Unexpected worship

One of my pastors called me last Wednesday and told me he'd be presiding at a funeral the next morning. Consequently, he wondered if I could fill in for him at a "short devotional service" at the Twin Rivers Senior Campus (independent and assisted living apartments) in Cannon Falls. (When he started talking about scripture, hymns, a "meditation," and communion, I caught on to his verbal trickery and realized we were really talking about a full worship service.)

With confirmation Wednesday evening, I didn't have much time to prepare a service and sermon for Thursday morning, but I had some good resources in my toolbox, so I got it pulled together. Thankfully, my clinical pastoral education experience had included worship at Ebenezer Ridges Care Center, so at least I had some idea what to expect. I brought CDs for the hymns in case they didn't have an accompanist (they didn't), and I photocopied the hymns and parts of the service that included congregational responses in case they didn't have hymnals (they didn't).

About 15-20 people attended and it was lovely to share worship with such faithful saints. Here's the chapel space at Twin Rivers.





After worship, I opened the Veterans Day flag-raising observance with a prayer. Thankfully, I had been warned about that so I was prepared. Veterans Day is meaningful for me in an abstract way, but it was touching to share this holiday with people for whom it has much more personal meaning.





Twin Rivers is a very nice facility and the folks I talked to were quite happy there. I even got to chat with the gentleman I visited in the hospital my first weekend of internship, and I hope to visit again soon!