St. Stephen's Lutheran Church

Reconciled in Christ Congregation

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2500 Soquel Avenue (Map)
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
831-476-4700

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Ninth Sunday after Pentecost – August 10, 2025

August 9, 2025 by admin

We gather on the 9th Sunday after Pentecost
August 10 –  10am worship
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”  Luke 12:34

Pastor Greg Ronning Presiding

Jesus says, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  It is God’s promise from the beginning – to Abraham, to the early church, and to the “little flock” of which we are a part in today’s assembly.  Faith, God’s baptismal gift, trusts the promises of God.  Have no fear.

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
  • Sun. Aug.10 – Coffee Host needed
  • Tues. Aug.  12 – Scouts 6:00 pm
  • Tues. Aug. 12 – Knitter’s Guild 6:15 pm
  • Tues. August 12 – Church Council 6:30 pm
  • Wed. Aug. 13 – Preschool Chapel 10:15 am
  • Weds. Aug. 13 – Bible Study 7:30 pm Zoom
  • Sun. August 17 – Back to School Blessing & Potluck (sign up now)
                                    Contact Leslie if you can donate ”school supplies”
  • Mon. Aug. 18 – Embroiders Guild 7:00 pm
  • Thurs. Aug. 21 – Knitter’s Guild 10 am
  • Thurs. Aug. 21 – Women’s Café Group 6:00 pm Fellowship Hall
  • Tues. September 2 – Trinity Tuesday 6:30 pm local pub (Discretion Brewing Co. 41st Ave. )
    1 hour, 1 faith question, 1 drink    Info. Kathy Allen 430-6359
  • Sun. Sept. 7 – Choir lunch
  • Sun. Sept. 14 – MMRR bake sale

Prayer Requests

  • For Tom recovering neck surgery
  • For Mary, the World & Texas
  • For Donna Harris and the one year anniversary of passing of Tom
  • For Laura, Ayla & Tate
  • For Atlas to finds affordable / safe housing
  • Family of Elizabeth Schilling
  • For Ana – her family & job in Indonesia, her ministry at Mt. Cross & co-workers
  • For Jeanne Boudreau and her brother James who is in hospice care
  • For James health
  • For Dorothy & the family of Tex Ronning
  • For the family of Ed Valencia
  • 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 Chad Field as he continues cancer treatments
  • For Chelsea & her son Logan Preston
  • For Cassidy, stroke recovery
  • For Isabele Hackman – dangerously sick child
  • For John B. cancer treatments
  • For Levi to be freed of physical and mental burdens
  • 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 Connie Cunningham & family
  • Employees of Radiology Medical who lost their jobs
  • For Chris Powers continued healing.
  • For Gloria
  • For Galahad as he navigates new struggles and for the support he needs.
  • For the Robe and Volpi families.
  • For the Family of George Webber 
  • For Lew and Bobbie Erickson
  • For the Long-Range Planning Task Force: Mark Linder, Steven Hendrickson, Tina Gates, Jeanette Dawson and Doug Hahn.
  • For Pastor Jim’s friend Eric as he lives with CLL.
  • For Judi and Robert’s son and family and for a resolution to their housing needs.
  • 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.
  • Donations are being collected at church for Socks and Toiletries.  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’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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Posted in: Community, Worship Tagged: Pentecost
← Eighth Sunday after Pentecost – August 3, 2025

Virtual Offering Plate

St. Stephens now accepts credit and debit cards as well as PayPal and Venmo for alternative ways of giving. Just press the Donate Now button on any web page to be taken to the new Virtual Offering Plate with three choices:

  • Vanco -- Our traditional electronic giving provider now accepts credit and debit cards in addition to bank accounts.
  • PayPal/Venmo -- For single gifts using either of those payment options.
  • PayPal (only) -- Includes recurring gifts.
  • Zelle -- Transfer money with your Bank's app or website.

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Monday-Friday,12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

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