Homebound

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

“O GOD, THOU HAST TAUGHT ME FROM MY YOUTH: AND HITHERTO HAVE I DECLARED THY WONDROUS WORKS. NOW ALSO WHEN I AM OLD AND GREYHEADED, O GOD, FORSAKE ME NOT; UNTIL I HAVE SHEWED THY STRENGTH UNTO THIS GENERATION, AND THY POWER TO EVERY ONE THAT IS TO COME.”

PSALMS 71: 17 & 18

The Locust Grove Homebound “Sunday School” Ministry began in 2001, when Pastor Walter and Carole Ponder saw the need to minister to the elderly in our community who were no longer able to attend church services. Anita Davie was chosen as the first director of the ministry and served in that position until July 2006. Current directors are Iva DeBruhl and Ruby Rice.

The purpose of this ministry is to encourage and “bring church” to those who can no longer make their way to the House of God. Our Homebound “team” makes weekly visits to shut-ins still living at home and to several residents in Brian Center Nursing Center, Elderberry Healthcare Center, Emerald Ridge, and Madison Manor Nursing Center. We open God’s Word and share the weekly Sunday School lesson with them. We also ask them to share prayer requests and concerns they have on their hearts and then pray with them. We try to address any need they might have, and let them know they are still an important part of our church. They are given a LOVE NOTES and a CD of the previous weeks service, also CD’s of our 5th Sunday night singing’s. They always welcome us into their homes and are so appreciative of the time we share with them.

The Homebound Ministry is such a blessing to all who labor in it. If you feel God calling you into this ministry, or if you know anyone who is homebound that we could minister to, please contact any member of our team.

Earl and Wanda Arrington
Roy and Laura Cooper
Bruce and Iva DeBruhl
Ben and Jenifer Whitmire

Charles Raymond and Ruby Rice
Travis and Margaret Robinson
George and Thelma Shook
Ryan and Allison Allison

JESUS SAID, “I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE.”

HEBREWS 13:5b

Current Members

Arthur Buckner, Jr.
Myrtle Payne
Carl Thomas
Orbin and Rita Smith
Cora Shook
Millard and Wilma Robertson
Virginia Bailey
Vivian Price
Bonnie Allman
Nellie Riddle

Lois Rice
Evelyn Masters
Norman Sawyer
Eddie Pressley
Varden Norton
Murial Ball
Rowena Stines
Arbie Huffman
Ruby Whitt

Former Members Who Now Reside in Heaven

Ellen Angelillo
Ellen Bradley
Christine Buckner
Cathy Duckett
Mary Edwards
Wadie French
Iva Hamlin
Gertrude Herron
Howard Herron
Gordon Huffman
Lester Martin
Thedis Martin
Ruby McDaris
Myrtle Metcalf
Mable Norton

Annie Phillips
Nina Ramsey
Frances Ray
Leona Rice
Ollie Rice
Veta Roberts
Thelma Rogers
Nora Sawyer
Allie Silva
Willie Mae Sprinkle
Addie Thomas
Ada Tomerlin
Ruby Whitson
Don Wild
Geraldine Wild
Delnora Wilde
Robbie Wilde

Words from the Ministry Team

“We are so thankful to be able to serve in the HOMEBOUND MINISTRY of Locust Grove. It is such a great blessing and privilege. The wonderful members we visit and share God’s word with are still such an important part of Locust Grove or other churches. This ministry is a small part we play in keeping them involved with our church family. They ask regularly about church members and activities going on, and pray for all of us. They are no longer able to attend church services, but wish they could, and so enjoy receiving the LOVE NOTES and weekly message from God on a CD. They always greet us with a smile and warm hospitality and are always ready to have “Sunday School.” We always leave feeling blessed to have been in their homes. We felt God’s calling to serve in the HOMEBOUND MINISTRY when it began and it is a special blessing to know that we are in God’s will. We pray that someday, if the Lord tarries and we are no longer able to come to church, this ministry will be bringing church to us.”

Bruce and Iva DeBruhl

“We are so thankful to be part of the HOMEBOUND class. We love to visit, have Sunday School, and pray with the homebound people we visit. They love to hear news from the church because they can no longer go. I like to talk to them about times passed, they are so wise. They bless us as much as we do them. They are always so glad to see us, as we are to see them. I love all of them very much.”

George and Thelma Shook

“We became involved with HOMEBOUND about 4 years ago. Charles Raymond Rice and his wife Ruby were going to be out of town on vacation and needed someone to fill in during their time away. Once we started visiting, we fell in love with HOMEBOUND.

Just like any opportunity to serve the Lord, at first glance one might think it is a service for someone else. What can we do for them? We have the privilege to share Sunday School with people who otherwise would not get to participate. They get not only to have a lesson, prayer, and church fellowship, but actually see too that they are not forgotten by the church. They are informed of what is happening at the church and now can feel a part of it. During the visits, needs are discovered and met that may not have been. Things like oil for winter months and trips to the doctor or the store.

Not long after we started, we found out that what we receive from the elderly far outweighs what we can give them. It is an awesome privilege to go into homes of some of the most wise people of the church and hear godly instruction. They are so willing to share if only we take the time to listen. The excitement and happiness on their faces when we arrive is a blessing that money could not buy. We go there to cheer them up and leave being cheered ourselves.

HOMEBOUND is a precious example of Jesus’ love. We are thankful and blessed to be a part of this ministry.”

Earl and Wanda Arrington

“I so enjoy visiting our shut-ins unable to come to church. They have dedicated their lives to our church and are no longer able to come to services. It is our jobs as fellow believers to bring church to them and share God’s love. I go seeking to bless others, but others bless me through their sweet spirit. God is so incredibly good to me. Please continue to pray for this ministry.”

Jenifer Whitmire

“Our greatest pleasure we find in working with the HOMEBOUND MINISTRY is going to visit on Sunday morning and finding the elderly dressed up in their “Sunday Best” and ready to have Sunday School.”

Roy and Laura Cooper

“The HOMEBOUND MINISTRY has been such a blessing to me. When you go into homes of our “homebound” they are dressed and ready as if they were going to church, Quarterlies ready and waiting for the lesson to be taught. They usually like to find out what is going on at church, they miss being at church and are so thrilled when we come. They are especially thrilled when Preacher Ben and Preacher Ryan visit them. When we visit the nursing homes we do not have Sunday School with them because there are always so many interruptions and some of the people are not able to be taught the lesson. We visit and take them a LOVE NOTES and a CD from the preaching service of the previous week. It takes a lot of time and study as we prepare the lesson to be taught, usually more than one time during the week. But it is such a blessing you don’t think once about not doing this because you are blessed many times during the week. We go to help them and give a blessing to them, but we are the ones that receive the blessings. Try it sometime, you will be blessed.”

Ruby Rice

“The HOMEBOUND MINISTRY is a blessing to me because it shows the people that were once members here at Locust Grove or another church that they have not been forgotten just because they are not able to come to church now. It is so special to them to know that people still care about them.”

Charles Raymond Rice

“There is no way to express how much our HOMEBOUND MINISTRY has meant to Travis and me since its conception a few years ago. We truly have been blessed far more than those that we have had the privilege of visiting. Our precious shut-ins are truly blessing all who involve themselves in this visitation ministry.”

Travis and Margaret Robinson