UCC Churches Make the Difference - Phoebe Ministries

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16 The Messenger/Annual Report IssueFor 30th Year, New Goshenhoppen UCC Reaches Outto Phoebe Residents By Hosting Home-style LuncheonEach September for the last 30 years,New Goshenhoppen UCC, EastGreenville, has hosted a home-cooked lunchand special program to bring together residentsof Phoebe Home and WyncoteChurch Home. Originally called “The HomesLuncheon,” the event traditionally featuredfresh, in-season foods from local farms andhomemade bread and baked goods.Mary Schueck, one of the originalorganizers, stressed that no canned foodsbe served. “We wanted it to be a specialmeal, to reach out to the residents of ourown church homes,” she remembers.More recently, residents of PhoebeRichland and church members 70 and olderwere also invited to attend the meal andprogram. Schueck made the bread againthis year, but passed the job of organizingthe event to fellow parishioner Bev Farkas,who cooks each month for more than 100people in the church’s singles group. “I guessthey figured I could do the job!” she says.The event was sponsored by NewGoshenhoppen’s Health and Welfare andEldercare committees. Members of thecommittees made nametags, baked cakes,served as greeters, and picked up anyguests who could not drive. “So many peoplecame out to help,” says Farkas. “It wouldbe a big job if we didn’t have the volunteers.”Audrey Graver, Phoebe Home VolunteerCoordinator, accompanied residents to theevent. “They put out quite a spread!” shesaid. She was touched by the fact that thechurch even sent food back with her forone resident who was unable to make thetrip. “They were lovely.”Church memberswho organize the luncheonand program get alot out of it, according toFarkas. “Just seeing thepeople socializing witheach other and experiencingsomething differentmakes us feel good.” ■Residents from Phoebe Home, PhoebeRichland, and Wyncote Church Home enjoya special homemade lunch prepared bymembers of New Goshenhoppen UCC, EastGreenville.Congregational Gifts, continuedSt. James UCC (Ridgeville)St. Johns UCC (Lewisburg)St. Johns UCC (Mifflinburg)St. Johns UCC (Shamokin)St. Lukes UCC (Malta)St. Pauls UCC (New Oxford)St. Pauls UCC (Selinsgrove)St. Peters UCC (Lykens)St. Peters UCC (Paxinos)St. Peters UCC (State College)St. Stephens UCC (Lebanon)Strawberry Ridge Trinity UCCTrinity UCC (Dalmatia)Trinity UCC (East Petersburg)Trinity UCC (Turbotville)Trinity UCC (Watsontown)Verdilla UCC (Selinsgrove)Zion Church (Herndon)Zion UCC (Marietta)Other Congregations &Related OrganizationsCalvary Presbyterian Church(Wyncote)Carmel Presbyterian Church(Ardsley)Carmel Presbyterian WomenChrist Church (McKeansburg)Christ Covenant Church(Harleysville)Christ Hamilton United LutheranChurchChrist Reformed at Indian CreekUCC Social Service CircleChrist UCC (McKensburg) SundaySchoolChrist UCC (Trumbauersville)Women’s GuildChrist United Methodist ChurchDeborah CircleChristian Congregation Church(Mertztown)Dubbs Memorial UCC (Allentown)Church FellowshipEbenezer UCC (New Tripoli)Women of the ChurchElkins Park Presbyterian ChurchEmmanuel CSI Church, Inc.Emmanuel Congregational UCC(Massena, NY) Women’sFellowshipFaith Unity UCC (Easton) DianaSitgreaves SocietyFirst Congregational Church(Harford) Kingsley Group WillingWorkersFirst Presbyterian Church TuesdayAfter School Youth ClubFirst UCC (Nescopeck) Ladies AidSocietyFirst UCC (Royersford) ChurchWomenHoly Trinity Memorial LutheranChurch ChoirJacobs Church (New Tripoli)Women’s FellowshipNew Bethel UCC (Kempton)Church WomenNew Jerusalem UCC (Fleetwood)Ladies Aid SocietyUshers of Salem Baptist Church(Jenkintown)Salem UCC (Bethel) Ladies AidSocietySalem UCC (Elizabethville)Women’s GuildSolomons UCC (Perkasie) Women’sGuildWomen’s Fellowship of St. JamesUCC (Limerick)St. Johns Church (Mt. Aetna)St. Johns Episcopal (HuntingdonValley)St. Johns Reformed Church ofSinking SpringSt. Johns UCC (Hains) Women’sFellowshipSt. Matthews UCC (ChesterSprings) Women’s GuildSt. Michael’s Lutheran Church(Hamburg) Women’s GuildSt. Pauls Lutheran (Douglassville)Amity Friendship CircleSt. Pauls UCC (Milltown, NJ)Women’s GuildSt. Peters Evangelical Church ofFreeburgSt. Peters UCC (Tatamy) Women’sGuildTrinity Christian UCC (Skippack)Women’s GuildTrinity UCC (Pleasant Valley) TrinityChurch WomanWomen’s Faith Study Group ofMassachusettsZions Union Church (Maxatawny)* Deceased
