The STAR
In this issue:
Pastor’s Page
1 -2
What’s Happening
at BLC
2-5
VBS
6-8
Our Church Family
Children & Youth
9-10
11-12
In Our Community
13
Parish Nurse
14
PASTOR
Rev. Jeff Shearier
18865 SW Johnson St.
Aloha, OR 97003
PHONE
503.649.3380
FAX
503.649.1530
WEB SITE
www.blcfamily.org
EMAIL
[email protected]
Bethlehem Mission
Statement
“Building the
family of God
through relationship
with Jesus Christ”
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4
1
Pastor’s Page
To Mexico, with Love
I asked the Mexico Mission group to share any thoughts with you about the
trip in March. I was going to edit them, but as I read their reflections and
memories, I thought you would benefit from being able to hear the whole
story.
Karen Bernhardt: Gods plan was in motion as we tried to make our way
to the orphanage to prepare a special breakfast for the kids. Arriving late
we thought the breakfast was going to be cancelled. Instead we got to
cook breakfast, serve it to all the children and staff and enjoy eating with
them. It was a very special time being with all the kids and sharing a meal
with them. After breakfast was spent playing outside with them. Hearing
their laughter and seeing their smiles brightened up my heart. God reminded me to slow down and take time for the things in life that really matter- relationships and sharing his love with others.
Monica Paas-Schreck: This was my second opportunity to join members
from Bethlehem on a mission trip to Mexico. I greatly appreciated your
willingness to include our family again. It has been “hands-down” one of
the best experiences we have done as a family! A memorable day for me
on the mission trip was a morning when an older woman, who lived across
the street from the house we were building, beckoned for my husband and
I to come and follow her. As we went through her little gate, she pointed
down at a big pit that had been dug in her yard for a bathroom that had
never been finished. She then motioned for us to come into her home. As
we moved through the curtained threshold, she began gesturing to show
us what little she had and then a few minutes later, she began sobbing and
hugging me tightly. I just held her and asked my husband to go and get
one of the teens to translate. We learned that she, too, wanted a bathroom
and a house. The door to her makeshift house wasn’t hanging properly,
and she didn’t like all the rats and wild dogs that would come in at night.
Later in the day, we were able to talk to Pablo and to get her signed up to
have a home built. We asked her what we could do for her that day, and
just spent time with her. I was so touched by the teens and their compassion and willingness to help. At some point in the afternoon, I asked Kevin
Ritcheson to help rehang her door and he eagerly obliged. Many times I
questioned whether I needed to go all the way to Mexico to help others,
but after this experience I was able to see that for that day, we were Esther’s hope, and that Mexico was just where God wanted us to be! Thank
you for giving us the opportunity to be that hope for others.
Continued on page 2
May STAR
Continued from page 1
Jaylynn Bernhardt: Mexico was a very exciting adventure for me to take this spring break. Although I have
gone through Mexico for the third time, I always have new memories that are etched on my heart from the
trip. This trip was especially exciting for me this year because there was so many of us youth that went on
the trip, and it was so awesome to meet new people and get to know them. I also got closer to the friends I
already have because of the trip. We had a lot of ups and downs on this trip considering some of the obstacles we had to face as a group. One of them was the bathrooms. We only had two bathrooms for the girls
and two bathrooms for the boys. Although this was kind of frustrating to me at first, and as the complaints
were flying around the room. I began to think and tell people, we are not even 20 miles away from children
and families that don't have a roof over their head, or a bed to sleep in. I told myself and others that we have
really no right to complain because we are safe, warm, we have beds, food to eat, and each other. I think it's
really easy to get lost and tangled up in the entitled feeling of I need everything to go my way and be for me.
But this week just showed me what it was like to appreciate the things I have. For this trip I got to do a lot of
translating which was really awesome. I love speaking with the families and children and having personal
conversations. I really enjoyed teaching some of the women how to sew. They are so smart, and they have
the endurance to go so far. I also really enjoyed playing with all the kids this year and just giving them so
much love. The last thing I realized was that even though the people in Mexico struggle, they have such
beautiful hearts and they appreciate life and each other so much. I loved how simple their lives were, and I
realized that I really wanted to live a simple life like them. I was so thankful I could go on this trip again and
show the love of Jesus to people in Mexico.
