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Welcome to the Season of Easter; a time for Celebrating new life and sharing the love of Jesus Christ with our neighbors.
We remain committed to offer a healthy and safe ministry as this COVID Pandemic changes. We offer Hybrid Worship and Small Groups. Thank you for connecting with our website, where we provide updated information about our ministry. Worship information may be obtained by contacting us on our website: https://umcsantacruz.org
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Join us as we deepen our resolve to share love generously. Whoever you are and wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome to grow with us.
We offer Zoom Small Groups on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and the first, third and fourth Thursdays. Friday Night Shelter is offered as part of our service to the community. Indoor Worship includes welcoming vaccinated participants, indoor masking and singing, interactive Passing of the Peace, Prayer Stations at safe distances, and outdoor masking based on your comfort level. Safe Communion is offered on the 1st Sunday. Sing with Music Team on Tuesday evenings! Enrich your spirit; let us know how we can support you!
Here is our Hybrid Worship the Easter Season:
April 17th – Celebrate the Resurrection
The Easter story comes from John 20:1-18.
We welcome everyone to gather and celebrate new life as experienced by the first witnesses who have passed down this exciting faith to us! Our Music Team will sing; their will be additional music. We invite you to stay and socialize outside as we offer fellowship treats and festive conversation! There might event be treats to share! No matter what, the Celebration of New Life is a gift to share!
April 24th
Join Haley Feuerbacher as she shares the message from John 9, focusing on “Christianity Is a Verb”, helping us to understand compassion and connection as the heart of following Christ. Dr. Haley Feuerbacher is the founder and executive director of the Center for Courageous Compassion and is a storyteller, facilitator, spiritual activist, and theologian transplanted from Texas.
May 1st – Communion
This Religious Icon, “Drink of it, for it is my blood,” was created by Ulyana Tomkevych of Lviv, Ukraineh. This image will serve as a reminder of the way hearts can be changed … O God Hear Our Prayer! As we celebrate the early followers of ‘The Way’ in Acts 9:1-20, we discover how “Saul” would become “Paul”. No, he didn’t just have a ‘name change’ … he had a ‘faith change’! He began to see (literally!) in a new way, and such new sight gave him the opportunity to treat others with empathetic understanding. Are we open to new insights about ourselves as we relate to others in new ways?
May 8th
Acts 9:36-43 invites us to explore how we can learn to support others on their journey… as we have learned (and continue to learn) from others on our journey of faith. This Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate those mentors in our lives who have taught us life lessons. Who are we mentoring in our lives … supporting, nurturing, welcoming into this new season of life?
May 15th
John 13:31, 33-35 instructs us to ‘Love One Another’. We are to follow the Resurrected Jesus into the world by caring and sharing with our neighbors. As we are nourished by our faith, how do we nourish others? What are the ways we acknowledge our brokenness and the brokenness of the world, and make a commitment to bring healing to others and the brokenness of our world?
May 22nd
From John 14:23, 25-28 and Acts 16:9, 12-15, we discover what it means to find peace as a ‘spiritual state of being’.
Perhaps we all have a longing to find that great place of peace…in our hearts…in our minds…in our world. Peace within our family systems … Peace in our neighborhoods … Peace within the Chaos!
The gift of spiritual peace is found by cultivating peace with one another.
This picture of peace comes to us by way of Pat Verheul, from a recent visit to Henry Cowell.
Breathe in the peace … Breathe out peace to our world. Repeat. Repeat often. Repeat for as long as it takes.
May 29th
Acts 16:16-34 reminds us of what keeps us imprisoned and what brings us liberation. How ironic that Paul and Silas stayed free of their imprisonment in order to keep someone from being imprisoned—or worse! What does being free mean to us? And how does our spiritual freedom encourage us to offer reconciliation to others?
Reconciliation with the world brings us true freedom.
Palm Sunday and Holy Week hold a rich tradition in the Christian Faith.
Journey with us as we follow the journey of Jesus in Jerusalem during this week, preparing our hearts and minds to absorb Good Friday and wrap our spirits around the Resurrection on Easter Morning.
