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Worship This Sunday
December 14th,10:30 am
Third Sunday of Advent
James 5:7-10
Are you the one?
Sermon by Pastor Dave
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For those unable to join us in person, there will be a live videocast of the worship service at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays.
Go to the church's website, or use one of the links below.
If you miss the live service, you can find it archived on YouTube.
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If you celebrate a December birthday or just want some extra Sunday celebratory time, join us this Sunday, the 14th, for Birthday Blessings
during Worship. We want to honor YOU!
These Friends Have December Birthdays:
Janet Reed, Lillian Thomas, Beverly Brook, Nick Blackburn, Tom Beckett, Jordan Zell, Jim Howley, Peggy Kelly, Todd Wipke, Qun Qun Koo, Roger Erickson, Melodee Kistner, Sharon Bailey, Liz Klotz-Chamberlin, Susan Shane, Speed Leas, David Bush, Joilene Wade Gatlin
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Family-Friendly Caroling Party!
Join us in the Fellowship Hall on Friday, December 19 at 4pm for our annual caroling party! Bring your friends and family, enjoy a snack and a mug of mulled cider, and sing! Music, Santa hats, and jingle bells provided.
Extra activities will also be available for the littler ones.
4 - 5:00 pm Singing around the piano with Luke Shepherd.
5 - 6:30 pm Caroling caravan to bring holiday cheer to our homebound friends.
Caravan details TBA; you are welcome to jump in/out as your schedule allows.
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A new men’s community and supportive group is forming here at PUCC. Our inaugural meeting is December 15th 7PM. The group will meet on the first and third Mondays of each month in the office library, and will be ongoing. Our intention is to forge and deepen relationships with one another and provide mutual support as we travel life’s journey. Future gatherings may include a Saturday hike or bike ride, a service project, a game night, but always a time to face one another and share our joys and challenges together. The group is not limited to Peace United men, and we hope it will be ecumenical and interfaith in composition.
A primary motivation and foundation for this group will be Richard Rohr’s book Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves Of Life. A revised & updated edition was published in 2024 and is available at bookstores or online. Please purchase the book and bring it to the first meeting.
This new group does not have an official name yet; come and help us name it!
Please RSVP to Philip Spradling at philipspradling@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you there! Monday 12/15, 7pm in the church library
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Bridging the Gap: Thoughts on
Sunday's Meeting (with links)
Thanks to all who attended the "Bridging the Gap" meeting on Sunday December 7. Your high level of engagement and concern for our church community resulted in promising ideas for our church's financial stability over the next 4 years.
The slide show, with graphs and other details, can be viewed by following this link: Bridging the Gap.
And a list of possible sources of revenue that were generated during the meeting and through previous "threshing" meetings can be viewed by following this link: Considerations for Increasing Revenue.
Let's move ahead with the energy, creativity and enthusiasm that were evident on Sunday!
In community,
Tony Augimeri
Moderator, 2025-26
Peace United Church of Christ
Santa Cruz CA
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Christmas Poinsettias for our Sanctuary
Let's celebrate! You are invited to donate toward poinsettias, other flowers and greenery that will be used to decorate our sanctuary for the Advent and Christmas seasons. If you would like to designate your gift in honor or memory of a loved one, we will print those designations in the Christmas bulletin.
You can send donations 2 ways:
-By check sent to the office
· Please include "Memorial/Milestone Fund" in the memo line and a note about who or what is being remembered or honored
-Through our PayPal (linked here)
· Please select "Memorial/Milestone Fund" from the drop-down menu
· After entering your donation amount, choose "Write a Note" and enter the details about who is being remembered or honored. Your words will be printed in the bulletin
The Worship Enhancement Committee
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Welcome New Member
Angela Meeker
Angela Meeker feels enriched by her cohort of faith travelers who stepped together into Peace UCC membership this past October 26th. She and her husband Kurt raised their children, Jillian and Gavin, in Santa Cruz, and are both recently retired from careers as public school educators.
Angela has attended worship services at Peace over the years, yet only recently contemplated the commitment of membership. In her words,
“I’m seeking a faith based community centered around social justice and compassion, and that’s what I see here in Peace United.”
