Blessing Bags OC

Assembling Blessing Bags for this Sunday at Crossline!

Feb 9th, 2023

My wife, granddaughter and I assembled a number of Blessing Bags today for give-away this Sunday at Crossline Church in Laguna Hills, CA. Blessing Bags OC will be at the Connection Booth at Crossline, on Feb 11th, from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm, letting people know about the Blessing Bags OC ministry, and equipping each member or family with a free blessing bag if they choose to get one.

Our vision to equip every member of our local church with a blessing bag for their car trunk, so that during their daily errands, should they run across a homeless person or just a person in need, they will be equipped to stop, give them an blessing bag, and in doing do share the love of God with them.

This is an outreach ministry of the church to our local community, and like the Good Samaritan in the Bible, we ought to be equipped to stop and help any person who is is in need of the basics of life – water, and bit of food, a word of encouragement, and other essentials.

Hope you can stop by the connection booth at Crossline Church this Sunday, and see us!

God bless you,

Paul and Marie Dooley
BlessingBagsOC.com

New Care Ministry Director Gets Involved Quickly!

Jan 21, 2024 – Sunday at Crossline

I was delighted to meet Beth Wood, the new “Care” Ministry director at Crossline Community Church, Laguna Hills, California.

At Crossline, the Blessing Bags OC ministry is part of the churches Care Ministry. So naturally she was interested to hear about Blessing Gags OC. I explained our establishment last year, our purpose and mission – to equip church members “with a bag in every car trunk”, so that should they run across someone in need, they will be equipped to minister to them God’s love with a blessing bag.

I also described what was in each bag, and how that the church supplies many of the items through the Food Pantry ministry. I also gave Beth a sample bag so she could review the contents, and get more familiar with what we hand out.

So wouldn’t you know it! On the way home from church that very same day, Beth ran into a homeless woman on her way. She stopped, greeted the woman, and handed her a blessing bag. She was so thankful! And Beth now says she need a refill! That is no problem, I let her know – that is what we do: equip the saints.

Have a blessed day!

Left a Blessing Bag on a Car

Jan 22, 2024

Today while out running errands I noticed an older SUV in the parking lot. I could see peeking through the windows that it appeared people were living out of this car – two sleeping bags were in the back, and all sorts of boxes and supplies were piled in the front. Believe it or not, a lot of people thrown out of their homes end up like this until thy can find new sleeping quarters.

Wouldn’t you know I just happened to park right next to this car when running into Staples to get some supplies. When I came back to my car to leave, I couldn’t see anyone who might be able to lay claim to the SUV. Normally when I give out a bag, I like to do it in person. But their was no chance of doing that in this case.

I started to leave, but the Lord spoke to me in my spirit, saying “Leave a bag for them anyway”. So I left a blessing bag on their front car window. I figured they would see it when they returned to their car.

So you out there who can lay claim to that SUV – if your reading this – I am praying for you, and I hope the blessing bag helps a little with your journey today.

May God bless and keep you.

Crossline Church Members Snatch Up Bags for Encounters

Oct 8, 2023

Continuing Monthly to Equip Church Members!

We setup at Crossline Church‘s Connection Booth on Sunday Oct 8th, and gave out 18 bags to church members interested in being equipped should they encounter a homeless or person in need during their busy daily activities. We now have nearly a hundred people equipped and on our contact list, and its growing every month!

Marie and I were staffing the booth, with help from Sabrina Joseph and others. As we passed out the bags, we captured people’s names and email addresses, so they can be added to our contact list, and we can update them on future activities and events.

Future Plans: “Special Events” to be Added

In addition to offering free blessing bags to church members about once a month or so, Blessing Bags OC is in the process of planning 2 or 3 big events during the year. These will coincide with special holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. In addition to equipping church members with a bag in their car trunk, so that they are ready to help when encountering a person in need, we feel that periodic events are yet another way to help those most in need, and impact the community for Christ.

Prior to these major holidays, we will bring volunteers together to assemble 50-100 blessing bags,. We will then arrange to pass these out at a shelter in the south Orange County area – in Santa Ana, Laguna Beach, or elsewhere. This will be another way to “step up and step out” to be the body of Christ in the community, giving to those most in need.

Current Needs for Assembling Blessing Bags

Here is what is normally place in a Blessing Bag: https://blessingbagsoc.com/what-is-a-blessing-bag/ And listed below is what we are out of or now running low on.

ITEMS WE ARE SHORT ON:

Small bags of trail mix
Small packages of tissue paper
16 oz plastic bottle of water
Packages of toothbrush with toothpaste
Small socks to warm the feet
Small bars of soap
Protein bars – for energy

If you would like to help with supplying any of these items, you can pick them up at the Dollar Store or $.99 Store in our area. Drop them items by the Crossline Church Connection Booth on Sunday, with a note attached, and we will pick up the items there.

