Rolla Presbyterian Manor
JULY 2020
Feel the freedom By Allen Teal, chaplain
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. (Isaiah 61:1b, NIV). Freedom lives more in the mind and heart than in the physical world. Every day, we confront limits to our freedom. The limits come in the guise of speed limits, crosswalks and nearly every law ever passed.
Edna Martin’s family recently arranged for a poster parade that included family and friends. Edna was surprised when she was asked to come up to the lobby because she had guests.
Staff use technology to connect residents with loved ones The Rolla Presbyterian Manor community has responded to social distancing guidelines by picking up new technology skills. According to Life Enrichment Director Joy Parker, in one month staff facilitated 50 video chats: 42 through FaceTime and four each via Zoom and Facebook Messenger. “The residents are amazed they can see their loved ones on a device,” Joy said. “One lady just said, ‘It’s like they’re in my room.’” Utilizing web-based applications meant a learning curve for all involved, but Joy says everyone has risen to the task. TECH - continued on page 2
We feel free when we operate within the boundaries of these constraints. Over the past few months, restrictions on our freedom have come from an invisible foe that has driven us indoors, caused us to wear a mask, and taken hundreds of thousands of souls from the earth. Many have learned to feel free within the confines of a much smaller space. Others have railed against every restriction. Christ brings freedom to his followers. This raises the issue of what constitutes freedom. Some define freedom as an absence of guidelines or rules. Since the CHAPLAIN - continued on page 4
Rolla Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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