November 2021 at the United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz
Welcome to our October 2021 edition of activities at the United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz!
We remain committed to making healthy adjustments to our services to keep people safe as this pandemic continues … We offer you Worship and Small Groups In-Person and on Zoom (Hybrid)! Thanks for connecting with our website. If you are new to our website, we invite you to share your contact information with us under “Contacts” to receive the latest recurring link to Worship, and updated information on Small Groups. “Like Us” on Facebook. Our Web Address: https://umcsantacruz.org
Join us as you grow deeper in your faith. Whoever you are and wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome to grow with us.
Our Zoom Small Groups continue every Tuesday; first, third and fourth Thursdays, and on Wednesday mornings; Hybrid options are available for many of our Small Groups.
We serve Communion on the 1st Sunday; outdoor mask requirement is now optional; Passing of the Peace is interactive and prayer stations have been re-introduced. Enrich your spirit; let us know how we can support you!
Take a peek at our Hybrid Worship for November . . . Advent begins on November 28.
November 7th – Communion – All Saints Sunday
For many people over the last year, this has been a time of grief and loss. Today we will acknowledge this time of dying as we remember loved ones and friends who have died, and give thanks for this time of living, with sure and certain hope that we are never left to grieve on our own.
As Isaiah 25:6-9 suggests, we can honor loved one, grieve as a community of faith for the losses we have experienced over the last year, and give thanks and praise for God who sustains and holds us.
It is in this context of our spiritual community where we gain support and grow in the midst of these stressful times.
November 14th
How are we intentionally sharing the gifts God has graciously shared with us? How are we an offering … what does it mean to “share intentionally and generously?” What could possibly cause us to hold back from sharing?
As demonstrated in Mark 12:38-44, perhaps fear and scarcity can prevent us from sharing a ministry of generosity. Might we be able to move from a place of withholding/hording into a discerning place of spiritually sharing our gifts?
What benefit(s) do we receive in thoughtfully offering to others what God has given to us?
November 21st – Celebrating with Thanksgiving
‘Give thanks with a Grateful Heart’ comes to mind as we think of Matthew 6:25-33.
As we move toward God’s Beloved Community, how do we give thanks … and for what?! In our comfort and in our discomfort; in the distresses of this world; we struggle sometime to find the words and the ability to ‘give thanks’. May we find the ability to let go of the worry, and to offer praise that is beyond us.