April 10th. Palm Sunday Hybrid Worship at 10:45 am
Share your contact information on our website by 9 am on Sunday to receive additional information.
Please note that our protocols remain in place; we ask that you be fully vaccinated for in-person worship.
Our Music Team will be singing in Worship for the first time since the Pandemic began.
April 15th. Good Friday Self-Guided Meditation, noon to 3 pm
Our Sanctuary will be available for prayer and meditation during the afternoon. You may come at any time and spend time in contemplation during this time.
Welcome to the Season of Lent; a time for reflecting upon our relationship with God and one another as we strive to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
We remain committed to offer a healthy and safe ministry as this COVID Pandemic continues. We offer Hybrid Worship and Small Groups.
Thank you for connecting with our website, where we provide updated information about our Small Groups. Worship information may be obtained by sharing your contact information on our website. “Like Us” on Facebook! Share our web addresss: https://umcsantacruz.org
Join us as you grow deeper in your faith this Lent. Whoever you are and wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome to grow with us.
We offer Zoom Small Groups on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and the first, third and fourth Thursdays. Friday Night Shelter is offered as part of our service to the community. Indoor Worship includes welcoming vaccinated participants, indoor masking and singing, interactive Passing of the Peace and Prayer Stations at safe distances, and outdoor masking based on your comfort level. Safe Communion is offered on the 1st Sunday. Enrich your spirit; let us know how we can support you!
Take a peek at our Hybrid Worship for this Season of Lent as we journey with Jesus:
March 2nd, noon, Ash Wednesday in the Sanctuary – Gospel Focus: Matthew 6
We gather to prepare for our Lenten Journey with Jesus by remembering that ‘we are dust, and to dust we shall return’. May we immerse ourselves into the spiritual practices of repentance, fasting, service, prayer, study, and faithful reflection. While this service is sparse and will only last one-half hour, this is our opportunity to “begin anew”.
March 6th. Communion will be served – Gospel Focus: Luke 4:1-13
During these five Sundays of Lent that will lead us onto Palm Sunday and Holy Week … and then onto Easter, we will explore the historical ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ in a new way. Exploring the question, “What gets in our way of Spiritual Faithfulness?”, we will look at how the earth/environment, racism, sexism, immigration, human trafficking, child vulnerability, and other issues are affected by our struggles to live faithfully, causing the world to live unharmoniously. Today we will explore the harm that comes from the three temptations Jesus is offered: The temptations of Feeding our Hunger (Gluttony; people starving); Feeding our Power-hunger (Lust; wanting everything in the world); Feeding our Apathy (Sloth, resisting being actively involved in our own faith journey).
March 13th – Gospel Focus: Luke 13:31-35
“What gets in our way of Spiritual Faithfulness?” is an appropriate question as we explore the next ‘Deadly Sin’ of Pride. Ponder how excessive pride can get you into trouble. Sometimes we are not even aware how our pridefulness can be harmful to others. Sometimes pride is more identifiable in others, and we neglect to recognize such pridefulness in ourselves. Jesus is on a journey; live humbly.
March 20th – Gospel Focus: Luke 13:1-9
“What gets in our way of Spiritual Faithfulness?” as we become Angry … a very ‘churchy word’ for anger is wrath. Jesus invites us to change our hearts and lives. Such self-examination is much more difficult when we are angry. We don’t always seem to think rationally when anger strikes us. This is an opportunity to be aware when our anger increases … to explore what is causing such an emotion, and how to address anger before we share words and actions that harm others as well as ourselves.
March 27th – Gospel Focus: Luke 15
United Methodist Committee on Relief Special Offering
“What gets in our way of Spiritual Faithfulness?” when we read this parable. While many of the ‘deadly sins’ might fit this story, we will explore Greed. We live in a community where there is greed in abundance. While the prices of real estate skyrocket, the unhoused continue to be affected and our leaders are at odds as to how to best address the care of persons who need to have a hassle-free place to lay their heads. While our community members are concerned, people also say that our unhoused neighbors are not welcome to stay in our ‘backyard’. We face a continued crisis of greed in our own backyard! This crisis also extends throughout the world. How do you respond to this crisis?
