Bees

It’s springtime and the bees are active.  I need to swoosh away carpenter bees when I come in and out the door and we need to pay attention to the more aggressive bees that nest in the ground.

BEE alert!  It is also BEE time at Greenbelt Community Church!  Springtime usually signals Heifer Project Time at GCC.  This is the mission activity where the children and youth take the lead.  This year they chose to earn money for BEES that will support our environment and provide a source of income to financially disadvantaged people.

Heifer International was organized in 1944 as a way to make a difference around the world.  The organization describes its history in these words:  In 1944, Dan West began outlining a simple but groundbreaking plan to tackle hunger around the world. His philosophy still inspires Heifer’s work today. Partnering with farmers across a range of different livestock and crops, we create unique solutions to local challenges. Together, we build inclusive, resilient economies, so communities can develop effective ways to end global hunger and poverty in a sustainable way.  Currently, Heifer International is working in 19 countries across 4 continents

BEES are one of the ways available to partner with those in need to provide a sustainable income and to support the environment.  This is how:

A Heifer honeybee gift donation includes a bee package, hive, box, and training in beekeeping techniques. When you buy bees for a family in need, your gift:

• Increases the global honeybee population to support the environment
• Boosts income through sales of honey, wax, and pollen
• Stimulates growth of the family’s crops through pollination

Sometimes it’s the smallest gifts that make the largest impact. Healthy beehives can double the fruit and vegetable yields of small farms. Let your honeybee donation turn a family’s struggle into a lifetime of opportunity.

This coming Sunday, April 23^rd, from 3-5pm the children of the church will be putting on a Heifer BEE Fair.  There will be all kinds of activities and opportunities to contribute through a HONEY/BEE bake sale.  A HONEY taffy pull is planned.  BEE on the lookout for origami bees.  BEE alert and visit (weather permitting) a working beehive.  The Sunday School (thanks Jan Derry and the parents for all the work and ideas) has been hard at work to plan this community wide fun activity.  Come and BEE present to see what they have done!

Rev. Clara