Dear Editor,
I read Anthony Parker’s letter ‘Witness in a care home’ (May en) on the subject of Christianity in care homes.
The charity PARCHE (Pastoral Action in Residential Care Homes for the Elderly) holds short Christian services once a month in most of Eastbourne’s elderly care homes and they’re trying to get the idea taken up nationally.
They believe that it’s important to share the good news of Jesus with care home residents, as many of them are facing bereavement, ill-health, frailty and losing their home. PARCHE volunteers chat with the residents after the service and pray with them, if they want this.
It would be good to see a network set up in other UK areas by churches, so that when an elderly person has to leave their home and church to go into residential care, someone from a nearby church could visit them. Most areas have more churches than care homes, so it could be possible to arrange.
PARCHE have a short DVD showing their work. It was founded by Mrs Buddy Reeve when her mother was a care home resident. She has some heart-warming stories of residents in care homes turning to Jesus. Many older people appreciate having Christian fellowship – and the Bible tells us that older people are precious to God.
Best wishes,