Many blessing to you all, and thank you for your caring heart for those in need.

Paul and Marie
Blessing Bags OC
www.BlessingBagsOC.com

Building Blessing Bags for this Sunday at Crossline Church!

Oct 3, 2023

We are delighted to announced that Blessing Bags OC will again be at Crossline Church in Laguna Hills, California, this Sunday Oct 8th to handout free blessing bags to church members, equipping them to minister to a person in need they may run across in their daily activities.

Today we had some of our small group members, Mike Childers and Lori West, come over and help Marie and I assemble Blessing Bags for this Sunday at church. Thanks so much to Mike and Lori, other members of our small group, and supporters of this ministry – Sabrina Joseph (Care Ministry), Rick Braeutigam, Kelly and Luis Jonas (Hospitality and the Food Pantry), Susan Aguilar, Jamie Morrison, Pastor Greg Munck, and so many more. Without your help and support this ministry would not be possible!

Since this ministry started earlier this year, we have given out dozens of free Blessing Bags at the “We Are The Church” event, plus two other events. Dozens of people from our church have picked up one or two bags to carry in their car trunk, so they are equipped to help someone who is down and out and in need of a little food, water and common necessities.

Now, when that member of the church body encounters a person calling out for help at a gas station, on a street corner, in front of a market or gas station, rather than ignoring them or tossing a few dollars at the person, they are able to stop, grab a Blessing Bag from their car trunk, and minister to the person in a real and helpful way. Just stopping and taking a moment to notice them says “I see you”, “I care”. And then when they are able to hand a Blessing Bag to that person, and tell them “God loves you” — which in point of fact He real does – they are impacting that soul, and the community, for Christ. When you bless a person in need like this, your heavenly Father notices, and will bless you in return.

We live in one of the richest counties in America, yet there are an estimated 6,000 homeless people in Orange Country – living on the street, behind bushes, or under bridges. Join with us to be equipped to lend a meaningful hand to someone you might run across, being the eyes, hand and love of Jesus toward that person. Your encounter with them could make all the difference to them!

Paul and Marie Dooley
Blessing Bags OC
www.BlessingBagsOC.com

Opportunities to Bless are Prepared for You in Advance

Was getting gas for the car and noticed this woman sitting on the grass under a tree, making notes on a pad.

The Lord spoke to my heart, stop.and take time. Go over, park and show my love and care for her. I pulled over and parked, and slowly strolled up to her. She was perhaps in her 40s, with rough weathered skin. She had a bike, a cart, and several plastic bags tied to her bike. She was writing on her pad.

I said Hi, she looked up, and I said, “I don’t know if you can use this, but here is an emergency kit just for you.”

She smiled, and said “Yes, I can sure use an emergency kit now. Wow.. that looks like it has a lot of things I can use. Thank you”.

You will have these opportunities too. They will usually come when you are busy, and don’t want to stop and take the time to bless someone in need. But these are not interruptions to your spiritual walk. These opportunities are “what God has laid out in advance, that you should walk in them”. (Eph 2:10).

So stop, pray to the Lord for guidance, and take a few minutes to show a person in need how much God loves them. Ask them how they are. Bless them with a blessing bag. And ask if you can pray for them. You are after all blessed to be a blessing.

Gave Out Dozens of Blessing Bags During Crossline Event!

Happy to say that this past Saturday was a very successful community event at Crossline Church! There were over 850 needy people from the community at the event, not counting church volunteers and other staff.

The church had prepared the entire previous week, stockpiling clothing donations, and making other preparations. Of course, we were preparing a few dozen blessing bags for our part in the event. When 10 AM Saturday rolled around, we were ready – including our Blessing Bags OC staff! We were set up at the Connection Booth, and welcomed people who were interested in being a part of what “blessing bags” is all about.

We signed up about 25 people who took a special interest in supporting the ministry, which is as you know all about being prepared to give, instead of cash – which is often not the best solution – a “blessing bag” – a bag of food, water and other essential items – to a homeless person you may run across in your busy OC travels.

Although we live in a relatively wealthy county, believe it or not there are still about 6,000 homeless people in OC. Many live on the streets, under bridges, in roadside bushes, or sleep in their car – that is, if they have one. They have no shelter, may lack clothing, and many times food and basic necessities. Receiving a blessing bag from a caring person may often meet an urgent need for the day, bless them in the sense they can see and feel someone cares about them, and they may be comforted with the encouraging words we include.

