by Julia Sensenbrenner

Children’s Ministries is looking toward the summer and have a wide variety of outreach opportunities to offer for families with children of all ages. These mission opportunities range from one hour to approximately one week, and cover a distance from Bethany as far as the Philippines. Consider what would be good for your family, then stay tuned for more updates!

Mission Trip Orientation
May TBD
General training for all groups, followed by meetings in specific groups.

Mission Trip Fundraiser
May 11-12
Bake sale during Narnia intermission.

Families In Service Summer Kickoff
Sun, June 3, after both morning services
Learn about activities and sign up after both services; special outreach and prayer projects for children

Summer Sunday School: Meet our outreach partners
June 24-July 29

Wednesday Night Dinners
June 27, July TBD, August 15
Help out at a Wednesday Night Dinner on one of the three dates. Children (ages 10 and up) could be on the service line with a parent beside them. Other options for involvement include: providing a dessert and serving it, creating a special art project to do with dinner guests, providing music or entertainment, or helping clean up.

Bagels and Books
June 30
A one hour morning event introducing preschoolers and their families to outreach. It includes a light breakfast (bagels, OJ and coffee/tea), book readings by Nancy Carlstrom and a cultural diversity reading list for kids to take home. Each child will be encouraged to bring a book to donate to Union Gospel Mission Mothers and Children Program (or perhaps some other ministry).

World Relief Vacation with a Purpose
July 16-20 & August 6-10
Bethany families can commit to a work-week of service to refugees in Kent. This would include living in an apartment complex with refugee families and organizing activities such as special projects, meals together, or field trips. (10 people max.) Lina Karman (linakarman@yahoo.com, 282-2177).

Yakama Cultural Exchange
July 20-22
This is a three-day trip (Friday afternoon-Sunday afternoon) for families with children who are kindergarten to 5th grade to stay in Yakima, share experiences with Native Americans, and support Emily Mitchell and Mending Wings Ministry. (4 families maximum) Contact Dianne Ross (dianner@bethanypc.org) or Jennifer Steenstra (Jennifer.steenstra@fitch.com, 706-8157).

Environmental Stewardship
July 21-22 (2-day) & August 8-10 (3-day)
Grayce Mitchell will coordinate a package of activities which will involve elementary-age children in the 1st-5th grades with a parent meeting at a local farm to learn about farm operations and pick whatever food is in season. The group will then return to the church or other kitchen to process the items, such as making jam out of raspberries.

World Relief Aquarium & Zoo Trip
July 21 (aquarium); August 11 (zoo)
Bethany families will invite refugee families to the aquarium and/or zoo. Bethany will provide van transportation and lunches for refugee families. Cal Uomoto or Kelly Pearson will give a brief orientation on World Relief’s ministry to refugees and a debriefing afterward. (20-25 people) Contact Lina Karman (linakarman@yahoo.com, 282-2177).

Portugal Mission Trip
July 22-30 (final dates TBD)
For families with children 1st grade or older. This trip coincides with “Serve the City” a city-wide event in Lisbon from July 24-28 offering many service opportunities. We will also be spending time with the Kleber family. Contact Louisa & Scott Malatos (baileydreams@usa.net, 328-1255).

Bagels and Bags
July 28
This is a one hour morning event introducing preschoolers and their families to outreach. It will include a light breakfast (bagels, OJ and coffee/tea), a 5-minute talk by Janet Moore on homelessness, and stations to decorate lunch bags. Once the bags are decorated, the children could stuff their bags with a couple appropriate items (such as sun screen and a bottle of water), including a card with information on Bethany’s Wednesday Night Dinner. We will provide a list of recommended food items that families can add to their bags at home. The bags can be kept in the car and then handed to homeless people on street corners.

Bethany Pool Party
Fri, Aug 3, 7:30-9:00 pm
For our annual pool party on a Friday evening in August, Bethany families are encouraged to reach out and invite friends or neighbors, who will be included for free.

Celebration and Wrap-up Dinner Event
September 15

OTHER DATES TO BE DETERMINED

Urban Impact

• Sunday Sandwich making for summer youth programs

We will make sandwiches and assemble lunch bags for 150 children participating in Urban Impact’s weekly programs.

• Providing Childcare

Volunteers will provide childcare to support adults in Urban Impact classes. In the past, these classes have been on Wednesday evenings for a 4-6 week series.

• Work Day

Bethany teams will spend one day doing a variety of outdoors projects at Urban Impact, similar to the Bethany Cares Day last October when volunteers weeded, spread bark and pulled down an unused shed. (5 years and above)

World Relief Refugee Simulation
July 14
The Refugee Project takes families with children from the 4th-8th grades through a simulation of a family’s life in a refugee camp and the process they go through to come to the U.S.

Philippines Mission Trip
Sara McMahon is investigating options for an orphanage-focused trip in late summer or early fall.

Befriend a Senior
Flexible dates: We have a list of 15 older Bethany members or couples, 3 of whom would enjoy a visit from a Bethany family to their retirement community, while 12 others are more mobile and could do an activity or be invited to a home for dinner. We would provide suggestions and contact information, but the family would be responsible for making the contact and executing the visit.