Baptist Homes of Ashland – A Brief History
By Dr. Ron Mackey, Vice President, Community Engagement
A few days ago, we celebrated the opening of the assisted living campus at our Ashland location. These are the thoughts I shared on that day……
It had long been a whispered dream that The Baptist Home might one day develop a campus in the central Missouri area. In 2013, former trustee Gayle Bunch informed The Home of a parcel of land south of Columbia. Investigation of this land found it to be unsatisfactory for a senior adult community. This initial investigation was followed by an 18-month search involving over 30 properties in the central Missouri area. On a snowy, very cold day in February 2014, after yet another disappointing tour of yet another property, Paul Bunch and I stumbled upon this property, a quiet horse ranch laid out on a picturesque 74 acres. The problem? It was maybe 20 degrees, and the ground was covered by a foot of snow – we had no appointment to tour the property.
Long story short, the former Marvin & Wanda Bennet home has become the physical fulfillment to a long-held dream to establish a Baptist Homes ministry location in central Missouri.
The journey to this day lasted over a decade and involved multiple design modifications while enduring a global pandemic. Today, we celebrate the initial fulfillment of this vision with the opening of the nursing care building on this campus, fulfilling the continuum of care focus for this ministry location. With independent living cottages, congregate living, and now a 40-bed assisted living unit, and a soon-to-follow 54-bed skilled nursing unit, the dream is finally accomplished.
Just last week, we received our first residents, and more are coming virtually as we speak. Soon these halls will reverberate with the sounds of aging seniors who are safe, secure, well cared for, and loved with the tenacious love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those sounds will include tears and laughter, joys and sorrows, hope and confusion—because that is the nature of growing old.
Our job is to see to it that the folks who call The Baptist Homes of Ashland home will never travel their journey alone – we, specifically Patty Hineman and her staff, will walk, care, nurse, and minister alongside these folks until they make their final journey to their heavenly home.
In closing, hear the words of a great hymn written by Matt Redmon:
“Never Once”
Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
