United Presbyterian Home news

Lent is a time to prepare for the future and this year it is also a time to shelter in place. Given these two events coincide many people have been desperate enough to undertake the task of serious spring housecleaning. Audra Williams was doing her cleaning when she happened upon a stash of hand-made get-well cards made for her 50 some years ago by friends of her son, Joe. Audra believes that she was in the hospital at the time when Joe's classmates in the second grade created get well cards for her. She still has some of them and shared one particular one with its creator who now works at the United Presbyterian Home. It has brought back many memories for both of them.

The Easter Bunny was caught lurking around campus last Friday looking through windows waving a 'Happy Easter” message to as many residents and children as possible while keeping a social distance. The giant rabbit hopped up and down the streets until being rescued by a kind maintenance man on the motorized gator. The bunny has never seen an Easter like this and hopes to never again.

Julia Gamon's daughter Lucy has never seen an Easter like this one either and came up with an original poem to commemorate this time of COVID-19 upheaval to share with her book club via social media. She shared it with her mother who shared it with the rest of us.

Ode to an Uneasy Easter

As Easter bursts upon the scene,

Here sprints the Bunny, fast and lean,

But Bunny stops short in pure alarm,

What is this awful, horrid, harm?

It's the strangest Easter he's ever seen,

The whole world is in quarantine!

Yet the bunny is made of sterner stuff,

He devises a plan, yes, sure enough!

He wears a mask; he makes a start,

Those eggs are placed six feet apart.

The kids beg to pet him; his fur is glistening;

But Bunny says, 'No” it's social distancing.

Now he's out of eggs, he's short of money,

He is one sad and silent bunny.

But wait! His government check arrives, it seems,

He can buy ten tons of Jelly Beans.

He spreads them here, he spreads them far,

He hops and hops, doesn't need a car.

The children rally at the sight,

A visit from Bunny brings pure delight!

Bunny stops for a minute to wash his paws,

He always does obey the laws.

Just then to his den that Bunny does race,

For he heard an Order to 'shelter-in-place”.

Bunny feels only gloom and dismay,

Easter wasn't supposed to happen this way!

But that Bunny was wily as a fox,

He packed those eggs in a great big box.

And with his plan of true finesse,

Why he sent all those eggs by UPS!

So, if you are tired, if you are bored,

If your whole life has come unmoored,

Consider the Easter Bunny ploy,

Stay home and spread nothing by joy!

Lucy Gamon Easter 2020

Spiritual Life Director Andrew Zuehlke held Good Friday and Easter Evensong Services that residents were able to participate in through Facebook and cable television. In his Good Friday message Andrew shared Scripture readings from Matthew 26:26-29 outlining the last meal Jesus shared with His disciples on this side of Heaven. Jesus makes it clear there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of His own blood, which He would pour out the very next day. The music was somber and beautiful. In his Easter service Andrew referred to Psalm 100 and asked all the earth to shout for joy as 'Jesus Christ has risen and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations”. The songs were joyful in celebration of this glorious day; Christ the Lord is Risen Today, He Arose, He Lives and Were You There?