Julian was a soldier in Hitler’s army. Drafted in his early teens, he now stood in an open field with another teen. The two boys had been told to wait until they heard enemy tanks coming and then fire their rifles to alert the rest of the army. The boys looked at each other and said, “Let’s get out of here!” They threw down their guns, stripped off their uniforms, and ran for Belgium—and they made it!

This lad now sits before me as a senior citizen. Together with his wife, Julian rejoices that the Lord delivered him that day and guided him every day since. He and his wife are part of a group of 35 who attend a weekly chapel service I conduct at one of the senior living facilities in St. Joseph, Mich. Like the rest, they rejoice to hear that Jesus loves them and is taking them to their heavenly home!

I’m a retired pastor and have been conducting weekly services for a dozen years at three senior living facilities. My wife, Lou, plays the piano, and an average of 50 people attend the services per week. Our service follows an abbreviated Service of the Word in Christian Worship and lasts about 30 minutes. We have found that it is important that services be held every week by the same person. This helps us build a relationship with the residents.

The services are well received. Most residents listen closely because they realize it may be their last opportunity to hear the sweet message of the gospel. Many residents tell us that the service is the highlight of their week. The homes welcome our service because it is a regular activity they can schedule each week.

The residents come from a variety of church backgrounds. Of our 50 attendees each week, 6 are WELS, 4 are other Lutherans, 15 are other Protestant denominations, 4 are Roman Catholics, and the rest are Nones—no church affiliation. These services provide us with many opportunities to carry out the Great Commission. A 102-year-old lady asked me after the service recently, “Do you mean I can go to heaven too?” I said, “Yes, dear lady. God loves you! Jesus died for you! You believe in Jesus, and he has a place in heaven for you!”

Everyone needs to hear this message, and even more so those who are nearing the end of their earthly lives. I believe WELS members can provide services like these for many senior living facilities using existing manpower and resources, allowing us to serve WELS members as well as reach out with the gospel to others  who may have never heard it before.

Martin Luther Elder Care Ministries, an organization in the Michigan District that serves the spiritual needs of the aging, has resources to help congregations and pastors who are interested in sarting elder care communities. Learn more at mlecm.org. 

Author: Carl Pagel
Volume 112, Number 05
Issue: May 2025