April 3rd. Communion will be served – Gospel Focus: John 12:1-8
“What gets in our way of Spiritual Faithfulness?” might also be answered by addressing our ambitious nature of Envy. Envy is that (fake/misguided/harmful) realization that others have what we want. Sometimes there are ways we delude ourselves by being thankful for what we have and having our eyes wonder into our ‘neighbor’s backyard’. But does that old adage ring true in our experience: ‘the grass (may look) greener on the other side of the fence (but in reality…are we being unrealistically envious)’?!
April 10th. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday – Gospel Focus: Luke 19:28-40
Join us as we welcome Jesus formally into our lives, our community, and our world. We will journey with Jesus into the week ahead. This Sunday, there will be music, familiar songs, and an opportunity for reflection so that we can “catch our breath” before we journey forward with Spiritual Faithfulness.
We remain committed to offer healthy adjustments to our activities & to keep people safe as this COVID Pandemic continues … Hybrid Worship and Small Groups (In-Person and on Zoom.)
Thank you for connecting with our website, where we provide updated information about our Small Groups. Worship information may be obtained by sharing your contact information. “Like Us” on Facebook! Please share 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.
We offer Zoom Small Groups on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and the first, third and fourth Thursdays. Indoor Worship includes welcoming vaccinated participants, indoor masking and singing, interactive Passing of the Peace and Prayer Stations at safe distances, and outdoor masking based on your comfort level. Safe Communion is offered on the 1st Sunday. Enrich your spirit; let us know how we can support you!
Our Thanks to Joseph Jacobs for sharing his photograph with us (above).
Take a peek at our Hybrid Worship for February:
February 6th – Communion will be served
Luke 5:1-11 offers us the example of ‘fishing’ during the time of Jesus.
Just drop your nets in the deep waters!” Amazing the number of fish caught! Jesus says to Simon Peter, “Don’t be afraid!”
Are we fearful about going ‘fishing’ in our community in 2022? Do we have expectations about sharing our faith with others? How are we living our faith in these pandemic times?!
February 13th – Luke 6:17-26
We are pleased to have Sam Altis with us again as he shares insight about the “upsidedown-ness” of Jesus’ teaching. Colin, Trish, Sherry, Elaine and Beth will share parts of the service to enhance our spiritual growth throughout worship. Sam comes to us from the Association of Faith Communities (AFC). AFC offers our community shelter for the unhoused and safe parking in various sights. We have been part of AFC’s ministry for over 9 years.
February 20th – Luke 6:27-38
Could there be a more challenging theme to tackle than trying to ‘love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and bless those who curse you’. Finding a way to ‘pray for those who mistreat you’ sounds quite manageable after trying to love, do good and bless those who for whom you are estranged. Join us as we explore how to be compassionate just like God!
February 27th – Luke 9:28-43
As Jesus secures insight from his spiritual forebearers, God reminds us to be observant and listen to the heartbeat of our faith.
What follows this event is another healing story of a man who has been tortured by an unclean spirit. Jesus reminds us to prepare our hearts and minds for the care and healing of others … Jesus reminds us that we have been empowered to care for others.
When are we most overwhelmed by God’s greatness and what prevents us from being able to respond to the needs of others? These are wise questions to ponder as we move into the season of Lent during March.
Join us for this Zoom Small Group – or you may ask that we also offer this study in-person. The Zoom Link will be sent out to participants prior to the first meeting.
Books have been ordered ($12.25). See Pastor Jay for additional options/arrangements. Order a Kindle edition on Amazon.