Jarrett Bernhardt: I've gone on the Mexico Mission trip with Bethlehem 3 times now and each experience
was unique in itself. Each trip had its own moments and events that touched and impacted me in different
ways. This was none more evident and true than what I experienced on this last trip to Mexico. A lot of things
were different about this trip and we were constantly being thrown curveballs. When I reflect on these differences, none of them had a negative impact as is so often the cases with sudden changes that occur in our
lives. This trip gave me a deeper connection and more realistic experience and I left with a greater level of
appreciation and gratefulness than previous trips. It also taught me and strengthened the ability I have to
work with and include others.
Jaymin Bernhardt: This was my third time to Mexico for the mission trip. I really enjoyed it a lot. In the past,
the trip has been more about the building of the house for me. I have always been one of the ones that
builds the house and hardly much else. This year though, I did the opposite. Sure I helped out on the house
but for the majority of the time, I played with the kids and just hung out. I had a great time doing this. This
was big for me because I am not very good at doing things differently. I am very much what you would call a
creature of habit. My favorite part of the trip though was when we went to Walmart with Diana (the woman
we built the house for) and bought her a bunch of house warming gifts. This was really cool because not only
was this her first time shopping at a shopping center but it was her first time out of the village. Her face was
glued to the window of the car looking at the city scape. She was so blessed when she got all the homecoming gifts. She was in tears and kept hugging all of us that went saying thanks. This really couldn't have happened without you. Thank you all very much for supporting our team and giving up money for this family who
really needed it.
Harvard Isaak: There were two things I observed or felt, that was different than some of the other trips.
First was the camaraderie. We who have gone on the trip before have always had that, but we also developed it with those who haven't been on the trip before. There was a profound realization by those of differing
denominations, that we are all really the same. We have the same goals, we worship the same God, Jesus
is our Savior and we want to be His example toward our neighbors, wherever they are. We do it out of the
Love our Savior had for us and the thankfulness of His gift of eternal life by His sacrifice for our sins.
The second observation was how much more interactive the people of the village around the house we built
were. In the past, kids would come by and look for handouts, but most adults avoided us. This time, Adults
were constantly coming to look and visit and no one really asked for a handout. There were several people
who came and asked if we could help them with putting something together or fix a door that was broken.
Then, there were even people who came by in desperation saying that they needed a house too. It was like
what Jesus saw when all the sick and lame came to Him for healing. So many people that had so many
needs. It was the same here. The difference was, we didn't have the ability to meet all their needs like Jesus
could. It was a little overwhelming. I pray that the Lord of the harvest would send more workers.
Joy in the journey, Pastor Jeff Shearier
2
May STAR
…
Congregational Potluck
is on Saturday, May
2nd at 6pm
Aloha High School has
rented the Inn and the
Community Center for
the first two weeks of
May for AP Testing.
Those areas will be off
limits during day time
hours.
Kevin Ritcheson will be teaching
a class on the AED, Emergency
Defibrillator during the elders
meeting on Tuesday, May 5th at
7:00pm.
There is space for 10
additional participants.
If you
would like to learn to use the
AED please sign up on the LIF
group bulletin board.
Our next Voter’s Meeting will be held on Sunday, June 7th following
the 11:00 service.
Grand Tour of Italy 2016
Join this 12-day trip through Italy, including Venice, Florence, Assisi, Sorrento, the
ruins of Pompeii, and the Eternal City. This trip is open to everyone and will be led
by Dr. Michael Thomas. Departure is May 11, 2016. The cost is $3,825. A $95 deposit secures your spot. Price includes round-trip airfare from PDX, ground transportation, hotels, meals, museum and archaeological entrance fees, etc. Contact
Dr. Thomas for an electronic informational packet at [email protected].
3
May STAR
…
BLOOD DRIVE
Bethlehem is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive.
Tuesday, May 19th, 2:00-7:00pm
in the Community center.
Please consider being a blood donor.
We need to fill the 40 donor appointment times.
You may schedule your appointment either after each Sunday service with Greg or Barb
or go to www.redcrossblood.org using the sponsor code BethlehemAloha
If you are unable to donate or want to help in another way,
we need volunteers on the day of the blood drive,
and donated snacks for donors.
