Introducing Heritage Mission: Bringing the church to care facilities
As Harbor continues to mature and grow as a worshipping community, it is vital we keep our core values before us. Born out of our commitment to the gospel, the rich tradition we inhabit, and our calling to Seattle, we have framed our values around three movements: upward, inward, and outward.
I believe we are really strong in the upward set of values (truth, grace, and identity); we are growing in the inward set of values (hospitality, safety, formation); but we have not been as intentional with our outward set of values (city, beauty, vocation).
As we look forward to the ministry season ahead in the fall, the Parish Council and I want to explore with you ministries that would mobilize us to be more outward in our expression as a church.
Introducing Heritage Mission
Heritage Mission is a ministry of the ACNA in the Diocese of Christ our Hope (a sister diocese to our diocese) that exists to equip and mobilize the church to bring its worship and presence to care facilities.
Why should you care about this?
In the OT we see that God has a particular heart for what Nicholas Wolterstorff calls "the quartet of the vulnerable": the sojourner, the fatherless, the widow, the poor. Heritage’s director, the Rev. Mike Niebauer, reminded me and the Parish Council recently that one of the most overlooked demographics in our country lives right under our noses, yet many of us will never see them unless we go to them. The elderly in our care facilities are the widows and widowers, many of whom will die alone and forgotten. Tragically, the American church has forgotten about a demographic that God has particular affection towards.
The rise of euthanasia and assisted suicide are tragic symptoms of a culture that has over valued youth and lost all sense of meaning in life as one ages. While active euthanasia is illegal in all 50 states of the United States, assisted suicide is legal in ten jurisdictions in the US: Washington, D.C. and the states of California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, New Mexico, Maine, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Washington.
What is our role?
With the help of Heritage Mission we have an opportunity to reach out to the local care facilities in our neighborhoods. There are a few just within minutes of our church building. Many of these facilities not only need more help (they are woefully understaffed) but they would love for religious communities to be in their facilities. Heritage trains and resources churches like ours to lead simple worship and prayer services and be the presence of Christ to the vulnerable and unnoticed.
If you are interested in learning more about this ministry and serving on a team, please email the Rev. Casey Bedell.
