Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 26 – 10 am worship
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” John 10:10
Today is sometimes called “good Shepherd Sunday.” Jesus is called the “gate” of the sheet in today’s gospel. The risen Christ opens the way to abundant life. He anoints our heads with oil and guides us beside the still waters of our baptism. East Sunday he spreads a feast before us amid the world’s violence and war. We go forth to be signs of the resurrection and extend Go’s gender care to all creation.
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
- April 28 – Scouts 6:00 pm
- April 29 – 10:15 Preschool Chapel
- April 29 – Newsletter Collating 2:00 pm
- April 29 – Bible Study 7:30 pm
- May 5 – 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 - May 7 – Womens Bold Café 6:00 pm devotions and potluck
- May 12 – Church Council 6:30 pm
- May 14 – Circle of Promise 11:30 am Speaker Meeting & Lunch
- May 16 – AFC Annual Gala 6 – 8:30 pm reservations see info@afcsantacruz.org
- Working to end homelessness through interfaith action
- May 17 – Meet our Sabbatical Pastor Larry
- May 20 – TAIZE prayer service 7:00 pm
- May 21-Aug. 24 Pastor Jim on Sabbatical
- May 22-25 – Mt. Cross Memorial day weekend events: Volunteer Projects, BBQ & Bingo Night. Sign up today https://www.mtcross.org/retreats
- May 30 – 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. 29, and Oct. 31.
- 2026 FLOWER CHART IS READY FOR YOUR DEDICATIONS *
Prayer Requests
- For The Alfrad family & Ratliff family
- For Kathybelle in her father’s passing
- For Colin in hospital
- For Bob Zigler quick healing & Kathy Freeman
- For Laura’s twins, born safe and went home healthy.
- For Jared health
- For Marta recovering ankle surgery
- For Camryn mental health guidance
- For Don Frey – health / surgery
- For Nathan’s job search (Tina’s friend)
- For Bentley’s cousin Marilyn dealing with cancer pain & poor spirit
- For Corbyn Poulson for healing to his broken femur
- For Bob Holzwarth (friend of Donna Gafforio)
- For Tom Williams family (Kathy Berens father)
- For family of Laura Gates (Ayla, Tate & Terry)
- 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 & 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:
- Preschool “Inflation Donations” are being collected at church now. This is to help us not have to increase tuition on the families we serve through our Child Development Center ministry. There are lists on the basket in the back of the church and they will be inserted into the Sunday bulletins and the monthly newsletter. These are items that you can add to your Costco and grocery lists. Gift cards are welcome (“Cards for kids”).
- 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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