Golden Years Stories

Golden Years Homestead was launched in 1971, from the vision of several churches in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area to provide comfort, security, and hope for senior adults. I’m proud to say that my family was part of one of the churches that led this effort.
The first stage of the building plan was a nursing home, what we now call Healthcare. Once it was completed, several churches took turns providing Sunday afternoon services. On one such Sunday, when I was just 14, I was invited to offer a communion meditation in the chapel at Golden Years. That moment helped fuel my desire to become a preacher.

Since being baptized at age 12, I have felt a ceaseless desire to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help people in need. My commitment to Christ led me to devote my life to full-time Christian ministry, a calling I affirmed at church camp after my junior year of high school. I went on to serve as a full-time pastor for more than 40 years.
Over the decades, I returned to Golden Years many times to visit residents and preach at Thursday chapel services. My wife, Donna, and I always felt at home on the property. Part of that comfort came from growing up close to our grandparents, and throughout our ministry, we formed our strongest bonds with the “grandparents” in the churches we served.

When the call came inviting me to serve as Chaplain for Golden Years, Donna and I knew it was a perfect fit for our passions, experiences, and abilities.

Today, my commitment to preaching continues. We provide Sunday morning services in our Healthcare building and later in our Assisted Living building. Donna leads hymns from the hymnals, and residents often share how much they love singing the songs they grew up with - hymns that minister to their hearts in ways contemporary music sometimes cannot.
A Chaplain’s ministry goes well beyond Sunday mornings. I lead a grief support group, where people find strength, comfort, and hope by sharing their experiences. But the most significant ministry often happens in the apartments of our residents. There, we talk and pray about frustrations, limitations, fears, and more. Residents frequently tell me how much it means to live in a Christian community where they receive Christ-centered care and attention.

My ministry also extends to our staff. All of our team members are busy caring for residents, and rarely have time to sit and talk. Early in my ministry, I discovered a special place for meaningful connection: the long hallway at the heart of our Healthcare building. It’s where we get our steps in each day, and where I find opportunities for ministry.

I often walk with people down the hallway, asking questions like, “What’s your big challenge today?” “Are your kids healthy?” or “What’s one thing I can pray for today?” Sometimes the conversations are brief and ordinary; sometimes, 
we pause at the end of the hall to pray together.

That’s one of the blessings of serving in an openly Christian environment. We can pray together, speak of our faith, and never worry about being told to “get back to work.”

Some of our most tender conversations center around loss. Many residents are with us for only a few weeks or months, while others have called our campus home for years, moving from Independent Living to Assisted Living to Healthcare as their needs change. Our caring staff often builds strong bonds with these long-time residents, and their passing brings genuine grief.

Working in senior living, we know we will walk with people through life’s final transition. That’s true in any community like ours. But at Golden Years, we offer more than soft words and reassurance. We offer hope. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we share hope with our residents and their loved ones.

Recently, I sat in an apartment in our Healthcare building with four family members whose mother had just passed away. I mentioned how much I would miss her, having spent meaningful time together. They spoke of her as a wonderful mother and tireless church worker, their faces lighting up as they recalled her love for Jesus Christ. She had been a lifelong example of faith 
and love.

We stood in a circle and held hands. I led a brief prayer, and a daughter thanked God for a wonderful mother. We spoke of our confident hope that this servant of the Lord was now with her Savior. There were tears, smiles, and even laughter.

Fifty-four years ago, Christians came together to create a safe place for people in life’s final stages. Our ministry has grown from a 49-bed nursing home to a beautiful senior living campus. The buildings and landscaping have changed, but the mission remains the same: we provide comfort, security, and hope in a Christ-centered community.