Everything here represents my own opinion and not the opinion of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection or the United Methodist Church.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Hospital Visits

Tuesday is my assigned day for hospital visits. Each of the pastors of Congregational Care has a particular day to which we are assigned to visit people in the hospital, pray before surgery, etc. Today I had five visits in four different and traveled forty miles. This has been the busiest day for me thus far for hospital visits.



It is truly a blessing to be with people during this time. Being a representative of God and God's presence is a special blessing and responsibility. Being in a hospital brings an immediacy to events and circumstances. There is the history of the individual and then the next steps. Sometimes there is:

  • waiting for test results.
  • waiting for further treatment.
  • wondering what might be next.
  • preparing to go home.
  • preparing for death.
Each of these is important and has a place in our Christian life. The blessing of Advent is anticipating Christ's coming into our lives - in hospital or home.