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MINISTRY/SERVICE
We seek to equip our members to minister by recognizing our spiritual gifts and putting them to use. We want to minister by encouraging one another through service projects and general help for people in the church and in the community.
The Service Ministry Team meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. along with the Health and Wellness Committee with elder Pat Meade overseeing.
From Your 
"Boning Up" for Healthy Bones
You experience the best bones of your life around the age of 25. After that the bone loss somewhat exceeds bone growth and our bones gradually get weaker.
Taken to the extreme, if the loss is severe, our bones are porous, a condition called osterporosis, we are very likely to have a fracture. Some bones are more at risk - smaller thin persons have smaller thin bones (that's why ½ of Caucasian women and ¼ of men over 50 will break a bone due to this condition.) We can't change our age, gender, race, or size, but we can actively work on other factors to slow loss and build healthy bones.
1. Nutrition: include at least 1200 mg of calcium daily (dairy, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, salmon, calcium enriched foods). Take supplement if needed. Adequate vitamin D is a MUST. 800-1000 IU or more is required for calcium to be deposited in bones. Recent research has shown vitamin D deficits as we age.
2. Avoid (STOP smoking!) This is the single most modifiable risk factor.
3. Exercise (walk, stroll, dance, perform resistance if unable to walk) anything that puts weight on the large bones in hips and legs causes increased bone production and makes them stronger.
4. Question medications - some can harm as steroids used over 3 or more months. Some are helpful as in estrogen. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for any side effects to your bones.
5. The DEXA scan checks the mineral density in certain bones - hip, spine and can alert the need for treatment for osteoporosis. There is also a FRAX scan, which is a calculator based on your results, and other risk factors, that predicts the probability of a fracture in the next 10 years. Your doctor should use both to make treatment decisions.
6. Prevent, Prevent, Prevent!?but treat if necessary. The only medications we have available can only treat - not cure - and have significant side effects.
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The following are the ministries that the Service Ministry Team has agreed upon as needed and helpful:
Transportation: - Provide transportation to church services, fellowship events, doctor appointments, grocery store, etc. for the church family without transportation.
Helping Hands: Provide help for minor home maintenance/repair for church family who unable physically, skill-wise or financially to complete the task.
Prayer Teams: Provide prayer support to the congregation in multiple ways, yet to be determined, but probably including prayer chain, prayer groups, Sunday a.m.
Bereavement: Provide support to bereaved church families, including the services traditionally provided by the "tray committee", but broader in scope.
Visitation of Members: Provide an organized effort to visit families of the congregation who need or request it because of sickness, bereavement or other crisis.
Widow's/Widower's Lunch: Provide a time of fellowship and socialization over a meal with and among widows and widowers of the congregation.
Cards: Provide a ministry of sending greeting cards, on behalf of Bethel, to the members of the congregation for occasions such as illness, birthday, and bereavement.
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