8th Sunday after Pentecost
July 19 – 10 am worship
“Gather the wheat into my barn” Matthew 13:30
It is an age-old question: Why is there evil in the world? In the parable of the wheat and the weeds Jesus suggests that both grow together until the harvest. With Paul, we long for the day when all creation will be set free from bondage and suffering. Having long for the day when all creation will be set free from bondage and suffering. Having both weeds and wheat within us, we humbly place our hope in the promises of God, and from the Lord’s table we go forth to bear the fruit of justice and mercy.
You can also participate in worship through the livestream and recording at www.ststephenslutheran.org.
There is usually a Children’s Church / Sunday School program planned during worship. Please contact Leslie Lapp 476-4700 for more info. The Family Room is always available adjacent to the sanctuary for little one’s activities if you need it. We love having children in church and all that brings as part of worship!
Coffee Fellowship: Please contact our Church Administrator Leslie if you are willing to host. We need you!
Upcoming Events:
- Thursdays – Men’s A.A. 7:00 pm Fireside room
- Fridays – A.A. 7:00 pm Fellowship Hall
- Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons Pr. Larry holds brief office hours
- July 17 – Newsletter Deadline NOON : Your Faith Journey / God Stories are welcome!
- July 20 – CDC Board 11:15 am
- July 21 – Scouts 6:00 pm
- July 22 – Bible Study 7:30 pm Zoom
- July 26 – Guest musician Johnathan Bliss
- July 26 – No Sunday school
- July 30 – Newsletter Collating 10:30 am (helpers needed)
- Aug. 4 – Trinity Tuesday 6:30 pm local pub (Discretion Brewing Co. 41st Ave. ) 1 hour, 1 faith question, 1 drink
- Honest conversation & genuine community. What do you wonder? Where do you see God?
- Info. Kathy Allen 430-6359
- August 6 & 20 – Bold Women’s Café (dinner & devotions) 6:00 pm
- Aug. 9 – Back to School Blessing (Students & Educators) 10 am
- Aug. 9 & 16 – Coffee Host needed
- Aug. 23 – Farewell / Thank You Potluck to honor Pastor Larry
- August 29 – AFC Shelter Dinners 5:45pm St. Johns Aptos. Sign up to provide (one of the following) main course, salad, dessert & breakfast. St. Stephen’s is responsible for the 5th Saturday of each month. We are all worthy of dignity and connection. Let’s assist them to a better life. Plan ahead
- Aug. 30 – Holy Closure of our Preschool during worship 10 am
- Pr. Larry loose Office hours Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons 707-372-2958
- While Pastor Jim on Sabbatical May 21 – Aug. 24
- FLOWER CHART has openings FOR YOUR DEDICATIONS *
Prayer Requests
- Kathy Allen in her tri-athalon July 19
- Jeanette’s mother Barbara in hospital
- August Alfred, Earnestine Brantly
- Jordan Perez, Yvonne Lowery, Lydia
- Sioux Antonella, Jan Dun, James Price & Peggy Reed
- For Rebecca’s brother Fred
- For Tina’s sister Lisa knee replacement recovery
- For Rev. Will & Dorothy Sieburg (Great Uncle & Aunt of Christa in a serious car accident)
- For Lorraine, Pastor Larry’s wife severely sprained her knee
- For Pam Hupner pancreatic cancer diagnosis
- For Karin Zaun & family
- For Johnny
- For Kathybelle in her father’s passing
- For Colin in hospital
- For Bob Zigler quick healing & Kathy Freeman
- For Camryn mental health guidance
- For Bentley’s cousin Marilyn dealing with cancer pain & poor spirit
- For Bob Holzwarth (friend of Donna Gafforio)
- For Beth & Bryan Utto (difficult health process & caregiving)
- For Kara & Family – navigating the death of her mother & brother in law!
- For Mary Robe & Family
- For Renee
- For Sina & Bella
- For Judith’s brother Paul – health
- For Chad Fields as he continues cancer treatments.
- For Tayo Frey – hand & arm pain
- For Gary & Connie Stevenson
- For Susan Oldfield
- For Levi in his struggles
- For Nancy
- For Tom
- For Jeanne Boudreau and her brother James who is in hospice care
- For James health
- For Tim Oldfield (help find job)
- For Kevin (cancer diagnosis) and his mother Cindy
- For Dawn L. heal depression
- Support James Sheehan as he continues his battle with alcohol and depression
- For Chris
- For Cassidy, stroke recovery
- For John B. cancer treatments
- For Lisa Johnson & grandson health
- For Nancy’s son Jesse, Amy, Hailey & grand son Grey
- For Sam’s sobriety, and his son Joshua
- Ana Cardenas being treated for a brain tumor
- For Keith in his continued recovery
- For Chris Powers continued healing
- For Galahad as he navigates new struggles and for the support he needs.
- For the Robe and Volpi families.
- For the Long-Range Planning Task Force: Mark Linder, Steven Hendrickson, Tina Gates, Jeanette Dawson.
- For Pastor Jim’s friend Eric as he lives with CLL.
- For Jody, Renny, Iris and Evelyn as they stay in LaCrosse, WI for another year.
- For Nancy and friends at St. Stephen’s Senior Housing: Jane, Annetta, Bentley and Jeannie. Also for James, John, and Elida
- For Joel as his eyesight diminishes.
- For Beau and his family in his recurrence of brain cancer.
- For Dorothy as she struggles with chronic pain.
- For Jeannette’s brother Craig who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
- For Kyle as he continues to heal.
- For Miller, Shelby, Ashley, April, Marty, Will and other young adults we know, as they struggle mightily with the world and all its ways that harm them. Bring them to healing and wholeness and grace and new life.
Church office hours are Mon-Fri. 12noon – 5pm.
Thank you for your continued faithfulness in your financial giving back to God through our church. Please remember to either give your offering through the mail, through our website donation option, signing up for monthly electronic giving, or bringing it by the church office during the week.
Flowers for Worship: Please sign up to provide flowers in honor of someone or a special occasion as another way to offer yourself in worship to God. The Flower Chart will be available at worship, or you can call the church office – 476-4700.
Other notes:
- Donations are being collected at church for Socks, canned food & diapers. These will go towards our work with serving those who take part in our Association of Faith Communities programs for the unhoused, and for the Walnut Avenue Women & Children’s Center respectively.
- A few copies of “White Fragility” are available to borrow. Call the office to inquire. This is a congregation-wide perspective that we are trying to adopt as we seek better understanding about the roots of racism, its consequences, and how our lives can better reflect an anti-racism perspective.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jim
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