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Help Laguna Beach’s Resource Center, especially light of the current financial crisis.  Non-perishable food items are needed to restock Resource Center shelves. Bring boxed, canned and bottled food items, as well as baby and adult hygiene supplies, every Sunday to the Resource Center Collection Box in located Bridge Hall.  More people than ever need our help, and many are middle-class families who never dreamed they would lose their jobs and even their homes.

Recycle your old cell phones! Bring your old phones to the Clee Phone
Collection Box in located Bridge Hall.

Ban the Bag and Save the Environment!
Reusable shopping bags are still available.  Help rid the environment of the plastic bags that are choking our oceans.  Save a tree and use a “Chico” bag instead of a paper grocery bag!
Buy a bag and help save the environment for a mere $5 at NCC’s Sunday Coffee Hour 11 AM - Noon

Benefits “Mamasante” Healthkeepers Program in Ghana

The beautiful home of Lynn and Cathie Kentfield was the site of NCC’s second annual Oktoberfest dinner on October 4th.  Thanks to the generosity of our attendees, $920 was raised to support Freedom from Hunger’s “Mamasante” Healthkeepers Program.  This is a pilot program in Ghana which trains and equips local entrepreneurial woman to earn much needed income for themselves at the same time as providing critical health products in their communities.  These products include proven preventions such as insecticide-treated bed-nets, water purification systems and oral rehydration solutions, along with other products, such as those for hygiene and first aid care.  It is hoped that the Healthkeepers Program will thrive and become a sustainable, viable social enterprise and provide a means of income and improvement in health resources for thousands more rural poor in the future.

The theme of Oktoberfest each year is “food, fellowship and fundraising”.  As for the food, nothing short of spectacular:  Mad Mike’s sausages (expertly grilled by Lynn), green salads, potato salads, cabbage salads, and so much more (provided by JOY members and friends), washed down with seasonal libations and topped off with pumpkin pie and apple strudel.  The fellowship was enhanced by a rain shower which brought everyone inside.  Our “hosts with the most” managed to find seating for all 33 guests.

This year’s Lenten services at Neighborhood Church have featured creative ways to worship, including altar visuals, dance, and music in addition to the more customary scripture and sermons. Among the altar visuals is the purple scarf on the cross, which is raised to reflect the liturgical season. A new symbol this year: the Forgiveness Tree, chosen to reflect our Lenten theme, “A Season of Forgiveness.” This barren tree will be hung with green paper leaves, inscribed with our forgiveness notes. The Diaconate now includes spiritual dance as a part of the more creative Sunday worship services, provided by Carrie Pitt and her friend Solara. The Lenten music provided by Music Director Pam Wicks answers the call of the Worship and Music Innovation Teams for more creative and inspiring worship and music.