those of us that have accepted His forgiveness, while we live on this earth now become earthly representative of Heaven.

Yes we’ll one day go to Heaven but for now Christ is allowing us to be the salt of the earth, the light in darkness. In reality for the time being Heaven is coming to us. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

This kingdom is critical if we are to live out the heavenly values in a fallen world. We all know how sinful we are. It will take heavenly influence to help us change. Again, we are no longer alone, but God’s Spirit is within us. Yielding to God’s Spirit, God’s Word, and God’s Church is critical to fulfill that purpose.

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Romans 8:11

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Romans 6:11-12

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

2 Cor. 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Romans 3:31

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

The Faith that helped us start this journey will now helps us continue it. God even sends His Spirit to live in us and help us with this metamorphous of change. In our life before we were born again spiritually we did not have power to change. Now the life we live by our choice through the help of God’s Spirit is our gift back to the Father that loved us first.

Romans 8:14-16

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

“Hope Spelled Out” by Pastor Daughtridge, Hagerstown, Maryland

Hope From God’s Word

Heaven

Rev. 21:1-5

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. [2] And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. [4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [5] And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Omnipresence of God

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

People

Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Eternity

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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