Christian Village honors local pastors at annual appreciation luncheon

[November 10, 2019]     On Friday, administration and staff at the Christian Village in Lincoln held its annual pastor appreciation luncheon, honoring the pastors of many of the local congregations in and around Lincoln.

The annual event is an opportunity for the CV to show love and respect for the many pastors and congregations that support the village throughout the year.



The day began with opening comments and pray offered by CV administrator Steve Territo. In his remarks he said, “We would literally not be here without you. Thank you for investing in the care and support of our elderly.”

Each of the pastors was assigned a table and joined by invited guests as well as resident members of their respective congregations.



As guests enjoyed a time of visiting, they staff of Christian Village prepared and served food to their tables.

In addition to enjoying a fine meal, each pastor was offered a choice of one of three inspirational books.

CV Chaplain and Pastor Ryan Edgecombe visited with each table and offered the book choices to the pastors or their church representatives.

It was a lovely day and a lovely way for the village to acknowledge the pastors and reflect that the foundation of the senior care facility started many years ago with a collection of pastors who desired to provide a non-denominational yet spiritual option for members of their congregation who were aging and needed assistance in their golden years.

From the Christian Horizons website: “We were founded in 1962 inspired by one man’s dream of creating a place where his loved ones could age with dignity in a Christian atmosphere. He and men from nearby churches raised funds to purchase property in Lincoln, Illinois, where they built and opened the first Christian Nursing Home, with 48 beds, in 1965.

“Christian leaders from other areas soon expressed interest in Christian Nursing Homes. This prompted a long period of expansion—adding memory care, short-term rehabilitation, skilled care and hospice care, as well as senior independent and assisted living options in many of our communities.”

The Village since its inception in 1962 has continually changed and evolved to suit the needs of the community it serves. The Village today offers independent living duplex homes and apartments, skilled nursing facilities as well as long-term memory care and a short term transitional facility offering therapy services and other support for those on the journey from hospital to home.

[Nila Smith with photos by Karen Hargis]