Article by The Rev. Katherine Harper, Associate Rector for Pastoral Care & Liturgy, Saint Stephen’s; Saint Stephen’s Spring/Summer 2024 Magazine, The Art of the Word

Pastoral care means meeting people where they are in life—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. On Sunday afternoons at 3:30, it takes the form of a devoted group of parishioners bringing a Eucharistic box of bread and wine consecrated at the Saint Stephen’s altar to residents at Kirkwood by the River. Ministry at this local retirement community began nearly four years ago, when Kirkwood resident Elizabeth Downs, a Saint Stephen’s parishioner, was unable to get to church regularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another Saint Stephen’s member, Jill Hunt, began delivering Eucharist to Elizabeth on a weekly basis. Elizabeth reserved a room on Sunday afternoons and invited other residents to join in praying and receiving the sacramental meal. Attendance grew from two to four to six—and soon they required a larger space. Elizabeth moved the gathering to Kirkwood’s chapel. Jill Hunt eventually invited two other Saint Stephen’s Eucharistic ministers, Connie Hancock and Jill Lunsford, to join her. Clergy also occasionally rotated into the mix, yet it was the prayerful dedication and investment of laity that truly empowered the growth of this ministry.

Because Jill, Connie and Jill have faithfully attended to this darling group, God’s love continues to bless others at Kirkwood. Today 15 or more residents, often including members of other Episcopal churches and other denominations, participate. More Eucharistic ministers have stepped in to serve, and beginning in 2022, I invited clergy from other local Episcopal churches to join, because the ministry is too beautiful not to share. Clergy from Saint Luke’s, All Saints, and Saint Mary’s-on-the-Highlands currently are part of the rotation.

The order of service is simple and follows much of what we say and do in the Nave during Sunday morning worship, except there is no music. The residents volunteer to read the Old Testament, Psalm, and Epistle. The Eucharistic visitor reads the appointed Gospel passage and summarizes the sermon proclaimed earlier that day. Another resident reads the Prayers of the People. Those in attendance look forward to sharing holy time together. Family members and caregivers of residents also come along to pray on some Sunday afternoons before dinner begins around 5:00.

Sharing God’s love and the gifts of Eucharist with the Kirkwood residents “fills my soul bucket,” Jill Hunt says. “They bring such joy to my heart. When I need a spiritual boost the most, they lift me up.”

Connie Hancock recalls the joy she saw in the faces of the residents during her first Eucharistic visit to Kirkwood. “Bringing church to them is important. I can feel the presence of God in that space with them.”

“There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit fills the room,” Jill Hancock says. “I can see it in every eye and feel it in every hug. The people at Kirkwood hold a special place in my heart.”

This ministry that began simply, with one Eucharistic minister answering the call to visit one parishioner, has grown into a precious gift that continues to bless Kirkwood residents and Saint Stephen’s parishioners alike. God’s love is like that.