Worship This Sunday - May 9th
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Mother's Day
John 15:9-17
Can We Be Friends? - Sermon by Pastor Dave
Meeting ID: 867 2930 9301
Password: peace
If you miss the live service, you can find the archived service on YouTube by clicking Here.
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An Invitation to the Stories of Peace
from the Rev. David Pattee, pastor
In the month of May we are gathering in small groups to share the Stories of Peace, your stories of creative difference and common cause by which we would build up our community of faith and our witness to the love of God in whom we are one. Please sign up to participate in one of the Peace Pods that will be meeting once a week, three weeks in a row. There are only a few spaces still open and registration will close soon. You can register through our website, www.PeaceUnited.org, or use this direct link PeacePods. |
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Moderator's Notes
Once more, a lot is going on at Peace UCC. Remember “Stories of Peace” (or Peace Pods) start on Sunday May 9. If you have not as yet signed up for one of the sessions, please do so; we are interested in everyone’s stories and thoughts. Remember, the purpose of these sessions is to listen to one another with caring compassion (a phrase I have appropriated from Nick Piediscalzi, thank you Nick). All of the sessions except the Monday “ZOOM” at 6 PM, are going to be held live in the Fellowship hall, masks and social distancing appropriate...READ MORE!
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We Want to Hear Your Voice
Sign Up to Be A Liturgist!
We would love to have you as a liturgist (reader) in one of our Sunday morning worship services. It's a wonderful way of serving!
In order to do this virtually in May 2021, you'll need:
- Time available for recording on a Wednesday, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- A reliable internet connection
- A computer equipped with a camera and microphone that allow you to use Zoom (sorry, but cell phones just don't work well for our purposes)
On the Monday preceding the Wednesday for which you sign up, we'll send an
e-mail with your readings, easy-to-follow setup instructions, and a Zoom link. It's that simple.
Beginning Sunday, June 6, 2021, we will be live and in-person, worshipping together at 10:30 a.m. in our sanctuary. Sign up for a Sunday to read live and in-the-flesh and we'll connect with you by e-mail on the Tuesday prior, sending all the information you'll need for getting ready.
If you'd like to give it a try, click on this link to choose a date.
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Honoring Memorial Day
My name is Curtis Reliford, i'm a member of Peace United Church, Santa Cruz. Peace United Church is collaborating with Follow Your Heart Action Network to honor the men and women who died for our freedom.
We invite you all to join us on Sunday May 30 on Pacific Avenue and Cooper Street after worship, between 1pm and 5pm.
There will be an open mic if you have something to say, we welcome your thoughts. We want to discuss what Memorial Day means, and will have music and dancing. With all what’s going on in the world the last couple of years, we are facing a serious moral crisis. It is separating us from one another.
We need your help with signs! If you could make and bring a 3 foot foam core sign with a one-word saying promoting peace, love, compassion, kindness empathy, that would be terrific! There will be a prize for the best sign!
There is enough room for social distancing so your presence for a moment would be highly appreciated! Don't hesitate to invite your family and friends!
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The Walking Women
Are Back!
The walking women are back out and about. Tuesday mornings 8:30 we meet at a different location for a lovely walk and time to catch up in person.
to be on email list
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Our Local Author
Doug Owen has just published a book for 6-12 year olds - “The Pond Story”, through Bookshop Santa Cruz. It’s reminiscent of “The Wind in the Willows”, and features a group of friends - including a fire salamander, newt, water vole, coot, and a variety of other pond life, and lucky for them, a water sprite and her invaluable magical powers. They get together to deal with the local island mayor who is becoming more unpleasant and difficult to deal with. It’s a cool story, and the kids love it!
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Promises for Peace UCC
Stewardship Campaign
"Stewardship is love in action"
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Poetry at Peace
Anna Citrino shared this thoughtful poem about life’s journey this week.
Ithaka by C. P. CAVAFY Translated by Edmund Kelley
As you set out for Ithaka
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them:
you’ll never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.
Many Blessings,
Bonnie Lange
"Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day,
if you listen carefully, you can hear her breathing."
~ Arundhati Roy
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THANK YOU!
