Brotherly Love Ministry - Parish Nursing
Parish Nurse Hours
I am available from 9:00 am to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. If I can be of any assistance, please stop by my office in the Library in the Sunday School wing during this time, or call or text me anytime at 484-223-7324.
Kim Vaupel, RN
Updates
TThank you to all who donated 1133 empty pill bottles to fill the Barrel of Love. Congratulations to Lois Pearsall, who guessed 1006 in the Guess the Pill bottle contest. Hers was the closest guess without going over, so she received an autumn themed gift basket as a prize. The barrel was shipped to a medical clinic in Liberia on November 16, 2024. The staff at the medical clinic will use the pill bottles to fill them with medications. The residents of Liberia will use the empty barrel to collect rainwater for bathing and cooking. Thank you to Dick from Asbury Methodist Church for picking up the barrel at Grace!
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.
January News
The new year has arrived! As we reflect on the past year, we plan for what we can do better in the upcoming year. We look forward to the new year by making New Year’s resolutions. Common resolutions include losing weight, exercising, eating a healthier diet, quitting smoking, and saving money. These are all great resolutions to promote better health and financial security. Unfortunately, many people become frustrated and do not “stick” with their resolutions.
Please consider making a new year’s resolution at Grace in 2025. Volunteering at church will help you feel good about yourself, help others, relieve stress, and you may even make a new friend or two along the way.
First, take a few minutes to think about your personal talents and skills. DO YOU LIKE TO: bake? cook? sew? pray? read out loud? meet and greet people? teach children? help those in need? repair things? socialize? organize? work with budgets and numbers? decorate? share a meal with others? If you like to do any of the above, please speakto Pastor Samantha about how you can put your personal talents and skills to use working for the many ministries here at Grace. Grace would love to be a part or your new year’s resolution! Remember - “Grace is the Place!”
My New Year’s resolution to Grace for 2025 is to devote more time to Brotherly Love Ministry. I plan like to visit our ill and homebound members, be more available to the members of the congregation, and provide support to those in need. I have many new ideas for this ministry in 2025! Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance.
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
