Chaplain’s Corner: Celebrating Change

By Sarah Sexton | Publish Date July 28, 2025

Back when August was truly the month that ended summer, I remember knowing school wouldn’t start until after Labor Day. For me, high school August meant the intense beginning of football practice, two-a-days in the heat. This week, with Birmingham’s heat index hitting 108 degrees, I can barely imagine those practices now – yet I did them, as did many other high school boys. 

Today, August feels different. Here in Alabama, school now begins in the very first week of August – a full month earlier than in my youth. Perhaps schools start earlier now because most in the South are air-conditioned and can provide relief from the heat, as well as prevent learning loss over long breaks. 

The combination of August’s new rhythm and a recent Kirkwood outing to see the Warblers concert at Samford has made me nostalgic. The Warblers Club was a Birmingham men’s choir that started at Woodlawn High School in 1929.The group has always specialized in the Stephen Foster genre of American music, with a blend of spirituals, Vaudeville hits, patriotic classics, and songs that lend themselves to barbershop harmonies. The Warblers announced that the show this July might be their last ever due to new member recruitment challenges.

My nostalgia was deepened by an article I saw last week about The Cascade Plunge and Pavilion. Billed as “Birmingham’s Resort Beautiful,” this unique landmark opened in 1923, boasting one of the largest swimming pools in the nation, supposedly accommodating up to 3,000 swimmers! The resort also had a ballroom that was later renamed the Cloud Room. It hosted dances and live entertainment. I spent several summers there, in what I truly thought was the biggest swimming pool in the world.

A few years ago, I was building Habitat houses on the very grounds where Cascade Plunge and the Cloud Room once stood—both now gone. These shifts – retiring a Birmingham tradition, shifting to new rhythms of school, changing the very landscapes of our memories – invite us to consider how we navigate life’s constant flow.

What does it all mean? What does it matter that school begins earlier than it used to? This simple example illustrates a profound truth: things have changed. Life moves on. While I hold fondness for some threads of the past, I am profoundly thankful for the tapestry of change. This willingness to embrace the new, to see it as potentially better, is not just practical; it is a deeply spiritual posture.

Among my many thanks to God is the grace to celebrate and welcome change. I pray I never become the old man rigid in his ways, or one who laments, “back in my day,” implying the past’s inherent superiority. Such thinking misses the divine pulse. There is a magnificent verse in the Bible: “Behold, I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:19). This isn’t merely about adapting; it’s about recognizing God’s active, continuous presence in the unfolding of life—always creating, always renewing. To preach, teach, and speak of God’s grace demands that I live graciously. Welcoming change, with an open heart and mind, is one of the most profound ways to live into that grace, aligning ourselves with God’s ceaseless work in the world.

Peace,

Cary

Tree

The Residents

Our residents come from different backgrounds and bring their unique qualities, talents, and life experiences to complete the Kirkwood community. Here are just a few reflections from some individuals who call Kirkwood their home.

My time at Kirkwood was spectacular; they taught me how to walk again. The staff was outstanding, and the care was beyond reproach. When I arrived, I had a long way to go. I was very sick. The first night, they had to lift me as I could not move by myself. When I left, they were chasing me down the hallway. They taught me how to perform the activities of daily living again. It was the best care I could have prayed for, and on top of that, the food was spectacular.

Eli Gold Past Resident

I fell in love with the cottage and the view from my back porch. I am excited to have a yard for Ginger, my poodle, to play in and my own garage, all within an established retirement community!

Charlotte Hamilton Current Resident

My husband and I looked at a number of places when deciding to move to a retirement community. For the most part, we found communities that said, ‘We’re going to take care of you.’ But Kirkwood was different. It wasn’t just about taking care of us. It was also about having fun, having friends, and living life to the fullest. The attitude at Kirkwood was positive and the atmosphere was comforting. We simply couldn’t resist. Without a doubt, the location was ideal. The Cahaba Room that overlooks the river, the mountains, the trails – there were just so many things about life. The community was lively. It was alive.

Alice Brooks Current Resident

We realized we were approaching an age where we might need more assistance than what just downsizing could provide. Knowing we have my sons nearby and the levels of care should we need it is comforting, and the beautiful hillside, river, and the woods makes it that much more appealing. We don’t know of any other community that has the woods, the various levels of care, and so many different amenities.

Phyllis and John Guschke Current Residents

We were moving my parents down from the Cleveland area to be near us. I looked at almost every retirement place in the Birmingham area. The second I turned into Kirkwood’s drive and drove up the hill, I knew that I’d found the perfect place for my parents to live in Alabama. In the six years that my parents have been at Kirkwood, I have always felt nothing but love and helpfulness from every staff member. Everyone is always helpful with a pleasant attitude. You can truly see and feel the family atmosphere. I’m happy that my parents can call Kirkwood their home.

Brenda Sheehan Kirkwood family member

When we learned that Cedar Ridge was being developed, that seemed to fit our needs very well. It is the ideal place for the next phase of our retirement.

Carol and Arthur Stephens Current Residents

One thing that we feel is very important here at Kirkwood by the River is the relationship that we have between the staff and the residents. They are dedicated to making our life here as safe and secure and pleasurable as possible. That goes a long way.

Fred Rogers Current Resident

The community's cottage living surrounded by a wooded, natural environment with access to future healthcare services is what attracted us to Kirkwood!

Rick and Jane Ricketts Current Residents