This every other Six Week Study will meet on Wednesdays: Morning Group – 10 am to noon, Evening group – 7 pm to 9 pm. You may attend either group:
January 26
Chapters 1 – 3
February 9
Chapters 4 – 6
February 23
Chapters 7- 9
March 9
Chapters 10 – 12
March 23
Chapters 13 – 15
April 6
Chapters 16 – 18
Links to book reviews:
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57005337-if-god-is-love-don-t-be-a-jerk
In-Person Worshippers, please Sign-Up during Worship.
Zoom Worshippers, please send an email request to Pastor Jay: (pastorjay@umcsantacruz.org)
Join us at the United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz!
We remain committed to making healthy adjustments to our activities, to keep people safe as this pandemic continues …
We offer you Hybrid Worship and Small Groups; In-Person and on Zoom; Singing!
Thanks for connecting with our website!
If you are new to our website, we invite you to share your contact information under “Contacts” to receive the latest recurring link to Worship, and updated information on Small Groups. https://umcsantacruz.org
“Like Us” on Facebook.
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.
Safe Communion is offered on the 1st Sunday; Indoor Masks; Outdoor Masking is based on your comfort level; Passing of the Peace and Prayer Stations are interactive.
Enrich your spirit; let us know how we can support you!
Our Thanks to Pat Verheul for sharing her photograph with us (above).
Take a peek at our Hybrid Worship for January:
January 2nd – The Celebration of the Epiphany – Communion will be served.
The Magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to celebrate the birth of Jesus; these were gifts representative of the needs, ministry and spiritual presence of Jesus. What are the gifts you affirm in your life and plan to share with the community and the world? Is there a spiritual practice you wish to explore in this new year that will help you and the world continue to find healing for yourself and the world? Allow Matthew 2 to inform your spirit as this new year begins.
January 9 – It’s 2022!!
Here is our opportunity to make a fresh start! Today we will celebrate a “Reaffirmation of Baptism” based on both Isaiah 43:1-3a and Luke 3:15-17, 21-22. We live by an ocean. We’ve seen lots of rain this season! What changes will we make in our lives to be the change we want to see in 2022?! Prayerfully consider that question. May we be the change we want to see happen. What will it take to make that change happen in us? Are we working prayerfully with God to help make a difference in our world?
January 16th – Human Relations Day – This is the first of six yearly special offerings.
Today we explore the “Spiritual Gifts of the Spirit. Ponder what gift(s) you have been blessed with: wisdom … knowledge … faith … healing … being a miracle worker … prophecy … the discerner of spirits … the understanding of language … the gift of interpretation
We shall recognize the gift of leadership in our congregation…and give thanks!
January 23rd
What is the Good News in our time?
How do we discover it… follow it… ‘BE it’?! Jesus reads from the words of Isaiah as recorded for us in Luke 4:14-21.
How are we helping to bring Good News …to the poor …release to the captives …sight to those who do not see …liberation to the oppressed?
Do we see this in our lives as being a time of “God With Us”? And what are we doing about that ‘Good News’?!
January 30th – Luke 4:22-30
Jesus nearly gets pushed off a cliff … he nearly gets run out of town. However, Jesus teaches us how to be empowered … how to face our truths … and grow from being defeated to enlightened … to grapple with deep truths that may hold us back from being ‘the child of God’ that God envisioned us to be from our birth. We can face our demons. We can address injustice. We can be an example to others of God’s Healing Spirit! Come and learn! Grow in God’s Grace!
Join us at the United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz!
We remain committed to making healthy adjustments to our activities, to keep people safe as this pandemic continues …
Thanks for connecting with our website!
If you are new to our website, we invite you to share your contact information under “Contacts” to receive the latest recurring link to Worship, and updated information on Small Groups.
“Like Us” on Facebook.
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.
New This Month: Enjoy singing while remaining masked!
Safe Communion is offered on the 1st Sunday; the Outdoor Mask requirement has been relaxed based on your comfort level; Passing of the Peace and Prayer Stations are interactive. Enrich your spirit; let us know how we can support you!
Our Thanks to Joseph Jacobs for adapting this internet photo of an Old Barn for our Advent Series Unsettled Times.
