“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.”
- 1 Peter 4:10

As parents, we want to teach our children the joy of serving others, but it can sometimes be a challenge to find appropriate ways to serve together as a family. Throughout the summer of 2009, Bethany families will have many opportunities to do just that through a variety of Families In Service projects, activities and mission trips.

Families in Service is the Children’s Ministries program that alternates with Vacation Bible School every other summer, and the “family” in Families in Service is the entire Bethany family. While the service opportunities are all kid-friendly, they are by no means limited to parents with young children. Couples, singles, empty nesters, retired folks, and anyone else interested in mission and service are encouraged to participate!

Here are just a few of the Families in Service opportunities coming up this summer:

• Kenyan Book Drive. Help to build up the school library at Christ’s Gift Academy in Kenya by donating new or gently used books.
  
• Urban Impact Work Day. Join other Bethany folks for an afternoon helping with outdoor cleanup work for Urban Impact, a program that meets many critical needs of children, youth and families in Seattle’s Rainier Valley.
  
• Bagels & Bag. A short, age-appropriate skit about homelessness will be presented for preschoolers and their families, who will then have an opportunity to put together bags of essential supplies that families can keep in their cars to give to homeless people.
  
• Environmental Stewardship “Food and Fun”. A hands-on chance for families to learn more about being good stewards of God’s creation through a tour of a “pea patch” and a shopping trip at the Ballard Farmers Market, followed by a group cooking experience to prepare and enjoy a dinner made from ingredients picked up during the day’s adventures.
  
• Summer Academy Lunch Preparation. Support Urban Impact’s Summer Academy in the Rainier Valley by helping to prepare a week of summer camp lunches.
  
• “Invite a Friend” Pool Party. A great opportunity to reach out to a friend or neighbor and invite them to a fun Bethany event at Magnolia’s Pop Mounger pool.
  
• Wednesday Night Dinners. Sign up to join other Bethany families helping with dinners on one of the three “Families in Service Nights.”
  
• Mission trips. Two multi-age groups from Bethany will travel this summer to Ensenada, Mexico and to Esperanza, Vancouver Island, where they will work hard, build relationships, learn by experiencing a new culture, and share the love of Christ.
  
• Other service opportunities this summer might include reaching out to Bethany seniors and single mothers, opportunities for children to collect change for a service project, connecting with refugee families, learning about environmental stewardship through a Lake Union cleanup day or a visit to a local berry farm, and an online devotional guide to help families focus on outreach and service throughout the summer .

The entire Bethany family is encouraged to prayerfully consider how God might be calling you to serve others this summer.

Please join us at the “Families in Service Kick-Off” after both morning services on Sunday, June 7 th, where you will have the opportunity to put together AIDS caregiver kits, make cards of encouragement to missionaries, as well as learn more details about Bethany’s Families in Service 2009.