Brotherly Love Ministry - Parish Nursing
Parish Nurse Office Hours Regular parish nurse office hours are from 9 am to 10:15 am every Sunday, September through May. Please feel free to stop by during this time to talk, or I am available by phone call or text as needed. If I can be of assistance to you, please contact me at 484-223-7324.
Kim Vaupel, RN
Taking Blood Pressure Readings We would like to to offer blood pressure screening for members of Grace and the community at the monthly Free Community meal. If you would like to take blood pressures for those attending the Free Community meal (the second Friday of each month from 5 pm to 6:30 pm), please contact Kim Vaupel.
WHERE TO FIND...
The AED (defibrillator) is mounted on the wall by the AED sign. There is an emergency supply kit and a diabetic emergency supply kit on the table next to the pew in the Chapel. If you enter the Chapel from the doorway in the hallway by the sanctuary, the table with the emergency care kits will be on your right. This is a more central location than the previous one in the event of an emergency. When you are next at church, please take a minute to locate the emergency equipment.
First Aid kits are in all restrooms and the Sunday School classroom. There is also a first aid kit in the rear of the sanctuary on a table below the bulletin board, and in the kitchen on the counter in Fellowship Hall (downstairs). Feminine hygiene products are available in all restrooms except for the Men’s restroom in the Sunday School wing.
The Brotherly Love Ministry/Parish Nurse bulletin board is by the front ramp entrance.
November Newsletter
During the month of November, we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday by enjoying a festive meal with family and friends. This is a day that usually revolves around eating lots of turkey and stuffing, watching football, preparing for Black Friday shopping, and being thankful for all the blessings in our lives. How often do you pause to appreciate what you have in life? Sometimes it’s easy to feel bad because you are going through a tough time. However, remember that no matter how bad your situation may seem, there are tens of thousands of things to be thankful for in life.
BE THANKFUL FOR:
• Your parents for giving birth to you
• Your family for being your closest kin
• Your friends for being your companions in life
• Your best friends for being there for you whenever you need them
• Your soulmate for being the one who understands everything you are going through
• Sense of sight for letting you see the colors of life
• Sense of hearing for letting you hear the voices of your loved ones
• Sense of touch for letting you feel and hold the hands of your loved one
• Sense of taste for letting you savor the deliciousness of Grandma’s pumpkin pie
• Sense of smell for letting you inhale the aroma of a turkey roasting in the oven
• Your mind for the ability to think and create and store memories
• Your health for enabling you to do what you want to do and what you’re going to do in the future
• The sun for bringing light and beauty
• Sunrise for a beautiful start to the morning
• Sunset for a beautiful sight to end the day
• Your job for giving you a source of living and for being a medium where you can add value to the world
• Your bed to sleep comfortably every night
• Your house for a place you can call home
• Laughter for serenading your life with joy
• Love for letting you know what it means to truly be alive
• Life’s challenges for helping you grow and become who you are
• Life itself for giving you the chance to feel all that you’re experiencing and will be experiencing in time to come
• Last but not least, YOU for being who you are and touching the world with your presence!
Please take a minute to slow down during this month and reflect on all that you have to be thankful for in your everyday life. Allow yourself time to appreciate all you have and share it with those around you! Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
May peace and good health be with all of you!
Kim Vaupel, RN
History: In September 2023, a new ministry was started at Grace Lutheran Church. The goal of this ministry is to promote the health, wellness and safety of the members of Grace and the community. Brotherly Love Ministry was named in honor of my brother Leonard Sterner, Jr. who passed away unexpectedly in September 2019. Since my brother was proud that his sister was a nurse, I have decided to use the memorial donations given to Grace in his name to start this parish nursing ministry. This memorial fund was used to pay for the classes I needed to take in order to obtain a certification in faith community/parish nursing, and also to attend a lay eucharistic communion class. After this, I will be available to assist Pastor Samantha with visiting the homebound and ill of the congregation. I will also be a resource to the congregation to answer any medical questions and offer support to the congregation as needed.
Next I will be updating the church first aid kits, and will create a kit for use in case of a medical emergency which will include a blood pressure cuff, a glucometer to check blood sugars, snacks to treat low blood sugar, and a pulse oximeter to check oxygen levels. I am also asking for anyone certified in CPR to contact me at the number below, as I will be creating a list of those members certified in CPR. I plan to coordinate a one-hour class taught by the Macungie Ambulance team to teach “hands on CPR for the community” to anyone interested in learning this skill.
On a monthly basis, I will be speaking to the congregation about how to prepare in the event of medical emergencies, fire emergencies and gun violence emergencies. My goal is to raise awareness and prepare the congregation for these different emergency situations, and be available to the members of Grace as your parish nurse. I look forward to sharing information with all of you in my monthly newsletter column in the Grace Notes monthly newsletter, and here on this website.
Peace be with all of you!
Kim Vaupel, RN
