Founded in 1988 and now owned by Four Winds West, an organization supporting at-risk young adults, Bedrock Music & Video is your local resource for purchasing all types of music and renting DVDs. It has a good selection of new and used music and makes special orders twice a week if there's ever a title you're looking for that they don't already have in stock. Bedrock Music & Video has hosted live music events, including a performance by Michael Franti, and is hoping to have more events like this in the future. For DVD rentals, new releases are $4 for two nights, and stock titles are $3 for 5 nights (prices as of 2011). To learn more about Bedrock Music & Video, please visit their website or stop in to check it out in person.
First Presbyterian Church has a growing congregation in downtown Livermore. The church offers service every Sunday and serves the Tri-Valley and beyond. Steve Wilde is the pastor.
In the church's monthly newsletter, Father Tom Verber muses on the generous deeds of his church and school staff, noting that the new principal of Our Lady of Grace School, Ryan Brusco, helped "repaint the walls around the lunch area." Students of the school, writes Father Tom, spent time preparing background scenery for a summer school stage play.
It's this level of community involvement that defines Our Lady of Grace Church, making it the ideal place to come for answers about tying the knot, starting a Christ-centered family, baptisms and many other spiritual needs.
Valley Church is an independent Bible church. This diverse Silicon Valley church community is unified by its love for Jesus Christ as the savior. The community also is characterized by its respect for the Bible as the word of God. Mutual respect and engagement with the community and the world via missions are the hallmarks of this church. Traditional-style worship services are offered early Sunday mornings and a later worship service is in a more contemporary style. Sunday School classes are organized by age and interest.
Rising International is dedicated to promoting ownership of craft-based businesses by women in impoverished areas of developed and developing nations. The organization focuses on women in high-risk areas such as refugees, homeless women, those with HIV/AIDs and former slaves in former war-torn regions.
St Mark's is a Lutheran church and school serving Citrus Heights, California. The mission of the school is to glorify God, grow in His word, and go with the gospel. The goal of the school is to mold children into children of God by focusing on spirit, intellect, the body and social skills, all godly principles. The school has a Lion's Club, Cub Club, Summer Youth Programs, FACES program, youth groups, a basketball team, volleyball team, and track and field team. The church holds Bible study sessions for adults and children, as well as worship services.
University Lutheran Church is located across from UCSD. It is a small church with a traditional structure. The courtyard and entryway are heavily shaded with oak trees. For further information about the congregation, visit University Lutheran's website.
Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church in Clayton has numerous community and youth activities, such as prayer classes, book studies, even music concerts. Its motto is "Open hearts, open minds, open doors." An events calendar is on the website.
Villa Aurora is a Los Angeles historical landmark and artist residence. Originally built in 1927, it was home to émigré German-Jewish novelist Lion Feuchtwanger and his wife Marta. It was once a magnet for socializing among L.A.'s European émigré artists, writers and composers, including Bertolt Brecht and Thomas Mann as well as movie greats Fritz Lang and Charlie Chaplin. After undergoing restoration, Villa Aurora reopened in 1995 as an artist residence and houses Feuchtwanger Memorial Library, fostering German-American exchange in the fields of literature, music, art and film. The villa offers various cultural events during the year. Tours of the Villa arranged by appointment show the home's major rooms, the installed organ and its pipes and the front and rear patios.
This city building hosts a number of community groups and nonprofits, including the San Mateo Family Service Agency, which provides adult day care, and the the International Institute of the Bay Area, which assists with immigration issues. Legal clinics, 12-step groups and exercise classes meet here and a daily lunch is served for senior citizens. Referrals are made for emergency food and shelter. A larger San Mateo County building is next door, with plenty of free parking in front. Most services are provided in English and Spanish.
In 1961, nine people gathered in Oceanside to create the non-denominational Lighthouse Christian Church. Fifty years later, this congregation has reached almost 1000 weekly members. Though currently in renovation, the entire campus plans to include classrooms, a gym, children's play yard, plaza and outdoor seating area, as well as 500 parking spaces. Programs here include Ladies Night Out, Children's Program, Men's Breakfast and much more. It has one traditional and two contemporary worship services every Sunday.
The Watsonville Career Center, one of the three county-run work-force assistance programs, offers a variety of career services to people who are out of work or seeking other employment. The center is also home to the state's employment services office. Programs are tailored to specific situations or demographics, such as a youth employment program and employment services for low-income adults 55 or older. Appointments are encouraged and are necessary to access some services.
Multicultural Institute is a non-profit organization helping immigrants improve their lives. Through vocational and social education, GED preparation and after-school tutoring, the institute attempts to help people help themselves and their communities. The Multicultural Institute is one of many programs linked to the Province of St. Barbara, Franciscan Friars. Check its website for a full list of activities. Donations are always welcome.
St. Martha Catholic Church is an excellent resource to Catholics in the community. Providing plenty of youth programs, as well as communion and confirmation programs, the congregation donates time, money and food to the community. Wednesday and Sunday service is available, and the large building provides classrooms, halls for prayer, as well as facilities to celebrate larger events, like weddings and wakes.