Thanks to your generous donations the Prophets of Hope jail ministry team was able to purchase $200 worth of grocery gift cards and five youth bus passes.
The director of the S.T.A.R. (Stable Transition After Release) program called us heroes! The bus passes allow the youth to participate in counseling, vocational training and after-school programs. Prophets will continue to partner with S.T.A.R. for the next few months as more of our youth are released from juvenile hall and the Division of Juvenile Justice.
Donations can be made through our website using this link (Please click "donate", then choose "Jail Ministry Fund" from the drop down menu) -or-
you can mail a check to Peace UCC, 900 High Street, Santa Cruz 95060 with jail ministry in the memo line.
If you would like to know more about S.T.A.R. or the Jail Ministry Team,
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Vera Taylor Scholarship Fund
Is someone in your family applying for advanced study at a university or trade school ?
Each year, the Vera Taylor Scholarship Committee at Peace United awards scholarships to members who meet the eligibility criteria and submit their applications for review no later than June 30, 2021.
Grants are awarded for full-time students in community college, four-year colleges, graduate schools, and trade schools. Mini-grants are available for professional development and seminars related to our church mission with funding up to $450, based on a 50% contribution to the total cost).
To find out more about eligibility anyhow to apply, click here!
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Loving God, you fill all things with a fullness and hope that we can never comprehend. Thank you for leading us into a time where more of reality is being unveiled for us all to see. We pray that you will take away our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear and despair. Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater humility, and greater care for one another. May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting in your eternal presence and love. Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our suffering world.
Let us pray for :
- Kerry Skyles long time friend, Lance
- Kristin and Doug Owen's granddaughter, Keira and their daughter, Megan along with all the families struggling with eating disorders.
- Erika, who received a cancer diagnosis this week..
- All the people of India as well as those in other areas where COVID-19 continues to ravage families and communities.
We celebrate our beautiful earth home and the gift of spring flowers!
May the God who listens to our hearts and enters into our pain bless us and all who are in need with the comfort and quiet of Her gentle presence, now and always. Amen
Many blessings,
Bonnie Lange
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We Want Your Face!
Most of us cringe when we see ourselves in photos, but you probably have one photo that shows your face the way you would like other people to see it. We want that photo for our records! Pastor Dave especially is interested in having a pictorial record because there are so many of you he hasn't yet been able to meet in person.
Here's how you do it...please email Devon a digital photo of yourself and she will take care of the rest! Thank you. We look forward to "seeing" you soon.
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Office Hours!
Some days we're on campus, some days we're remote, but 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, staff are attending to the business of our church office: monitoring e-mail, answering telephones and/or responding to messages, working on the dozens of different projects and connections that keep our ministry moving forward. You can reach us by e-mail, office@PeaceUnited.org, or by phone, 831-426-2010.
Pastor Dave also is working out of the church office, Monday through Thursday, and most weeks will have office hours on Saturday too, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Friday is his day off. In case of emergency, the pastor is available by cell phone, 773-255-8095. If you would like to schedule a meeting or would like to "drop by", please contact us via email using this link to make an arrangement.
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Small Groups and Ministries of Outreach
Use this link to find information about our various small groups and
ministries here at PUCC.
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Buildings & Grounds Needs Your
"Free Service Tags"
Every City of Santa Cruz resident with refuse service gets four “Free Service Tags” annually, good for extra curbside trash or a free “dump run” at the city dump. Most of us don’t need these tags and they remain unused.
Your Buildings and Grounds team can put these Tags to good use, though! As you might imagine, our 6-acre campus generates a lot more yard waste than will fit in the curbside carts, and we make frequent dump runs.
If you have City “Free Service Tags” that you won’t use, please consider donating them to the church. Just mail or drop them off at the church office, and receive our heartfelt thanks!
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We're registered on Amazon Smile! Learn more and designate Peace UCC as your chosen charity to receive 0.5% of your Amazon Smile purchases, at no cost to you, here.
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Our conference staff and the offices have
moved to a new address. The new address is
1320 Willow Pass Rd., Suite 600, Concord, CA 94520
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Sign up here to further peace and justice around the world
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Find out more about global ministries here.
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Get a daily devotional here.
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