“What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms…”
The familiar refrain of that old gospel tune fills the air in an activity room in The Blossoms at Berryville Rehab & Nursing Center, borne aloft by a mix of voices from soft to strident. The singers, some in casts and wheelchairs, are generally a mix of residents, visitors and staff.
It’s a Wednesday morning about 11 a.m. and Brother David Kline, the pastor of Valley View Baptist Church in Eureka Springs, and his team are just finishing the weekly church service open to anyone who would care to join.
It’s been a long partnership. The church’s ministry to Blossom’s patients and residents began more than 40 years ago – before anyone knew The Blossoms or Valley View Baptist by those names. Although faces and facility names have changed in that nearly half-century, the work of caring has not.
Valley View was begun as a mission church of First Baptist Church in Berryville, which was organized in the summer of 1880 and has a rich history of community involvement and growth. Valley View was started after a family donated land for the project, and services were held in a double-wide mobile chapel. It was constituted as a church in September 1994, and a permanent building was constructed that year by the Volunteer Christian Builders, who returned in 2001 to finish a new sanctuary and fellowship hall.
All during that time a ministry team consistently visited and held services at a nursing/assisted living home then known as Autumn Hill, now The Blossoms at Berryville.
“The ministry to the nursing home was started by some members of First Baptist Church Berryville prior to them becoming members at Valley View Baptist; and they continued the ministry faithfully over the years,” Kline said. “Valley View has continued the ministry for nearly 32 years. Originally, our ministry to the nursing home was only at Berryville, but in the last year we have had a number of our ladies ministering to the residents of the Eureka Springs Blossoms facility on Sunday afternoons, as well.
“We often get the opportunity to minister to the residents of the Blossoms after the services. Sometimes they request prayer for themselves or for another resident. On occasion, the staff will ask us to go to the room of a resident who needs prayer for various reasons. Our volunteers interact with the residents and show God’s love and care, and that makes more of an impact than anything else.”
Although the services include a sermon or scripture lesson, and discussion or questions are welcome, the music of worship holds a special place.
“Several years ago, we held our service in the dining hall at the Blossoms,” Kline said, “and as we were singing the old hymns, one lady in the back was singing right along with us. After the service, one of the staff approached us and explained that lady was non-communicative, but she somehow was able to sing every song!”
Valley View is also the church with a seasonal drive-by Prayer Stop at its location on US 62 just east of Eureka Springs. Look for the sign to appear soon.
For information on services, activities and more at Valley View Baptist Church, phone (479) 253-1714 or visit valleyviewes.org (Sunday services are live streamed).