Brotherly Love Ministry - Parish Nursing
Parish Nurse Hours Kim Vaupel, RN is available from 9:00 am to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. If she can be of any assistance, please stop by her office in the Library in the Sunday School wing during that time, or call or text her any time at 484-223-7324.
Next Meeting The next Brotherly Love meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 6 pm in the Chapel. All are welcome to attend.
Taking Blood Pressure Readings A new idea is 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.
March Newsletter
Fasnacht Day is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition that takes place on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras. The tradition of making fasnachts in this region of the United States dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, when the first immigrants from southern Germany settled in southeastern Pennsylvania. Fasnacht translates to “fast night” in English, which helps explain the origin of this tradition. A fasnacht is a fried treat, like a donut, made from potato, flour, eggs, sugar, and butter or lard. Fasnachts are traditionally square in shape with no hole in the middle. They are often served with powdered sugar, maple syrup, butter, cream, glazes, cinnamon sugar, or custard. The purpose of making fasnachts is to use up all the fat and lard prior to the start of Lent, which was a time to fast from sugary and fatty foods. This year Fasnacht Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 4. Fasnachts are available for purchase at local bakeries and grocery stores.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40 day time period leading up to Easter. Christians receive ashes on their forehead in the shape of the cross to symbolize repentance and mortality. The ashes symbolize the dust from where God made us. There is no better time to reconnect with one’s faith than during Lent. During these 40 days, we are drawn closer to God as we prepare for the joyous celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter. The three pillars of Lent include prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These practices are centuries-old traditions which help Christians deepen their relationship with God.
● Prayer is a way to speak with God either silently or out loud. Prayer is a way to improve your spiritual health by connecting with God by seeking guidance and finding comfort. Pray for those who are ill, in pain, sad, facing death or grieving the loss of a loved one, or those inneed of food, shelter or clothing.
● Fasting is a way for Christians to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and prepare for his resurrection. Some Christians “give up” a food, drink or habit as a way of fasting and self-reflection, one which can improve your physical and mental health. Common foods and drinks “given up” include chocolate, sweets, meat, coffee, fast food, soda, junk food and alcohol. Common habits “given up” during Lent include social media, screen time. television, gossiping, complaining, unnecessary shopping, video games, biting your fingernails and smoking cigarettes.
● Almsgiving is the practice of donating money or goods to people in need, or performing other acts of charity. Almsgiving will help you improve your emotional and social health during Lent by doing good for others. Examples of almsgiving include donating money to a cause like the Grace Lenten projects for local and global charity, volunteering at a soup kitchen, cooking a meal for an elderly neighbor, offering emotional support and a listening ear to a friend going through a difficult time, or even showing kindness to a stranger.
As you prepare for your journey during the 40 days of Lent, allow this to be a time to improve your spiritual, physical, mental, emotional health and social health through the three pillars of Lent - prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
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
