Widows Ministry Center Transitions to Iris B. Vest SpiritCare Center
Sevierville, TN—The Iris B. Vest Widows Ministry Center is transitioning to Iris B. Vest SpiritCare Center.
Since its opening in 2003, the Center has been a haven for widows, but now the new SpiritCare Center will be expanding to house retired ministers’ couples as well. Leaders of the Church of God believe this will definitely be a season of significance for this ministry.
The SpiritCare Center is an independent living center designed for comfort and convenience. Each apartment has over 525 square feet of living space which includes a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen. All of the apartments are handicap accessible. At the Center an individual can enjoy all the benefits of independent living along with the close companionship of other friends and neighbors who live there.
“I commend the Division of Care and the staff of the Iris B. Vest Center for taking this forward step in the continuing development of this wonderful facility,” said Church of God General Overseer Mark Williams. “With large numbers of pastors each year retiring from active ministry—not considering the hundreds of non-ministerial church members annually leaving the workforce—we can anticipate there will be an ever-growing need for residences for retirees. This beautiful and functional center has been set aside to minister to God’s people; what a meaningful use for which it is being dedicated.”
Iris B. Vest SpiritCare Center (click on photo to enlarge)
Dr. David Griffis, first assistant general overseer, and executive director of the Division of Care for the Church of God said, “We (the division) are very excited about our continued ministry to widows at the Iris B. Vest SpiritCare Center and now also to the opening of new doors of opportunity to minister to retired ministers and their wives. This beautiful facility is located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains and offers a beautiful setting for retired ministers and their wives who are looking for a Christian environment and a beautiful location to retire where they can continue to be a blessing. We are praying and believing the Lord will bless this effort and ministry with great success!”
The Center is named for the late Iris B. Vest, who passed away in 2001 while serving as First Lady for the Church of God. Her widower, former General Overseer R. Lamar Vest said, “This is one of the most exciting announcements that I have heard in years. The Vest Family could not be happier. We believe this is the will of God—to join hand in hand the ministry to ministers and the ministry to widows. One of my dreams for many years is that we could establish an endowment that would ensure that our retired ministers are cared for in their senior years, especially those who have no other source to which to turn.”
According to Dr. Donnie Smith, the executive administrator for the Division of Care, for more than two years the division—in partnership with the Executive Committee—has been studying the possibility of expanding the ministry of the Center to include, not only widows, but ministerial couples and others who have given themselves to the ministry for many years. “Not only do we have the approval of the major donors who were involved in the building of the Center,” Smith said, “ but we have the approval of all members of the Division of Care as well as the Executive Committee. Together we believe this change will revolutionize the ministry that takes place at the Center. We ask for your prayers as we begin this journey that I know will make great change of the future of the Iris B. Vest SpiritCare Center. A new season is approaching—one we believe to be of great significance.”