Please sign-up on the LIF bulletin board to volunteer or bring food or beverage items you could contribute. You could bring any kind of cookie, fruit, cheese & crackers, snack item or drink.
Any questions?
Greg Geist 503-649-7683
Barb Bernard 503-459-1397
An Opportunity to Volunteer with the Bethlehem
family in our Community.
Please come help at the
Oregon Food Bank packaging food.
Thursday, May 21st, 5:45-8:30 p.m.
We have committed to 20 people from Bethlehem to come to the Beaverton food bank Perishable Repack Room where you will re-package perishable or frozen food donations into family-sized portions for
individuals in need throughout Oregon.
This event is for families, individuals, and people of any age 6 and above. There is no heavy lifting involved. Temperatures in this space are around 50 degrees. Please dress accordingly!
If you have any questions or need transportation, please call
Barb Bernard 503-459-1397, Greg Geist 503-649-7683, or Mary Loseke 503-730-5267
We are encouraging all who have not done something like this. Please join us!!
PLEASE SIGN UP ON THE LIF BOARD.
4
May STAR
…
COMFORTS OF HOME
Spring has sprung indeed! Remember that if you happen to be doing some spring cleaning –
keep Comforts of Home in mind for recycling those “gently used” linens and kitchen items. Unfortunately, we are having to dispose of donated old and scratched non-stick Teflon-lined cooking pans because of the health concerns regarding scarred Teflon surfaces. So, please continue
to donate glass, aluminum or stainless steel pans as they are very popular and much appreciated.
We continue to be thanked by many clients that have been referred by Love, Inc. These are our
neighbors living in the Beaverton/Aloha area that have seen some difficult times. One of our
Comforts of Homes volunteers recently had the opportunity to serve one of those neighbors with
some extra service. She had a bed, dresser and chair and she delivered those items to the
neighbor on different days. The neighbor was overwhelmed with tears of gratitude for the furniture. She was starting over and had nothing after a divorce from an abusive husband. She
had been without any income for seven months and relied on help from her church and Love,
Inc. to get by. She is finally receiving help after a breakdown of her mental/emotional health
and her non-ability to work.
We also had a mystery donation of many large boxes of good quality clean, white bath & hand
towels, as well as bath mats. The boxes were many and delivered without anyone catching the
name of the hotel that was so generous. A small miracle, as towels are always in high demand.
These new supplies should last for months ahead. We are still in search of the name of the hotel so that we may offer an official “Thank You” for their kindness. If anyone should know the
name, please get in touch with one of the Comforts of Home volunteers.
LWML
Rebekah Mission Society
April 16, 2015
Business: Motions were approved to donate money to LCMS
World Relief and also LAMP.
National LWML reported that the Mites collected have been exceeded. (These projects voted on every two years at convention)
Our next meeting will be Thursday, May 21st at 11:30. Bring a salad or dessert and join
us. Also bring a picture of your Mom in honor of Mother’s Day.
A red wall hanging for Pentecost has been made for the sanctuary. This is a gift from
Rebekah Society and was made by Debbie Vosseler.
We are collecting zippers (10 inch or longer) for a craft project. You can put your donation in the Sonrise Room.
5
May STAR
Bethlehem Lutheran invites you to
Vacation Bible School!
18865 SW Johnson St.
Aloha OR 97003
June 15th-19th
9am-Noon
At Everest VBS your child entering pre-4 through 6th grade will enjoy music,
snacks, Bible stories, science experiments, crafts, games and more! Register online
at the website below or at the church office at 18865 SW Johnson. Cost is a mere
$13 per kid before June 1st and $15 after. Scholarship money is available!
We will have a special celebration on Friday at noon in our community center
with a hot dog lunch for the whole family!
