Service Opportunities
Passing God's love on to those in need

Being part of an active faith community which has been blessed by God's love, we share that love with members of our community and the world who have not been as fortunate or who need a helping hand at the moment. There are many ways one may contribute. Following are some of the current Bethel service opportunities.

Lutheran Social Service's Food Pantry (Year Round)
Lutheran Social Services operates several food pantries around the county. These pantries provide a three-day supply of food to families and a one-day emergency supply. First Link, the community referral agency, coordinates families requesting assistance with the various food pantries in the area. Many of these families are working at low paying jobs, but have had unexpected needs arise that month. For a family without medical benefits, an illness can wipe out that month's income.
Bethel volunteers help stock shelves and pull orders for shoppers. Volunteers work at the Sullivant Avenue Food Pantry on twelve Thursday's a year from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sign up sheets are on the bulletin board. Also, one can donate food throughout the year. There is a box in the comer of the narthex for donated items.
Marzetti Recipe for Faith Mission
Faith Mission (Year Round)
Faith Mission provides temporary shelter and meals for homeless individuals. Various churches and organizations volunteer to conduct a worship service and to provide and serve a meal for the homeless people (100-150) at the shelter that evening. Bethel participates 6 times a year on a Monday evening.
Bethel members can help by going to Faith Mission and serving the meal or by helping to provide the food for the meal. Sign up sheets are on the bulletin board to provide food or to help.

The meal served consists of marzetti , bread, canned green beans, canned corn (No. 10 size cans please) and sheet cakes. Please use the pans on top of the coat rack for the marzetti and any other disposable pan for cakes. All food should be to the church by 6:00 p.m. on Monday.
Food Clusters (Year Round)
The Food Clusters provide or assist families with meals at times of a death in the family. There are 5 food clusters. Each food cluster has a chairperson and about 10 members. Pastor Ray or Melanie Bradley will contact the chair of the designated cluster of the family's needs. . If there is a larger funeral dinner, several clusters may be called. The chair will contact members of the cluster to bring food and/or to help with the meal.
Any one interested in serving on a Food Cluster should contact Melanie Bradley.
Homebound Visitation Team (Year Round)
Homebound members often feel isolated
"I was putting off my Christmas visit to one of our shut - ins who is in an Alzheimer's ward. After some interesting conversation, she talked about her faith. Even though she was confused about her children, family, etc, she was very firm in that our Lord listens to her, talks to her, is so important in her life. The Lord was her one constant in her changing confusing world.

I could so strongly feel God's presence in her life. I who had come to bring some cheer was the one gifted by this woman's faith. I left feeling humbled but blessed by my visit."
from the community at large. Bethel wants them to know that they are still part of our family and not forgotten. The Homebound Visitation Team periodically visits these members of Bethel who are not able to attend church
Contact Melanie Bradley if you are interested in assisting with this ministry. Each team member has one member to visit during the year. At Christmas, each was taken a poinsettia.

Driving people to church, to doctor appointments, etc. (Year Round)
Some members need help in getting to a doctor's appointment or attending church. They may be elderly and do not drive. Bethel members provide transportation for these members. It may be a one-time trip or it may be bringing someone to church on a shared schedule.
Contact Melanie Bradley if you are interested in this ministry.
Lutheran World Relief Service Project (August)
Lutheran World Relief sent health kits, school kits, layettes, soap, and quilts to refugee camps, mission hospitals, and to areas in the world where families are in great need of these items. Because of earthquakes, wars, droughts, and other natural disasters, the recipients often have fled with no personal belongings. These items show that someone in the world cares about their need.

The list of needed items will be posted on the bulletin board in August and collected until the first of September. The kits are assembled in September, and the truck from Lutheran World Relief picks up the items at Holy Trinity Lutheran church at the first of October.
Grove City Emergency Food Services Pantry (September)
September is Bethel's month for donation of food items for the Grove City Food Pantry. Families receive a three-day emergency food supply. In 2003, an average of 585 individuals a month had received food from the pantry. This was an increase of 39 people a month from last year.
The items needed by the Grove City Emergency Food Services Pantry will be posted and can be brought into church through the month of September. There is a box in the comer of the narthex. The Grove City United Methodist Church hosts the food pantry.
Mitten and Hat Tree (December)
Every December, Bethel collects children's hats and mittens for Lutheran Social Services. Children of economically challenged families often have no hats or mittens in the coldest weather. The items are taken to the Lutheran Social Service's Food Pantries for distribution.
Bring mittens and hats for the children and place them on the Christmas tree in the narthex during December.
Adopt a Family (December)
"Thanks for making it possible for us to have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for all the gifts that you sent me. I really like the shoes and boots, the pants and shirt. The first day of school I wear the t-shirt, jeans and shoes.
Thank you from Oliver."
Every December, Bethel helps families from Head Start who are living below the federal poverty guidelines to be able to provide a Christmas for their families. These families do not have the resources to provide more than the basic essentials of life.
"Thank you for the gifts. I like the watch. Thank you for the shoes, pants, and the toy. Thank you for all the gifts that you sent me. I like them a lot.
Thank you from Ali."
With Bethel's help, these children and their parents know that someone cares about them and God's love is extended to them.
Families and their gift requests are posted on the bulletin board the first Sunday after Thanksgiving. Members sign up for items for a particular child or parent. The gifts are brought in wrapped with the appropriate gift tag by the third week of December.

Interfaith Hospitality Network (Year Round)
Religious congregations across Franklin County open their doors - and their hearts to our families. Seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, people of every race, class, gender, ability, and religion provide dinner, a warm place to sleep, companionship, and comfort to families in housing crisis. For over 13 years, the YWCA Interfaith Hospitality Network has served the needs of homeless children and their families. Through a network of congregations, IHN shelters over 1,300 children and their families each year. In 2003 over 1500 children and 600 parents have been sheltered.

For each family contacting the program, there is a common goal of stable housing. At first contact, the Triage Team assesses a family's abilities and needs, and attempts to keep them in current housing.

A family that is homeless is invited into the program and assigned a Resource Specialist who works with the family. With the Specialist's assistance, the family will either obtain permanent housingor temporary shelter. After entering permanent housing, families receive ongoing aftercare to help connect them with community resources.

Bethel will be providing the meal for the whole Family Center, which could be from 100 to 150 people. Almost two thirds of this number will be children. The menu will be meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, green beans, fruit and cookies. At least 10 to 12 volunteers will be needed at the Family Center.

Sign up sheets be posted in the narthex for the meal items, transportation, and volunteers at the Center.

Additional New Opportunities
In response to God's blessing, we give back love to those in need. How this love can be shared with the community is open to ideas that members of Bethel may have. Please share any new ideas of service with Pastor Ray or Melanie Bradley.

Micah 6:8 - "What does the Lord require of you, but to act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

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