Tuesday 5th March 2024
Saying 'goodbye' to Bethany
As ownership of Bethany Christian Home passes to Karlyon Care, we take a moment to reflect on its special place in the community
On 31st January, ownership of Bethany Christian Home passed to Karlyon Care, a care home business based in Plymouth. The home will now be known as Bethany House with the new owners committing to preserving its Christian ethos. Sharon Trevarthen, the Administrator, and Sally Lear, the Activities & Community Engagement (ACE) Facilitator, pay tribute to the home’s rich history
Sharon
“Bethany plays an important role in Plymouth – we’re the only Protestant Christian care home in the city. We are very pleased that the new owners are so open to Bethany remaining a place where the Christian life can be lived fully, with prayer a regular part of daily life.
“I’ve been at Bethany for seven years and from day one it was clear to me how special this place was. The first person to greet me was a gentleman called Clifford. He was the epitome of an old school English gentleman with impeccable manners – if a lady entered the room, he would stand up. Another wonderful lady was Irene.
She’d been told she only had six weeks to live and ended up being with us for 18 months. She was bedbound but spent the whole time knitting – blankets for people in cold climates, poppies for the British Legion or holly decorations. I have one of her holly decorations on my desk til this day.
“Everyone who has lived at Bethany has been special in their own way. I didn’t know my grandparents and so it’s been like having the grandparents I didn’t have and then some. Although change feels hard, we’re grateful that Bethany isn’t having to close and we’re pulling together and looking to the Lord as we embark on the next phase of the home’s life.”
Sally
“As the ACE Facilitator, I’m grateful that Pilgrims’ Friend Society will continue to fund my role at Bethany, helping to support Christian life and building partnerships with the local community. We’re blessed with some amazing church volunteers who lead devotions and we have good links with local schools. Our family members love it when children come to visit, joining us for everything from games afternoons to special events like our nativity or Chinese New Year. We also have good links with the University of Plymouth, with students leading music and poetry workshops. My hope is that we can continue to build on these foundations, ensuring a richness of life in the home’s future.”
Please pray:
• That links with local churches would continue to flourish
• That Bethany would continue to be known and cherished as a Christian home
• For God’s constant presence and comfort at this time of change
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