Sign up forms and more info at: http://
tinyurl.com/alohavbs
503-649-3380
6
May STAR
Bethlehem Lutheran Vacation Bible School
June 15-19, 2015 9am-noon
18865 SW Johnson Aloha OR 97003
For those entering Pre-4 through Kindergarten
Student’s Name __________________________________________M ___ F ___
Birthdate _________________
At time of VBS: Age ______ Grade going into fall of 2015_______
Parent/Guardian Name___________________________________________________
Address _______________________________City__________ State ____ Zip ________
Day Phone __________________Night ___________________________
Cell _____________________ Email Address____________________________
Home Church __________________________ City ______________
Does your child have allergies or special needs (behavioral or physical) we should know about? If
your child has special dietary needs please bring your own snack each day. ____________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Does your child require or benefit from one-on-one support by use of an aide? ___ yes ___
no If yes, please explain:___________________________________________________
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PLEASE NOTIFY: Name _________________________________
Day Phone ________________Night ________________ Cell_____________________
Relationship to child ___________________________________________________
AUTHORIZED ADULT(S) TO PICK CHILD UP AT VBS:
Name(s) of those picking up my child:__________________________________________________
Phone Number(s) of Authorized Adults: ________________________________________________
Relationship(s) to Child:______________________________________________________________
I give consent for my child to take part in all VBS activities under supervision, and agree that Bethlehem Lutheran
Church will not be held responsible for accidents. I authorize designated and background checked VBS Staff/Bethlehem
Lutheran volunteers to provide treatment for my child for injuries and/or illness but they will make an effort to contact
me first. I understand that the information on this form may be released to medical personnel in case of medical emergency. I understand that the failure to disclose medical or emotional problems in advance may lead to serious consequences. I verify that everything contained on this form is complete & accurate to the best of my knowledge.
_____ I consent to the use of photographs of my child in Bethlehem publications, slideshows, and on the web.
_____ I do not consent to the use of photographs of my child for any purpose.
Parent / Guardian Signature ____________________________ Date ______________
Family Doctor ___________________________ Phone # ____________________________
Insurance ______________________________ Policy # ______________________________
Registration Fee Paid: June 1st $13 ____ After June 1st $15 ___
7
May STAR
Bethlehem Lutheran Vacation Bible School
June 15-19, 2015 9am-noon
18865 SW Johnson Aloha OR 97003
For those entering 1st through 6th grade
Student’s Name __________________________________________M ___ F ___
Birthdate _________________
At time of VBS: Age ______ Grade going into fall of 2015_______
Parent/Guardian Name___________________________________________________
Address _______________________________City__________ State ____ Zip ________
Day Phone __________________Night ___________________________
Cell _____________________ Email Address____________________________
Home Church __________________________ City ______________
Does your child have allergies or special needs (behavioral or physical) we should know about? If
your child has special dietary needs please bring your own snack each day. __________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Does your child require or benefit from one-on-one support by use of an aide? ___ yes ___ no
If yes, please explain:______________________________________________________
Name one friend your child would like to be grouped with (We will try but don’t guarantee this will
happen): _______________________________________
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PLEASE NOTIFY: Name _____________________________________
Day Phone ________________Night ________________ Cell_____________________
Relationship to child ___________________________________________________
AUTHORIZED ADULT(S) TO PICK CHILD UP AT VBS:
Name(s) of those picking up my child:___________________________________________________
Phone Number(s) of Authorized Adults: __________________________________________________
Relationship(s) to Child:______________________________________________________________
I give consent for my child to take part in all VBS activities under supervision, and agree that Bethlehem Lutheran Church
will not be held responsible for accidents. I authorize designated and background checked VBS Staff/Bethlehem Lutheran
volunteers to provide treatment for my child for injuries and/or illness but they will make an effort to contact me first. I
understand that the information on this form may be released to medical personnel in case of medical emergency. I
understand that the failure to disclose medical or emotional problems in advance may lead to serious consequences. I
verify that everything contained on this form is complete & accurate to the best of my knowledge.