Take a peek at our Hybrid Worship for this Christmas Season: Our Advent focuses on the series “Unsettled Times”. Imagine being born in a barn; how unsettling is that?!
November 28th – Unsettled Hope
These are times that unsettle us. We anticipate gathering together, but our old ways of being in community that we have longed to return to…are history! We find ourselves constrained…still wearing masks!
Mary and Joseph anticipated the old ways…‘the usual life’ as a young couple about to be married … and yet, they were called to leave their home to travel during the census!
Luke 21:29-36 calls us to pay attention to these unsettled times. Our Hope lies in the presence of God who does not abandon us in times of distress. We are called to stay attentive … to anticipate the Beloved One of God.
Simplify … Breathe … Light one Candle … Open yourself up to God through Prayer ….
December 5th – Unsettled Peace – Communion
Where do we find peace in these unsettled times? Simplify. Choose one tradition that you used to do during this time of year and allow yourself to focus additional time on enhancing the Peace of Christ in your life.
John reminds us in Luke 3:3-6 to Prepare the way for God’s Beloved! Luke 1:78-79 reminds us that God’s deep compassion is breaking upon us … guiding us on the path to peace. We do not have to go fanatically-crazy by ‘shopping ‘til we drop’, or ‘baking every cookie’.
Simplify … Breathe … Light two Candles … Pray with God for your neighbors ….
December 12th – Unsettled Joy
Where is the Joy we’ve been promised in this season? We’re constrained! Are we not promised JOY?! Joy is not the same as happy. Joy is about God’s Spiritual Presence in your live … and how you share that joy.
Luke 3 finds us with John reminding us to produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. Be watchful for the ways you can help change the world by the grace of God. Allow that joy to consume you!
Simplify … Breathe … Light three Candles … Pray with God for our unsettled world to find the Joy through Compassion ….
December 19th – Unsettled Love
The ‘romanticized happily-ever-after’ kind of love that we’ve bought into has often left us angry, empty, and/or blaming ourselves/others. God does not leave us in an unsettled place. How do we find fulfillment in these times?
Luke 1:39-55 allows us to experience a truly unsettled time when Elizabeth and Mary each became “with child”. When we feel unsettled, remember the prayerful spirit that welled up out of Mary as she realized that God had ‘lifted up the downtrodden and filled the hungry with good things”. As we live through these unsettled times … may our spirits find healing and a new way of being as we move from being self-absorbed to living as witnesses to our faith!
Simplify … Breathe … Light four Candles … Pray with God to be of loving service to others ….
December 24th – Christmas Eve Service of Carols – 7:00 pm
Light the Jesus Candle and allow that light to brighten our world this day!
God brightens our unsettled times by helping us to see with new eyes … hope, peace, joy and love take on a new meaning in the world as we simplify our living and take time to breathe in the spirit of compassion.
God’s redeeming grace as we experience Jesus makes a difference! Our hearts become less troubled, and the world can seem more manageable, one moment at a time. Ponder Luke 2:1-20; Invite friends/family to join you tonight for Hybrid Christmas Eve!
December 26th – The Celebration of Hybrid Christmas continues . . . with Carols!
Even though it is “Boxing Day”, Isaiah 60:1-6 reminds us to Arise! Shine! Your Light Has Come!
God’s Glory shines upon all of us and our world! We no longer need to be “unsettled” in these “Unsettled Times”. We are called to let the Light of God shine in and through us to brighten the world. We become instruments of God’s Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love in a world that is still unsettled.
How will you share now that God has once again made a difference in you?!
January 2nd – The Celebration of the Epiphany -Communion
What do the Magi teach us as we begin a new year? Come…celebrate Communion as a way to move us into the opportunities of 2022; how will you keep your New Year’s Resolution by sharing Light of God?
Come … prayerfully affirm the gifts God has entrusted to you to share, to help soothe the hearts and minds of an unsettled world!
Come … affirm yourself as a servant of hope, peace, joy and love.
Join us to shine brightly as the Light of God … to make a difference in our neighborhoods and in the lives of others ….