Bellflower Health & Resource Fair @ Bethel Church

Health & Resource Fair
Sunday, March 21 |  11 a.m. till 3 p.m.

Bethel Reformed Church
10012 Ramona Street. | Bellflower, CA 90706 | 562-866-0791

Sponsors: Bethel Church, La Puerta Estrecha & Living Stone Fellowship

Serviced Available: blood pressure, cholesterol testing, glucose testing, blood donations, eye/dental/hearing exams, kid finger printing, and more

Information On: consumer fraud, hospice care, HIV testing, rehabilitation services and nutrition

Participating Exhibitors: American Red Cross Blood Mobile, St. Mary’s Medical Center, American Cancer Society, Olive Crest, Grandparents as Parents, Orange County Celiac, Nat’l Bone Marrow, Teen Challenge, Long Beach Autism, US Vets, Medi-Cal, and many more.

[click here to see a video from last year's health fair]

Bella Art Fest anyone?

It’s about that time.  Artsy people unite!… and call/email me.  We have lots to accomplish for this year’s art festival.  Here are some cool pictures from last year’s event, compliments of Jerome Park Photography:

Need for Citizen Leaders… in Bellflower

I found this great article on one of my favorite blogs, Importance of Place by Marilyn Finnemore.  It inspires me to keep on dreaming about what our community could be if we, the citizens, keep on dreaming and being creative.  We all have a role to play in our city.

Also, please note the reference to an art show.  This is something we will be doing here in Bellflower this summer.  If you’re interested in helping with the planning or know any talented local artists, please email me at christinap@kingdomcauses.org.  Enjoy!

In tough economic times, people in struggling downtown areas have the tendency to point fingers at the Government and conversation seems to be around “who’s to blame.” While local Government shares much responsibility for the economic well-being of communities, I have always felt that citizens, business owners, landlords, artists, and others with a stake in Place, have as much and more power to transform their communities.

If rhetoric can be changed from blame to solutions, and citizen helplessness to empowerment and action, much can be done to transform sluggish downtowns. City Governments, especially with today’s tight budgets, cannot be expected to do it all, and must actively seek citizen involvement and public-private partnerships to help revitalize and promote their City. If citizens can be transformed from complainers to ambassadors and their energy and good will put to use to plan special events, update websites, wield a paintbrush, clean up a lot or stream, host gatherings, organize an art show . . . amazing things can be accomplished without a lot of money. [READ FULL ARTICLE HERE]

6,000 Easter Eggs!

Looks like we’re going to need your help.

We’re looking for individuals, congregations & organizations to partner in our second annual City-Wide Easter Egg Hunt.  To get involved, please contact Abbey at abbeyn@kingdomcauses.org or 562.804-2189.

2010 Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday • April 3, 2010 • 10am
Simms Park | Bellflower, CA

Investing in your own community…

A cool excerpt from The Green Mama/Tracey Bianchi

Perhaps one of the wisest moves we can make is to look at the life we currently live, in the community where we live it out, and start making smarter choices from that center. Rather than snub our noses at those living elsewhere, or sell our cars and head to the farm, maybe we can just begin a bit closer. Say, like connecting with our neighbors.

Photo courtesy of Press Telegram (Brittany Murray)

Wise living might mean reaching out to those in our community so that we can be proactive in bringing bicycle lanes, hiking trails, or sidewalks to the unreachable parts of our towns. It can mean taking the time to get to know our neighbors well enough to curb our emissions by carpooling, running errands together, or walking with our children. It can mean starting or enhancing community recycling, composting, or gardening programs. Or perhaps nudging local libraries to include books and resources that move people toward more socially and globally conscious lives. Maybe it means championing hot lunch programs for under-served families.

Wise living might mean staying put and, as the cliche goes, blooming where we are planted. For if we all pack up and take our growing, increasingly thoughtful lives with us, who will remain to transform the very communities we’ve left?

If we are blessed to have thought through the issues deep enough to know that change is desperately needed where we live, then perhaps one of the best decisions is to simply stay put and help bring about that change — by opening our hearts and minds and by living more wisely right down the street, rather than simply dreaming of those greener pastures.

Bellflower Sings Together!

My favorite part about yesterday’s Carol Sing was overhearing the conversations afterward. Members from different congregations across Bellflower connected over a few cups of hot chocolate. Updates on kids, church projects, plans for the holidays…the everyday stuff that makes up our lives is what connects people who might have just met. It was exciting for me to see people recognizing the value of the “Church of Bellflower” that we talk about sometimes. Of course, all the churches represented could have had their own carol sings, but they would have missed out on the community and connection that took place last night. Instead, as one body we not only sang together, but forged new friendships as well.