_____ I consent to the use of photographs of my child in Bethlehem publications, slideshows, and on the web.
_____ I do not consent to the use of photographs of my child for any purpose.
Parent / Guardian Signature ____________________________ Date ______________
Family Doctor ___________________________ Phone # ____________________________
Insurance ______________________________ Policy # ______________________________
Registration Fee Paid: June 1st $13 ____ After June 1st $15 ___
8
May STAR
May Anniversaries
May. 3
11
14
17
26
29
31
Sterling & Ray Nelson
Lorin & Dee Wollmuth
Jim & Dena Johnson
Brad & Mary Loseke
Tom & Megan Pfanner
Wayne & Ellen Moses
Stan & Sue Blair
58 years
63 years
38 years
40 years
2 years
45 years
35 years
May Birthdays
May
9
1
1
3
3
4
5
8
9
9
9
11
13
13
15
16
Kyler Hornback
LoVonne Hovland
Alex Heck
Teddy Peoples
Luke Meier
Paul Braem
Connor Larson
John Krahel
Darien Thomas
Jeff Zimbrick
Trevor Hoffman
Gavin Brown
Simon Kachmarek
Luke Beale
Benjamin Harwood
May
17
18
18
18
19
20
21
22
23
26
27
27
28
29
31
Joe Nelson
Ryan Boelter
Ann Kempema
Sarah Schmidt
Lauren Stewart
Jaymie Finster
Pam Reid
Andrew Finster
Marilyn Lindquist
Rick Refsland
Karen Goode
Debbie Vosseler
Zack Braem
Kaitlin Harwood
Jan Brown
May STAR
…
Families look out for each other and, as a church family, it is important that we care and stay in touch with all of our members. This
includes those unable to attend church regularly because of health
limitations. To support these members and let them know that they
are a vital part of our church family, we include their names in our
newsletter with a gentle request for all to remember them in prayer
and/or call, reach out to connect with a phone call or card. Please
contact the church office if you need contact information. This
month, our loving thoughts and prayers of support for the health
challenges they face go out to : Elaine Baker, Phyllis Campbell, Roy
Fletcher, Ed Gieszler, Marie Halvorson, MaryAnn Heldt, Warren Heldt,
Ed Healy, Chuck Hoke, Joanne Iserloth, Harley Olson, Keith Preston,
Marylee Tabbert, Doris Traub.
If you know of someone we may have missed on this list, please
contact the church office.
10
May STAR
Preschool News
April was the month that our world came alive again as it celebrated new life in Jesus! What a
joy it was to see all the daffodils and tulips, apple and cherry blossoms, lush green grass and
new buds opening up on all the trees. Our world was singing out “JESUS IS ALIVE!!!”
Mrs. Meier’s 3-Year-Old Class – Miss Mary, aide
God made us with two legs and two feet and we can walk and run, hop and jump, skip and climb. And we can
especially follow in Jesus’ footsteps! As the month began we jumped for joy as Jesus came alive on Easter Day!
We went for an Easter walk and found baby lambs and chicks, colorful crosses and eggs filled with surprises! In
our Bible we read about how Jesus showed us how to take care of others as He washed His friend’s feet. We
washed our feet too, after we painted them purple and made purple footprints that led to Jesus. And we
helped take care of sick children at St. Jude Hospital by having our BIKE-A-THON. Thank you, God, for making
us strong and healthy so we can ride our bikes and scooters, and please help the boys and girls at St. Jude get
better so that they can ride their bikes too.
4 –Year-Old –Classes
We were “springing” into April each morning as we counted off the days of the month. And we learned about
a Variety of things with the letters V, W and X. V is for Victory, Jesus’ Victory over death as we began the
month by celebrating Easter. We planted Vegetable seeds and were excited to see them come alive too! And
we paid a Visit to Mrs. Shearier’s Kindergarten class. We are growing up and are getting ready for a new life
after Preschool! Letter W got a little Weird with our Wacky Wednesday and Whursday. Everything was all
mixed up – our clothes, the carpet squares and calendar and where, oh where were the chairs in Mrs. Meier’s
room? Even our teachers were VERY WACKY, especially Miss Laiva and Miss Nicole!! . Eric even told us a
Wacky Bible story about Jesus Walking on Water and he used Vegetables as the characters. Jesus was a
bunch of celery, looking like there was a crown on the top! W is also for WWJD – What Would Jesus Do? We
learned that he would take care of hurt and sick people as we read about the Good Samaritan. He is our most
eXcellent eXample. So we are following His lead as we help the children at St. Jude. Each day we have been
bringing in our coins to fill up our St. Jude jar. We thank St. Jude for caring about our well-being too by giving
us Bikewell’s bike safety lessons. And Emmett’s Mom talked to us about being healthy and taking care of our
bodies and we learned all about our bones from “Skellie” the skeleton.
