(Beavercreek)—Laura Farrell, Administrator at Trinity Community in Beavercreek, was recently consecrated as a Diakonal Minister by the Council for Health and Human Services Ministries (CHHSM) at a ceremony that took place in mid-December at St. John’s United Church of Christ in St. Louis, Mo. The designation was bestowed upon…
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Chaplaincy Services
Rev. Sandy Hutchinson ‘A ministry of love’ Rev. Sandy Hutchinson has served as chaplain at Chapel Hill Retirement Community in Canal Fulton, Ohio, since 2001. Rev. Sandy provides spiritual support for residents, families and staff. She conducts ecumenical Sunday worship services and weekly Bible study. She makes hospital calls, attends…
Read MoreNo Distance too far, nor time too long between friends
“It takes a long time to grow old friends.” Peter Crème drove 800 miles from Minnesota to surprise his high school sweetheart, Pat Duck, with a visit at Parkvue Community in Sandusky, Ohio. Pete and Pat dated in high school. When Pete joined the Air Force, Pat graduated, moved to…
Read MoreFast Track Rehab Renovations Promote Recovery and Renewal
When Deb from Oxford Township needed to recover after surgery, Parkvue was her logical choice. With new private suites, engaged healing experts and a completely revamped look, the Fast Track Rehab units at Parkvue in Sandusky, Ohio, and Chapel Hill in Canal Fulton, Ohio, now resemble luxury retreats more than…
Read MorePastor Finds Place of Service in United Church Homes
By his own admission, the Rev. Glenn Royer came to the ministry late in life. As a middle-aged man teaching a Sunday school class for young adults, he was deeply affected by their questions about the meaning of life. Questions for which he had no answers. "I felt a tap…
Read MoreHeritage Trip
The Rev. Joyce E. Schroer of Paradise United Church of Christ in Louisville, Ohio, shares her time spent with select United Church Homes communities and her Confirmation Class of 2013. “Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4 What…
Read MoreLove of the Game Makes One Man’s Dreams Come True
The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, the smell of hot dogs and peanuts wafting through the stands. This is baseball, America’s pastime. Many young boys dream of playing professional baseball, but few ever make it. John Meyer lived the dream. Now a resident of Trinity…
Read MoreLGBT Seniors Overcome Obstacles
But what about those seniors who are denied access to or face insensitivity from the very people who can help them with that transition? Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community may face a range of discrimination in their quest for health care and housing. There are…
Read MoreUnited Church Homes Is for Everyone
“It was more like ’don’t ask, don’t tell,’ and so I didn’t,” says Nichols. “Many people there knew I was gay, but we just never talked about it. It didn’t feel like discrimination; it just didn’t feel authentic.” When her former employer’s hiring policy was changed to specifically exclude…
Read MoreUnited Church Homes Builds on its Tradition of Radical Hospitality
“I am proud of the level of openness, welcome, and hospitality that already exists for all people in our communities,” said the Rev. Kenneth V. Daniel, president and CEO of United Church Homes. “I’m also very proud to be affiliated with an organization that has taken this kind of public…
Read MoreFairhaven Community Volunteers
Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday you’ll find Janet McDaniel delivering mail at Fairhaven Community. But it’s not her job—it’s her passion. As a community volunteer for more than 15 years, Janet enjoys helping others. “I love working with the residents,” she says. “They’re always so gracious and appreciative; it’s very…
Read MoreTina’s Giving Heart
Tina was fully aware her financial resources were depleted, and her spirit and hopes were exhausted, when she began working in Dining Services at Fairhaven Community. “I was so thankful to find this job, and to finally be hired because I needed it to survive,” she said. While adjusting to…
Read MoreUnited Church Homes’ CPE program receives accreditation as a Member Center
Often required of individuals in their process of discernment into ministry or for those pastors who wish to pursue further professional development, CPE is an interfaith graduate-level professional training process. CPE provided in the setting of a retirement community gives the students the benefits of working in a clinical setting,…
Read MoreDementia Program Focusing on Comfort Offered at Chapel Hill
A spa day and a glass of Merlot was all it took. A Chapel Hill Community resident in Canal Fulton, Ohio, with dementia who often lashes out and declines to bathe agreed to a day of pampering: a bath, time at the community’s salon, and a glass of red…
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