What We Do
Loving The Wise exists to extend the love of God to the elderly in senior homes.
We encourage and equip Christians and church groups to visit the residents of a senior home on a regular basis, providing a 20-30 min mini-worship service with singing, scripture-reading, a devotional, and prayer. The last 30-40 minutes are spent "hanging out" with the residents--seeing them, listening to them share their stories, imparting dignity by speaking their names, and offering to pray with them. And possibly becoming the only visiting friend they have.
The weekly visits may be varied! Surprise the seniors (your new friends!) with flowers or homemade cards! Invite a guest to play an instrument! Sing patriotic songs near Independence, Memorial & Veterans Days. Celebrate birthdays! Share your own prayer requests! Play games or make crafts! Have great fun!
The joy is in our sweet fellowship with our new “friends” in the nursing home, one another, and our loving Lord!
Please come join us as we love the wise!
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” –James 1:27
Encourage
We care passionately about Jesus’ calling to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and look after the sick in prison. Forty percent of our country’s elderly population will spend time in convalescent care facilities, where they may be impoverished (of their possessions), unable to leave on their own, and even orphaned for very long periods from family.
We eagerly seek to partner with local churches, small groups, ministries, schools, and individuals, to work together to advertise and host informational gatherings to share both the need of this population, and invite participation in LTW’s work.
Our vision is to see that every facility in the US has at least one weekly or bimonthly mini-worship and fellowship time with 1-2 Leaders and teams of 2-6 Volunteers. Our prayer is that every resident has at least one real friend, the experience of God's unconditional love, and the opportunity to pray to trust in Jesus for forgiveness and His promise of eternal life.
Equip
We invite all Christians interested in joining this ministry to come participate in a gathering at a local nursing home. Volunteer Teams generally visit the residents for one hour each Sunday afternoon, spending the first 20-30 minutes or so in worship time together, singing old hymns and reading scripture. The final 30-40 minutes is spent in fellowship and conversations shared with the residents.
On a regular basis, we host a one-hour introduction and training session for Christians who are willing to step in as a Leader to oversee and adopt a facility. The gathering provides an opportunity to share one’s apprehensions, learn from LTW’s experience, share in best practices, and answer Q&As.
We also offer training and "Field Manuals" for those who want to simply come and serve as Volunteers.
“I made the widow’s heart sing.” – Job 29:13
Engage
Several nursing homes can be found in a single zip code. When a Volunteer completes a simple onboarding process, we place him/her in a nursing home where LTW already meets (close to where he/she lives or worships), or we assist in forming new Teams and facilitate opening doors to new nursing homes.
Our Volunteers do not need any special talents to engage the elderly with love and consistent visits. However, if one has special musical/comedic talents to share, he/she can visit different locations where we serve, as a special treat for the LTW Teams and residents.
Exhort
Even those who love aspects of their life or work can become discouraged or burnt-out at times. LTW Volunteers share in the momentum of a movement of believers passionate to share Christ’s love and forgiveness with those God is sustaining for this very reason.
We provide ongoing encouragement to our LTW Volunteers through prayer and quarterly newsletters that share uplifting stories and ideas from these homes and LTW Teams. We acknowledge our volunteers with small gifts of gratitude—T-shirts, jackets, lapel pins and other merch—that also serve as goals and hurdles to stay involved. We host LTW Appreciation Dinners with Guest Speakers who continue to exhort us to Jesus’ calling to care for others. We look for every opportunity to refresh those who are refreshing others.
Will You Help Us Serve?
Can you be a LTW Advocate in your own church community? Invite us to come share at your Sunday School or Bible Study?
Can you be a LTW Ambassador and educate the church on this overlooked mission field? Share the vision where we are invited?
Can you be a LTW Volunteer and engage the elderly with love? And give someone a priceless gift—a last chance at eternity?