Many thanks to our church friends who purchased plants from our fundraiser. We
sold over $3000 worth. Thanks too to Thrivent for their matching funds!
We still have openings in our 3’s and 4’s Preschool classes. Contact Brenda
in the church office for more information.
11
May STAR
Y
O
U
T
H
H
A
P
P
E
N
I
N
G
S
12
Blankets for Nepal: As part of our
VBS we are encouraging kids to
make fleece blankets for those hurt
by the earthquake that affected
both Everest and Nepal. The kids
will tie two together and then ship
them through Lutheran World Relief.
We are looking for pieces of fleece
58" - 59" wide x 80" long-we want at
least 30 of them. So if you have
some fleece scraps around at
home that you could bring in that
would be a huge help! Or if you’d
like to make a donation to help ship
them or to help Lutheran World Relief help those in Nepal you can do
Summer Sunday School: We would
love help with Summer Sunday
School after VBS is over - we put children of all ages together from preschool to 6th grade in our Children’s
Ministry classroom, we give you curriculum and it’s a great place for our
VBS kids to go! But in order to make
it happen we need adult help to
take on leading a month, or just a
single week with the kids. The more
leaders they have the better!
Everest VBS: Everest VBS is coming
June 15th-19th! We’re all about facing
big Everest size challenges! We are in
need of nursery help, games leaders,
crew leaders, and of course kids! VBS
is for those entering pre-4 through 6th
grade and we will take volunteers of
any age older than that- middle
school, high school, retirement
school, we’ll take you if you have a
heart for the Lord and His kids! Attached to this newsletter you will find
registration forms- give them to your
neighbors and your kid’s friends. The
more the merrier!
Youth Ministry: May is a quiet month for the 6th-12th grades as we have many
graduations going on, Memorial Day, and Mother’s Day. We will have traditional
youth nights from 6-8pm here at church with games, snacks, and Bible studies on
May 3rd, 17th, and 31st. We are also preparing for Everest VBS and love having
middle school and high School help. High schoolers will also help with a soccer
clinic the following week at Portland Lutheran High School with kids from across
the state and country June 20th-28th. Cost is $120 for the week and that includes
all meals, lodging, a trip to the coast, and an experience of a life time to share
Jesus in a fun way to kids in need! Our middle schoolers head to Camp Perkins
July 18th-25th for a fun week of camp. Cost is $160 and includes, food, lodging, life
changing Bible studies, and a trip to a waterslide park! Contact Eric Oswald for
more info on any of these events [email protected].
May STAR
NORTHWEST SENIOR THEATRE
PRESENTS
“COLORFUL MELODIES”
Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue
Green Green Grass of Home
Yellow Submarine
Red Red Robin
Blue Skies
Rodgers, Hammerstein and Berlin
With Dancing—Comedy—Merriment
May 20, 21, 22, 23, 2015
Wed., Thurs., Fri, and Sat. All at 2:00pm
$5.00 per person at the door. Open Seating
Alpenrose Dairy Opera House
6149 SW Shattuck Rd., Portland
Information 503-227-2003 or [email protected]
Visit our website: nwseniortheatre.org
Forest Hills Lutheran Christian School
Did you know that Forest Hills Lutheran Christian School has a satellite campus offering a
Half Day Kindergarten program and a Full Day K-2 Multiage program here at Bethlehem? We are enrolling now for our 2015-16 school year, and would love to include your children as part of our school
family. You can enroll online through our website www.FHLCS.org or you can call or email our Director
of Admissions for more information and set up a personal consultation appointment. Audrea Lotman,
Director of Admissions. Phone: (503) 359-4853; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.FHLCS.org
Forest Hills Lutheran Christian School Events:
Friday, May 8th is our annual Run for the Hills jog-a-thon. Make a pledge to a Forest Hills student
and support our fine arts program.
Saturday, May 9th is our Public Health and Safety Fair from 10am-4pm. We still have almost 30
spots available for our blood drive through Red Cross. Contact Audrea Lotman at [email protected] to
schedule your appointment time.
Thursday, May 21st join us at the Hillsboro McDonald’s by Costco between 5-8pm for our annual
McTeacher Night fundraiser. Dine in or go through the drive thru. No flyer needed to show support
for our school.
