By JIM NICHOLS

The call came saying that a patient had died, and the family had requested a chaplain. Sometimes, chaplain visits are repeated to the same patient, but usually they are single visits such as this.

This was one of the larger patient rooms and, when I entered, the patient was lying in the bed right inside the door. Seven people stood or sat in various places in the room. 

I have found it important to physically assess a room upon entering for the first time.  Where are the others positioned? Who is closest to the patient? Who is seated or standing? Are there any “pacers” there? Who does most of the talking?

In this case, the patient’s spouse was seated by his side and was the source of most of the initial information. Most others in the room were friends, not direct family members. The patient had had a long illness with multiple interventions and treatments, and he had just worn out, as had the family caretakers (mostly the spouse). As frequently occurs, there seemed to be a sense of relief at his passing; his pain and struggles had ended. Those in the room did not seem to be particularly shocked that he had died; they seemed sad, but not overwhelmed.

We had some quiet conversation in the form of life review with several of the others joining in, not just the spouse. Because I am a chaplain, a part of my conversation usually asks, “Are you part of a local church or faith community?” I am not being judgmental, but simply trying to get more context for the current conversation. Frequently, as in this case, they will say “No, not anymore.” They might then go on to express some of their religious history and identify some problems or discouragement they have had that caused them to become inactive in what they perceive as “church.”

What struck me (after they disavowed much interest in “church”) was their response to my question about how they all seven knew each other. Together they explained that they had been drawn individually to a non-profit benevolent organization that identified physical needs in their community and worked to alleviate those needs. They spoke of taking people into their homes, getting them enrolled in food stamps, feeding, bedding them, and trying to help them take the next steps in their lives. By acting in these ways, they had met one another and realized important commonalities; they began to bond to one another.

As gently as possible, I tried to tell them that the things they had mentioned were exactly the types of things that Jesus would ask them to do for others. I commented to them that they had just described their little group as a church. They acted surprised at that comment, but it was clearly true. They were, in fact, a church. The Holy Spirit was living and working through them to increase the quantity of peace and quiet and well-being in people who needed it. Did they get together and sing church songs, pray, and listen to a sermon? I doubt it, but they were the church. Lives functioning as followers of Christ should recognize what important, fundamental service they are performing.

The Bible’s powerful Chapter 25 of Matthew identifies that the meeting of needs of strangers (hunger, thirst, clothing, illness) is equivalent to meeting the needs of the Son of God. In that chapter, the hearers were surprised by this teaching (“Who, me?  What did I do?”)

A small group of people periodically sang for hospice patients in a facility. Sometimes they were good musically, other times not so much. Nevertheless, one time on approaching a room, a family member said to the patient, “Momma, the church has come to sing for you.”

Do you feel the “church” is not a good place for you right now? Consider your daily life and assess whether it includes, in fact, ministries as Jesus would define them. You might be pleasantly surprised. Also note that you may very well be in contact with others involved in the same activities. You may not call that a ministry group or church, but it could well be.

Jim Nichols is a retired Abilene Christian University biology professor and current hospice chaplain