While this Sunday I did not preach at Salem and Immanuel (we were blessed with the words of Sarah N., a student a YDS who is also a member of Immanuel), I did preach at the Lutheran Home of Southbury. The Home specializes in dementia care, though it’s residents are a diverse group. For example, I was privileged to meet a woman who was 94 years old. She said, “Well, my memory is pretty good … But it’s good to be here. I know it sounds lazy, but I’m tired of taking care of myself.” I think at 94, that is perfectly ok. I also had the privilege of meeting a WW II vet and Pearl Harbor survivor. He was 98 years old, quite a character, and sharp as a tack. There were, of course, many others with various stages of dementia—beautiful people, with much to say, who were so glad for the company. If you ever have the opportunity to do a little visiting of a nursing home, I highly recommend it. The residents love the company (especially if you are younger or you can sing or you have a dog who is calm and friendly or if you listen well) and they don’t care if you are related to them or not.
Anyway, this is what I preached this Sunday (sort of—it was an outline). It is about memory, our recall of memory, how our bodies remember when our minds forget, and about how God’s body never, ever forgets us: holding us tight, long after we have forgotten to hold on.
The texts for Sunday, August 19,2012 (Lectionary 20): Proverbs 9:1–6; Psalm 34:9–14; Ephesians 5:15–20; and John 6:51–58
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Jabbok Dawn 