Father Andrew and five lay people from St. Luke the Evangelist Orthodox Christian Church (OCA) in Palos Hills, Illinois, have been making monthly visits to the fifteen person residential Intermediate Care Facility of the Garden Center, which also has a day program and workshop for over 120 people with developmental disabilities, where they learn basic living and vocational skills, for nine years now.
Father Andrew reads a short story to them, answers their questions about it, and conducts a short prayer service with a homily which evokes spirited participation. There is a snack time afterward, and Father Andrew and the lay people from the Church socialize with the people who live there during this time.
Two clients died recently, and Father Andrew agreed when requested to conduct a memorial service so that the other clients could have closure.
Read the full story from the Parish website here:
http://www.stlukeorthodox.com/html/evangelist/2007/gardencenter.cfm
