Within the steep hills, deep valleys, and hollows, and along the branches and streams in western North Carolina, there is a light shining—God’s Light! A light shining through Christ followers and through His church.
I believe that God’s children have within them the strongest light in the universe, if only they will let it shine. It is our purpose. Jesus calls us to: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
There is a desire in each of us for our lives to matter—to have meaning or purpose. Having a sense of purpose has been shown to be critical to our well-being: physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
As Christians, we know the truth. Nothing on earth can fully satisfy our longing for meaning; that is nothing but Jesus Christ. There is an emptiness within us, a longing for something more, something greater. God made us this way. Paul writes, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
A few months ago, Pastor Cannon of Pine Branch Baptist Church in Spruce Pine and his wife Windy invited North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry (NCBAM) to partner with their church to strengthen the church’s senior adult ministry at their church and in the community. They were intentional and committed. I love the title they chose for their ministry, “Shining the Light.”
Their ministry focuses on three outreaches: a DME closet (durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers), a senior day celebration, and smoke alarm installations.
DME loan closets are much needed in almost every community. NCBAM provided assistance in the startup of their loan closet by helping to develop the written procedures for operation and by providing startup DME.
Recently, Pine Branch hosted a Senior Adult Conference. It was a day of worship, fellowship, food, and much-needed information. NCBAM shared the One Hope outreach—a spiritual response to social isolation and loneliness. The managing attorney for the High Country office of Legal Aid of NC spoke about end-of-life documents to have in place for peace of mind.
NCBAM will soon provide smoke alarms and installation training to Pine Branch to serve seniors in their community. NCBAM is excited about this partnership with Pine Branch.
NCBAM would love to partner with your church’s senior adult ministry. We have 14 outreaches to share with your church. They include:
The NCBAM Statewide Call Center which provides connections to churches and community resources.
Wise Up enrichment workshops which feature more than 40 classes addressing issues relevant to aging adults.
Priority #1 Prevention programs which address safety concerns such as fire and fall prevention and home safety.
Intergenerational Camps
Caregiver Resources, including workshops, and our new
Caregiver Guidebook which provides practical and spiritual guidance for self-care.
NCBAM is a ministry of Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina and was designed to work in partnership with NC Baptists. The ministry serves aging adults (65+) and their families by providing spiritual encouragement along with practical assistance that enables older adults to maintain their independence and quality of life in their own homes. Contact the NCBAM Call Center at 877.506.2226, Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm.
Written by Anita Davie, Far West Regional Director, NCBAM