CHRISTWOOD ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Christwood Continuing Care Retirement Community in Covington ended the
month-long celebration of its 5th anniversary with a gala,
beginning with an Evening Prayer service in the outdoor chapel on the
adjacent campus of Christ Episcopal Middle School. The Rev’d John
Bauerschmidt, rector of Christ Church, and the Rev’d Pamela P. Snare,
Curate of Christ Church, led the service. Also taking part were The Rev’d
L. Stephen Holzhalb, III, a founder of Christwood; Alma Wirth, a
Christwood resident; and Alice Lohman, wife of the late Jack Lohman, a
founder of Christwood.
Those in attendance then assembled at the nearby Intergenerational
Trail that joins Christwood and the Christ Episcopal Middle School campus,
for its dedication. The children of the middle school and Christwood
residents interact on a regular basis. Some residents go to the school to
do special programs, and sometimes the children go to Christwood. The most
consistent program is "Grandfriends." One grade has been paired
with a Christwood friend, over several years. True friendships have been
developed. The eighth grade class participates in a Scripture study each
week at Christwood led by Mother Pamela where perspectives from both
generations are shared.
Following the dedication, a reception was held at Christwood. Many
founders, residents, families, and community friends joined in the
festivities.
Christwood began as an outreach of Christ Episcopal Church in
Covington. The church wanted to develop a community that would support a
lifestyle that maintains its residents’ privacy, dignity and mobility to
the greatest degree possible, both in ambiance of the facility,
surroundings, and commitment of support by its staff, so that older people
of the area could stay in the local community and not have to move away
from their friends as they needed more assistance. Continuing care, which
is offered at Christwood, means that residents move into apartments while
living very independent lives, and as their need for assistance becomes
necessary, those needs are met there.
The theme for the month-long celebration was "Cherish yesterday,
Create tomorrow, Celebrate today." Residents and friends alike
celebrate the fact that Christwood is a community, not just a collection
of residences. According to the Rev’d John Bauerschmidt, "The
isolating trends of modern life impoverish the spirit, and reduce us bit
by bit to something less than what we were created to be. Christwood
stands against . . . those isolating trends."