As the church of the city, we celebrated the first performance of the Eucalyptus Neighborhood Kids Choir, which performed two songs last night. The choir is the result of a few Jesus-following women who decided to love their neighbors in intentional and practical ways. Without their dedication, those kids wouldn’t have the opportunities like last night’s mini-concert.

Last but not least, participants at last night’s carol sing donated many gifts for the Community Christmas Store that is taking place tomorrow. We’re excited about the store which we hope will bless our neighbors by providing low cost gifts for kids, dignity for their parents, and support for a local cause. If you want to help, we could still use a few more gifts and volunteers for the actual event.

Thanks to everyone who came out last night….and let’s keep those conversations going, shall we?

Christmas Tree Lighting

Come out to the Bellflower Christmas Tree Lighting this Friday at 6:30pm.  Bellflower Boulevard will be closed down from Flower to Oak.  Come out and mingle with your neighbors!

Click here to learn more about the event.

Why not give away the toys for free?

December 15th • 12-2 pm | 6-7 pm
Rosewood Church | 10115 Rose Street | Bellflower, CA 90706
Info? 562.804.2189

Through this unique initiative, local congregations give families a chance to have Christmas with dignity. You can help people have the dignity they deserve by providing donations for this innovative program. Instead of giving handouts to families in need at Christmas time, we give local moms and dads the opportunity to purchase gifts for their family through the Neighborhood Christmas Store.

New toys are significantly marked down 80-90% off the retail price and sold to those in the community who cannot afford to buy presents at full price. Families are offered the opportunity to earn vouchers toward purchases made at the Community Christmas Store by completing community service work, such as helping at Our Place Neighborhood Resource Center.

Bring your unwrapped gifts to the City Wide Carol Sing on December 13th or call us @ 562-804-2189 to arrange a drop off at our store site, Rosewood Church.

Thanksgiving in Bellflower

Thanksgiving Meals:

• 11/20 (Friday) 6pm – 14722 Clark Avenue (Calvary Baptist Church Gym). Hosted by Bellflower Celebrate Recovery & Kingdom Causes.  Home-cooked meal, special music, and encouraging message.  For more information call 562-925-3706.
• 11/24 (Tuesday) 11am – 9881 Alondra Blvd.  Free Thanksgiving lunch.
• 11/24 (Tuesday) 6pm – 17054 Bixby Avenue (Bethany CRC).  Free Thanksgiving meal for Bellflower residents.
• 11/26 (Thursday) 11am – 9740 Flower Street (The Lord’s Church).  Free Thanksgiving Day meal for the Bellflower community.  Pre-service starts at 10am.

Volunteer Opportunities:

• Holiday Food Basket Program hosted by Bellflower Volunteer Center – Donate canned/boxed food or dry goods for Thanksgiving food baskets for Bellflower families.  They’re also looking for volunteers to help with basket deliveries on November 21st from 7:30-10am.  If you’re interested in donating or volunteering, please contact Cindy at 562-925-9003 or cvan@bellflower.org.

If you know of any other Thanksgiving meals taking place during the week of Thanksgiving, please contact us at 562-804-2189 or leave a comment so we can update our site.  Thanks!

National Adoption Month – Perspective of a Bellflower Volunteer

Adoption. Big-time celebrities, from Brad and Angelina to Madonna and Elton John, are catching on to what seems to be symptoms of an adoption bug. We see their generosity in taking orphans into their homes and, let’s be honest – we’re moved.  We might even consider the idea of adopting a child into our homes for a split-second, but shake ourselves out of that emotional rush of heartfelt compassion.  We think adoption isn’t a feasible act for an average Jane or Joe like ourselves. Celebrities make millions of dollars, can afford expensive homes, participate in extraordinary hobbies, and thereby are able to undergo the process of adopting a child. We, on the other hand, are suburban simpletons who work at a 9-5, come home to an average house, and partake in average activities. We aren’t possibly being asked to take on the responsibility of adopting a child into our simple homes!

Well, true… we may live simpler lifestyles than those of the rich and famous, making a fraction of their income. But we may have, at one point, had a desire to bring another child into our home – to be part of a family that he/she never got the chance to have. By no means am I trying to use guilt manipulation in order to get everyone that is reading this blog to someday adopt or partner in adopting a child.