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Lindsay DeBien / Monday, May 20, 2019
/ Categories: Chapel Pointe News
Diamond Anniversary Reveals God's Truths on Two Sides of the World
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Chapel Pointe residents are living proof of this truth from Acts 20:35.
Residents spent the past week sorting school supplies and packing them into 600 kits so each impoverished child at Barner Christian Academy in Davao City, Philippines, will have his or her own supplies next fall.
The missions project culminated in a packing party on Friday, May 17, where a buffet of pencils, glue, paper, scissors, and more awaited the eager party-goers. Each kit also included Biblical encouragement to help students to start the school year knowing that they are carefully created, unconditionally loved, and eternally treasured.
This project is one of the main ways Chapel Pointe is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Harkening to our original roots of serving missionaries and pastors, the 75th Anniversary Missions Project honors our past while empowering residents in every level of care to obey Jesus' command to love one another and share the good news of Jesus.
As a Christian continuing care retirement community, Chapel Pointe is home to a community of people – including retired pastors and missionaries – who continue to pursue their passions during retirement. Through these connections, Chapel Pointe staff learned that despite some of the Philippines' strengths, its poorest children struggle to get an education.
"Education is a strong cultural value in the Philippines," Debbie Cowles, Chapel Pointe volunteer chaplain and board member, said. Cowles served as a Christian and Missionary Alliance international worker in the Philippines. "The church in the Philippines is thriving and independent. However, the schools for the poorest children still need our help."
"I can't image a better way to celebrate Chapel Pointe's 75th anniversary than to humbly serve children at a school led by pastors from our affiliated denomination, in a country where members of our Chapel Pointe family have served as missionaries," Deborah Sprague, CEO, said.
We hope this project will help the Barner Christian Academy founders, Pastor Paul and Elvie Barner, to succeed in their mission "to lead as many as possible to a saving faith in Jesus Christ."
By focusing on serving children in need during its diamond anniversary, Chapel Pointe is living proof that when people help others, everyone benefits.
Arbutus Barr, Chapel Pointe resident and retired missionary, helped with Chapel Pointe's project because she takes every opportunity possible to assist missionaries during her retirement. "I'm involved because it's been part of my life. I've always been involved," she said. She remembers times on the mission field when she didn't know how her needs would be met, but with the support of others, Arbutus always received what she needed. "It's so good to trust the Lord."
Researchers have even found that being helpful to others impacts the brain and brings pleasure. "As humans, we were created to live our lives in relationship with one another, loving and serving each other," Sprague said. "Whenever we're able to plan an activity where residents can actually engage in knowing that it has a purpose - that they're doing it to serve someone else - that's always rewarding for all of us."
When residents serve others, they feel joy, accomplishment, and a renewed sense of purpose. When they get to be a part of sharing the gospel through conversations or events like the 75th Anniversary Missions Project, they're blessed at a deeper soul level that reaps eternal rewards.
Commemorating 75 years of service at Chapel Pointe is much more than a celebration. It's an opportunity to create memories, help others, improve quality of life, and draw people into closer relationships with God and one another.
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Chapel Pointe at Carlisle is an award-winning, non-profit continuing care retirement community (CCRC) dedicated to creating A Loving Way of Life for seniors age 62+ in Central Pennsylvania. Our faith-based services — Chapel Pointe, Pointe Place, and Chapel Pointe at Home — provide innovative options to serve each person's unique personality, lifestyle, and desires.
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