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CIU Student Initiates
NursingHomeMinistry
By Melissa McCutchan, CIU Student Writer
t’s a quiet Wednesday afternoon in
March when sophomore Caroline
Crabtree picks at her guitar, finding the
tune for Louisa Stead’s “’Tis So Sweet
to Trust in Jesus.” As Crabtree starts to
strum, others join with her in singing the
beloved hymn. This is a common activity
for Columbia International University
students — except this time those joining
in the singing are decades older than
the students. They are 10 nursing home
residents.
Some residents sing softly from their
wheelchairs; others close their eyes and
listen. This is their chance for weekly
worship and fellowship, both with other
residents and with CIU students.
CIU students have been volunteering in
nursing homes around Columbia since
2013, when during her sophomore year,
Noël Fortner felt the Lord moving her to
minister to the elderly.
“Going into sophomore year, I felt led
to start ministering in nursing homes,”
Fortner said. “I had no idea how it would
work with my schedule or where I would
serve, but I liked the idea of starting
something [for CIU students]. Then in the
beginning of sophomore year, God very
clearly shut the door of the other ministry
I was involved with. Right away I knew
that I was meant to do nursing home
ministry instead.”
Fortner made a connection with Harry
McCoy, who hosts weekly services for
nursing home residents who can’t leave
the nursing home to go to church. McCoy
had been praying for extra help for two
years when Fortner contacted him.
“We met for coffee, he took me around
to the different nursing homes, and the
rest is history,” Fortner said.
McCoy began this ministry in 1997 under
the umbrella of North Trenholm Baptist
Church in Columbia. He preaches at the
services — sometimes as many as seven
per week — and coordinates with Fortner
to recruit and organize CIU volunteers.
“I find that the residents are in the
autumn of their life’s journey here on
Earth,” McCoy said in a letter about
his ministry. “To be able to come and
worship in a simple, meaningful, non-
threatening gathering is very important
to their continued walk with Christ.”
With this vision in mind, Fortner began to
attend services, where she occasionally
led worship. She also started recruiting
other student volunteers. She admits
that this was a slow process, but the
ministry is now thriving at CIU. About a
dozen CIU students volunteer at the six
weekly services, each of which happen
at different nursing homes. Students
lead worship, pray, build friendships with
residents, and occasionally preach.
“Over time, we have built up trust and
rapport with the residents,” Fortner said.
“They know that we love Jesus and we
care about them. I think it encourages
them to see that not all kids these days
are punks — they really like us and treat
us like grandchildren.”
The student volunteers are in agreement:
the relationships with residents make it
all worth it.
“The community of believers (at the
nursing homes) is so good about
supporting each other and taking care of
each other’s needs,” said Crabtree, the
guitar player. “Going every week and
getting the chance to pray with them and
talk about their kids, grandkids, and life
experiences is so refreshing for me and the
rest of the CIU students that volunteer.”
For many of the nursing home residents,
these meetings are a vital part of their
spiritual lives.
“Residents have commented on how
much they love the authentic spiritual
atmosphere of our services,” Fortner
said. “It is church for them and there
is real fellowship taking place. It also
seems that having young people around
brings a lot of joy and energy to the
atmosphere, and that may be our biggest
contribution to the whole endeavor.”
As a senior, one of Fortner’s priorities
was to pass on her ministry to younger
students. She has a team of student
leaders in place for next year, and she
hopes that the nursing home ministry will
continue for years to come.
“I am so grateful that God somehow
blessed our ministry with some of the
best student leaders at CIU, and that
they are a true group of friends who work
fantastically as a team,” she said.
For CIU students, this ministry is not
glamorous, but it is rewarding. Students
find that they can come in to lead
worship or pray with residents, and leave
with a new friend or two.
It’s a quiet Wednesday as sophomore
Allison Wiiki prays over the various
requests nursing home residents have
shared. McCoy encourages residents
to take heart, because soon Christ will
make all things new. This truth certainly
resonates with elderly residents; and until
God calls them home, they will continue
to worship alongside their friends from
CIU.
Editor’s note: After graduation in April,
Noel Fortner landed a full-time position
as an activities assistant at The Crossings
in Columbia, an assisted living facility.
“It also seems that having young people around
brings a lot of joy and energy to the atmosphere,
and that may be our biggest contribution to the
whole endeavor.”
–Noel Fortner
80
Hours
students
are required to volunteer
at a local church or in
the community before
graduation.
CHRISTIAN SERVICE LEARNING (CSL) FACTS
10,000
Hours students
volunteered in churches
and in the community
during 2014-15.
300
Hours students
volunteered in
nursing home/
hospital ministry.
Top CSL
Ministries
• Youth Ministry
• Children’s Ministry
• Church Ministry
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CIU Today
www.ciu.eduBRINGING ENERGY TO THE ATMOSPHERE