Retired UCC Pastor SelectsPhoebe Richland for RehabSeveral weeks after back surgery to repair damagecaused by spinal stenosis, Rev. JamesRubright, an 85-year old retired United Church ofChrist minister, exudes a new zest for life. He attributessome of his recovery to attitude and prayer, butmore to the rehab and nursing team at PhoebeRichland Health Care Center.“They treat me like a prince,” says Rubright. “Theycan’t do enough for my wife [Marlene] and me.” Sincethe couple’s home is a convenient 10-minute walkfrom Phoebe Richland, Marlene can visit every day.“The wonderful thing is, when he came here fromthe hospital hewas taking foursteps at most.Now [ just a fewweeks later], heis walkingeverywhere,”she smiles.A member of FirstChurch, Quakertown,Rubright led St. Luke’s UCC inDublin for 25 years. Retirementbecame less enjoyable aRev. Rubright (left) with Sean Regan, LPT.few years ago, when pain from his spinal condition made it difficultto walk. This year he decided to have surgery. “It is so greatnot to have pain,” he confides.A life-long UCC member, Rubright was aware of the fine rehabwork done at Phoebe Richland. He is happy he chose to rehabThe Messenger/Annual Report Issue 17People Make the Differenceat PHOEBE RICHLAND■■■■■Food service and care staff team up tooffer home-style dining service in allneighborhoods.Auxiliary volunteers raise funds with aTheater Night and purchase a Snoezelenmachine for dementia residents.Staff share their expertise with the communityby organizing the Upper Bucks Forum on Aging andthrough other partnerships.Volunteers increase hours of service by21% to a total of 7,711 hours.Employees raise more than $9,300 intheir “Wheels on the Bus” campaign tofund a new transport vehicle.there, where he says the therapists are “excellent at their craft.”Sean Regan, a physical therapist who works closely withRubright, believes the pastor’s sense of humor helped him progressmore than is typical. “He laughed through the whole thing, evenwhen he had pain.” Regan adds that Rubright did “everything weasked him to,” including exercises on the mat table purchased lastyear by the Auxiliary. “He’s been using it the last few days and doingwell with it.”With just a few days to go, Rubright is pleased. “It has beenrewarding to make this progress,” he says “Everyone here has beenso wonderful and caring.” ■Phoebe Richland’sDream Maker ProgramRekindling Residents’Interests, MemoriesFrank Craig enjoys reliving his visit to theIron Pigs with Michelle Schery-Simpson,Director of Social Services and a DreamMaker organizer.Phoebe Richland Health Care Center is remindingresidents that one is never too old to dream. Thissummer, several departments collaborated to createthe Dream Maker Program, whose goal is to enhancethe lives of long-term care residents.Many elderly people experience a great sense ofloss before moving to a skilled nursing facility. Often,they have lost loved ones and given up their homesand independence. Adjusting to a new communitycan be difficult, leading to depressionand a struggle to find meaning in life.The Dream Maker Program addressesthese challenges and helps residents findnew inspiration and hope. Michelle Schery-Simpson, Director of Social Services and aDream Maker organizer, says, “The programcan bring a sense of attainment byaddressing a previous goal that was neverreached. It also enhances life in the presentand reminds residents they still have a networkof friends and support.”The first wish that was granted took Frank Craigand his daughter and son-in-law to an Iron Pigs baseballgame in Allentown. Craig grew up playing baseball,often as pitcher, and he has been a fan ofPhiladelphia baseball since the Phillies were knownas the Athletics. He was nominated for the DreamMaker Program by Rev. Dorothy Shelly, chaplain, whofeels it “enables these folks to reconnect with memories,emotions and most of all, meaning. It is anotherway of allowing their stories to happen, and theirdreams to become reality.”Craig’s daughter, Denise Simone, thought Allentown’sCoca-Cola Park was perfect because the sizeof the stadium made it easy to follow the game. Herfather enjoyed “talking baseball” with an usher andother fans. One highlight of the game for Craig wasbeing given a baseball during batting practice. Simoneadded, “I know the game was special to him becausehe is still talking about it.” ■Program support is generously providedby QNB, the Phoebe Richland Auxiliary andQuakertown Wal-Mart. If you would like tohelp make a dream come true for a resident,please contact Tracy Bozik at 610-794-5134.
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