Currently Angela is an elected Trustee for Area 5 of the Santa Cruz City School District. She also volunteers at Branciforte Middle School with the Young Writers Program. Recently she was running a trail race in Oregon, but slipped and broke her ankle in three places. You’ll see her scooting around Church with her colorful cast elevated until her bones heal.
She is in a Welcoming Table, and is interested in participating in both Jail Ministry and the Vera Taylor Scholarship Committee. Angela is anticipating building new relationships in our congregation.
Jane Heyse, Peace Companion
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CYF Theme: JOY!
This Sunday we will light the candle of JOY. There is a lot happening at this time of year. So many fun things! It can also feel very busy and stressful, though. Being joyful can be about remembering what makes us happy and how much we have to be thankful for.
This week we're reading "Happy: A Children's Book of Mindfulness" by Nicola Edwards and Katie Hickey. This book helps us to notice all of the things that can make us happy when we pay attention: food, nature, sounds, people... when we take time to be mindful, we find time to be joyful!
Here is a link to this week's story: https://youtu.be/miJsRdJu1MQ
Our caroling party is Friday, December 19. Kids may arrive early (@ 3:30). We hope you'll join us for snacks, getting candles ready for Christmas Eve, and lots of singing! There will also be coloring, books, and quiet activities for kids who don't want to sing.
Family Worship will follow on Sunday, December 21 with a lesson on LOVE.
Blessings,
The CYF Team
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Families are struggling right now. But there is tangible hope!
COPA trains and develops the next generation of leaders to make Monterey Bay a better place for families.
When you give to COPA, you are investing in our future. Donate today through MC Gives! And even better news. When you give through MC Gives! your gift will be increased by about 18% through the matching fund.
If you want to know more about our work this past year including our action in Sacramento, please visit our website.
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"Grateful living is the awareness that we stand on holy ground—always—in touch with Mystery."
Br. David Steindl-Rast
Holy One, keep us in the Amazing Grace that is ours through the spirit of Christ, in whose Holy Name we pray
Prayers of Healing and Faith and Continuing Prayers for our Community
- For Lynn & Bill’s son Johnnie, recovering from heart surgery and infection, and still waiting for a kidney transplant.
- For Anne’s brother Conrad, diagnosed with cancer and facing radiation and chemo.
- For Suzanne’s friends Deb and Gordon, as he heals from a stroke.
- For Lisa’s grandson Dustin, living with cancer, for Suzanne’s daughter Allison, entering into radiation treatment, and Devon’s mom Steacie, hospitalized for cancer surgery.
- For our shut-ins Nick Piediscalzi and Darrell Johnson.
- Comfort for Nancy’s, Kwok’s, Aidan’s, and Susie’s families and for all who grieve lost family and friends most poignantly during the Holiday season.
Prayers for our Communities, Country and the World
- For food aid restored and affordable healthcare, for federal workers and public servants.
- For immigrants and their families, everyone in custody, and those experiencing being targeted, oppressed and dealt with unjustly.
- For all affected by natural disasters and human violence, terror, war and hunger, especially the children.
Prayers of Gratitude
- For the Grace and Beauty of Advent.
- For UCC ministers and peaceful protestors, standing up to injustice.
- For all volunteers giving their time and talent to our church, community, and world.
- For trust in God and each other, courage when facing fear and injustice, hope in times of darkness, and for the Light of Christ in our hearts and minds.
In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen!
You may request prayers by emailing Prayers@PeaceUnited.Org,
calling Lynn Walton (600-7343), or calling the church office (426-2010).
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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!
Sign up for a Sunday to read live and in person 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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Watch Out For Scammers
Peace United staff and leaders will never solicit you by e-mail or text message, asking you to purchase or send gift cards or electronic funds for any purpose. Contact the church office if you have any concerns about emails you may receive.
Read More
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Office Hours!
Monday through Friday, from 9 am - 2 pm staff are in the office, attending to the business of our church: 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.
If you plan to come into the office, please call ahead to schedule a time when we know someone will be in to assist you. You can reach us by e-mail using the list below or by phone, 831-426-2010.
Pastor Dave works from 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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Peace UCC Facilities Calendar
To view our availability or request space on our campus click 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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Find out more about global ministries here.
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Get a daily devotional here.
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