Topeka Presbyterian Manor
MAY 2022
New chaplain believes in the power of presence Bob Giffin became the chaplain at Topeka Presbyterian Manor in May, but he was already familiar with the mission of PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America®). When he served as pastor of First Church of the Nazarene in Lawrence, Bob often visited congregants who lived at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor. He got to know the former chaplain there and occasionally spoke during chapel services. Bob Griffin
“I got to have my heart and my eyes open to life at Presbyterian Manor,” Bob said. “Calling on the residents was something that gave me a real sense of fulfillment.” Bob, who is 67, has pastored four churches in Missouri and Kansas, and he still serves as an associate pastor at Grace Pointe Church in Topeka, which is “very much a part-time role,” he said. “I was looking for a little bit more to do.” He brings an emphasis on “the ministry of presence” to his work at Presbyterian Manor. “I’ve preached hundreds and hundreds of sermons over the years,” Bob said. “People can’t tell you two days later what you preached about, generally speaking, but they remember the pastor was there. “As St. Francis of Assisi said, ‘Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.’” Bob received his call to pastoral ministry later in life, while serving as an officer in the Kansas Highway Patrol. He retired after a 25-year career in law enforcement. The youngest of his five children had graduated from high school, so Bob and his wife, Diana, sold their house and moved to Colorado. There, Bob attended divinity school at Nazarene Bible College in Colorado
Griffin – continued on page 2
Editor’s Note: In a nod to our Presbyterian heritage, we regularly feature a column from a PMMA® chaplain in our newsletter. This month’s column comes from Mary Bridges, chaplain at Salina Presbyterian Manor®
Mary’s Musings By Mary Bridges, Chaplain
I must confess that Memorial Day was never my favorite holiday. Growing up, my family made our annual trek to the cemetery to deliver fresh peonies from my mom’s garden. That evening, we’d go back to pick them up. As I grew older, I began to lose friends and family members — even our son. Visiting graves and offering remembrances still left me feeling sad and empty. However, my view on Memorial Day has changed. To illustrate that, I want to tell you about my friend Mary Ellen from Menomonee Falls, Wis. We became friends in 1999 while serving on a national women’s board. More importantly, we became prayer partners. Each day when I awoke, I visualized Mary Ellen on her treadmill, praying with me. Through 20 years, we prayed with each other through our ordinary days, through illnesses and the loss of loved ones. In the midst of the pandemic, Mary Ellen was diagnosed with cancer. Her final Christmas letter in 2019 ended
Musings – continued on page 2
Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at TopekaPresbyterianManor.org/covid-19.
1