Thursday, May 28th at 7pm is our Spring Music Concert. Enjoy an evening of music with performances by our choir, handbells and band.
13
May STAR
Parish Nursing
Submitted by Dena Bindewald, R.N.
BEE STINGS
With summer just around the corner, no doubt many of you have plans for family picnics, pool parties, reunions and
other outdoor activities such as camping or nature hikes. But with outdoor activities (many of which may involve food)
comes the risk for bee, wasp and hornet stings.
Knowing what to do for someone who has been stung by a bee or other insects can help reduce the pain and risk of potential complications. And if the victim is allergic to insect stings, taking fast and appropriate action can mean the difference between life and death.
Following are some ways in which you can safeguard yourself and others when coming to the aid of an insect
sting victim
Attempt to keep the victim calm. Avoid arm waving and sudden movements as excessive motion tends to provoke bees,
wasps and hornets.
Move the victim away from the source of insects if possible.
If the victim is having trouble breathing, have him/her sit upright. If signs of shock are apparent e.g., pallor, sweating,
rapid pulse or decrease in mental alertness, place the victim on his/her back with the legs elevated. This helps promote
blood return to the heart.
Call 911 if the victim has signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction e.g., difficulty breathing, hives, itching, swelling
beyond the area of the sting site (especially swelling of the face or throat), rapid pulse, diarrhea and unconsciousness.
TELL YOUR DOCTOR IF YOUR CHILD HAS EVER EXPERIENCED SHORTNESS OF BREATH, WHEEZING
OR HIVES AFTER A BEE STING.
If the victim is known to be allergic to bee stings and carries an epinephrine pen or anaphylaxis kit, assist him/her in self
-administering the medication. In addition, you may want to help the victim take an oral antihistamine such as Benadryl.
Note: Encourage the victim to wear a medical-alert bracelet or pendant to alert medical personnel to his/her allergy.
Immediate treatment to the sting site
1. If the stinger is still visible, scrape it off with a credit card or the edge of a fingernail or dull knife blade. Do not use
a tweezer or squeeze with your nail as this may inject more venom (the stinger continues to inject venom even if it is
detached from the insect).
2. Wash and dry the sting site thoroughly. Apply an antiseptic/antibiotic cream to prevent infection. You may also apply a calamine lotion or a paste made of baking soda and water.
3. Apply ice to the sting site to relieve pain and swelling and to slow down the absorption of venom.
4. Give a pain reliever if indicated, preferably Tylenol.
Stay close to a telephone for the next two hours. Reactions, if any, will occur within the first two hours.
Expect some swelling and itching the next day around the sting site. Apply 1% hydrocortisone cream 3-4 times a day if
necessary to relieve itching.
Protection
These “common sense” strategies are ways to protect against insect stings:
1. Avoid brightly colored clothing (White clothing in bee-infested areas may decrease the bees’ potential for aggression).
2. Avoid sandals or walking barefoot on the grass.
3. Don’t drink from an open beverage can that has been sitting unattended (bees can crawl inside!)
4. Keep food covered at all times when outside.
5. Keep outside garbage cans tightly closed.
6. Avoid sweet-smelling perfume.
7. Keep doorscreens and windowscreens tight.
If driving, keep car windows up.
Sources: Nursing 2006, July, Vol.36 No. 7
www.drhull.com
www.covenanthealth.com/healthmonth/june/beestings-1.cfm
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May STAR
We Worship
Worship Services:
Traditional Worship Service 8:30am
Contemporary Worship Service 11:00am
A heartfelt thank you
to Marjie Johnson and
Sarah Hengel for faithfully hosting coffee
hour on Sunday mornings.
Bethlehem Staff
Pastor: Rev. Jeff Shearier
[email protected]
Youth & Children’s Minister:
Eric Oswald
[email protected]
Preschool Director / Teacher:
Carolyn Meier
[email protected]
Parish Assistant &
Preschool Secretary:
Brenda Shults
[email protected]
Parish Assistant:
Kerri Christensen
[email protected]
Worship Coordinator:
Kerry Bauer
[email protected]
Choir Director:
Dena Bindewald
[email protected]
Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Preschool
18865 SW Johnson St. Aloha, OR 97003-3164
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May STAR