Health & Wellness Ministry at St. Stephen's
The ELCA Health and Wellness Social Statement says "Physical and mental health is an essential component of a Christian vocation and is God's intention for every human being. It is vital to our wellbeing and helps strengthen relationships and enhance or Christian service in our communities and world. Promoting good health is our shared endeavor with God, just as caring for our neighbor's health is an expression of Christian love and serve". Understanding and upholding this statement, our ministry provides information to our members that we encourage to be shared with their respective primary care providers in hopes that this enhances the health and wellness care that each member receives.
During the 2019 year, our ministry provided 129 blood pressure checks (which also includes pulse and blood oxygen levels checks). We also provided 12 articles that were included in the St. Stephen's Lutheran "Rambler" publication providing relevant and up-to-date information on current health and wellness concerns within the country. Individual questions have been answered, health explanations have been provided and health assistance has been supplied as requested by individuals visiting the RN.
Because of this ministry, we have had multiple congregation members take the information provided and have constructive conversations with their primary care providers and receive new medications, a change in medication and even go forward with needed procedures.
Thank you for your continued support and use of this ministry! Wishing you a healthy and happy 2020 - may the Lord keep and hold you close in his loving care!
Tammy and John Wollbrinck
Many members of our congregation have received one or both of their Covid-19 vaccines. This is delightful and hope-filled news!
The vaccines are quite exciting too! For the first time vaccines are helping our bodies build antibodies by using messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)! For scientists and science enthusiasts this is exciting news. This video helps to explain how it works.
Getting vaccinated when we are able helps to protect ourselves from the virus, and studies are showing that it also reduces the risk that we will spread it to others. However, until we reach a level where nearly all have had the vaccine, community spread is still possible. So we continue to wear our masks, and prioritize safe gatherings - small numbers, virtual whenever possible - to keep one another safe, healthy, and whole.
Thanks to Tammy Wollbrinck for sharing this and helping us to understand what it means to be a vaccinated community!
Show Kindness and Caring - Wear a Mask!
Do masks really make a difference? The controversy surrounds me constantly. I hear it on the news. I hear it among friends and acquaintances (my family tends to not go there with me). As I shared during coffee hour after church today, I have been doing a great deal of research regarding many topics of COVID-19, masks being one aspect. The following video (actually a short news story from Spokane, Washington) has finally answered the question for me. (I am kind of a "show me" type of person). One of the news reporters goes into the lab for some testing around the need to wear a mask. Watch the entire short segment -- it is pretty amazing and convincing! Show Kindness and Caring - Wear a Mask!
For video scroll down or CLICK HERE