Our vision for the church is …

“A blessing bag in every car trunk, ready to help”

If we could equip every member of our church with a blessing bag or two in their car trunk, think of the impact this local church could have on the community! This is a real outreach of the church, the body of Christ, to the community we live in. If we are truly the eyes, hands and feet of Jesus, then we should be equipped to give a helping hand to those in need we run across.

God bless all those that served at the event, those that brought their families to pick up needed clothes and school supplies, and those that expressed an interest in the blessing bags ministry. I am looking forward to where God is going to take this in equipping our saints in the small way to impact the community around us.

Be blessed,

Paul and Marie

Making up Blessing Bags for “We Are The Church” on Aug 12th – Part 2

My wife Marie, along with Lori and Carol from our small group, got together again today to assemble some 26 blessing bags for the upcoming “We Are The Church” event, to be held at Crossline Church on August 12th.

This is a special one day event, held every year at Crossline, to help the poor and needy in our community. People will be donating clothing, shoes, bags, and school supplies during the week before the event – from Aug 7 to Aug 11th. Then on August 12th, from 10 AM – 1 PM, the church will be serving you and our community with resources, clothing, school supplies, music, food, games, and fun!

They will have ministry booths – of course Blessing Bags OC will be there explaining our ministry, providing resources, and giving out blessing bags to those that would like to be equipped to help the homeless they run across.

There will also be serve opportunities, as well as many free resources available to our church family and those in need.

You will be able to shop the Crossline Clothes Closet
You can stop by for free health resources.
Need school supplies? Stop by our backpacks booth, and we will set you up for the upcoming school year with a new backpack and school supplies.
And lots more!

>> Click here for more info: https://www.crosslinechurch.com/we-are-the-church/

Look for Blessing Bags OC at the event! We will have a table setup, and will be handing out free blessing bags to equip you and others to care for a homeless person in need they may run across in our busy OC daily life (rather than handing out cash). Remember, we are blessed to be a blessing!

Proverbs 14:21 “It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,
but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.”

May God bless and keep you in His care.

Paul and Marie Dooley
Blessing Bags OC
www.BlessingBagsOC.com

Making up Blessing Bags for Crossline “We Are The Church Event” August 12th

Greeting everyone,

Happy to report that we were able to make up 26 blessing bags this morning, thanks to the supplies you gave, and help and support from you all.

We plan on making at least another 20 bags on Friday, which will put us close to having 50 on hand for the “We Are The Church” event on Aug 12th.

After checking our supplies, here is what we are out of and need more of this week:

– Trail mix – small bags
– Small bottles of water
– Small soap bars
– Toothbrushes, with small toothpaste
– Small packets of facial tissue
– Hair combs

Thanks to Donna for her financial donation this morning, and to Bob and Dottie for their donation. By the way, if you know anyone who wants to donate to help pay for the supplies, you can send them to our web site to click on “Donate”. There can give any amount they want here by pressing the Donate button: https://blessingbagsoc.com/donate/

I will be dropping by the Crossline Food Pantry Wed morning to see what supplies they would like to give. And I’ll pickup anything else at the 99 cent or Dollar stores.

Friday from 10 AM – Noon we will make up the rest of the blessing bags for the upcoming event. If you would like to help with the supplies we need (see the list above), just email me or contact me through the website or Facebook.

And financial donations are always appreciated. These you can make through the website, as mentioned above.

In closing, we will be at the Crossline Church special event: “We Are The Church”, on August 12th, to hand out blessing bags and equip the church to give a helping hand to those most in need.

May our Lord bless and keep you.

Paul and Marie

Blessing Bags OC will be at Crossline Church Event Aug 12!

We are so happy to be participating in the upcoming “We are the Church” event August 12th at Crossline Church in Laguna Hills.

WE ARE THE CHURCH
August 12 from 10 AM to 1 PM

Bring your family and friends to Crossline Church in Laguna Niguel, Saturday, August 12th from 10 AM – 1 PM. The church will be serving you and our community with resources, music, food, games, and fun! They will have ministry booths – of course Blessing Bags OC will be there explaining our ministry, providing resources, and giving out blessing bags to those that would like to be equipped to help the homeless they run across

There will also be serve opportunities, as well as many free resources available to our church family.

You will be able to shop the Crossline Clothes Closet
You can stop by for free health resources.
Need school supplies? Stop by our backpacks booth, and we will set you up for the upcoming school year with a new backpack and school supplies.
And lots more!

>> Click here for more info: https://www.crosslinechurch.com/we-are-the-church/

Proverbs 14:21 “It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,
but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.”

May God bless and keep you in His care.

Paul and Marie Dooley
Blessing Bags OC
www.BlessingBagsOC.com