You are invited to Worship with Holy Communion on August 3 at 10 am Service.
The bulletin for this Sunday is available for viewing HERE.
You can worship live on ZOOM by clicking the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9658816441 Meeting ID: 965 881 6441
You can also watch Sunday services at your convenience by going to our website “watsonville1stumc.org” and click YouTube or Facebook. Each Sunday worship will be uploaded on Sunday afternoon for your viewing.
Ordinary Time
With Holy Communion
Sunday, August 3, 2025, 10 am
The first Sunday of the month is Potluck lunch. Bring a dish to share!
Hot Topics for Summer
For the month of July, we will kick off 4th of July Celebration with Hot Topics for Summer, a 6-part sermon series on “America, the Land that I Love.” We will be examining four areas of American life today that are being challenged.
July 6: Part 1) “Brother, Can You Spare Me a Dime?”
Theme: Widening Income Inequality and the Biblical Ethics of Economic Justice
July 13: Part 2) “Just Whose Country Is It?”
Theme: History of Immigrants and assault on immigrants today
July 20: Part 3) “Do Not Give Your Mind Away”
Theme: Assault on Academic Freedom, Press Freedom, and Erasing History
July 27: Part 4) “We Are Not the Only Game in Town”
Theme: Climate Justice & Creation Care
Aug. 3: Part 5) “I Hate, Therefore I Am”
Theme: Phenomena of Othering and Scapegoating
Aug. 10: Part 6) “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World”
Theme: How do we anchor ourselves and find hope in a mad world?
Conclusion of the sermon series that ties everything together.
Children’s Time: “Everything Is Beautiful” Pastor John
Special Music Let Me Sing You A Song Jesse Martinez
by Jack Jencks (a tribute to Pete Seeger)
Jesse Martinez is a teddy bear of a guy who gives of himself generously to the community. Jesse is a resident of Aromas, California and an active member of the Aromas Community Grange. He is also the Concert Coordinator for the Aromas Community Grange Hall and a member of the Aromas Grange Performer’s Circle. Jesse is a native Californian and was born in Gilroy, CA. He has been playing the acoustic guitar since 7th grade (about 125 years ago) and enjoys performing folk, Americana and soft rock covers for groups and special events in the Monterey Bay area.
Message: America, the Land that I Love: by Rev. John Song
Part 5) “I Hate, Therefore I Am”
We will examine the phenomenon of scapegoating mechanism and how it’s being played out in America today. We will bring out into daylight what has been hidden from the world since the beginning of humankind.
Romans 13:8-10
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no evil to the neighbor.
Hence love is the fulfillment of the Law.”
Matthew 5:43-48
Love Thy Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Luke 23:34
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
“When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”
~ Chris Boeskool
3 Ls: Last, least, lost are ripe for scapegoating.
“First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out- Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
~ Martin Niemöller, Germany, 1946
“When you commit an act of violence, you are basically disconnecting yourself.
You are putting yourself outside the circle of love and life.”
~ John Malloy, Native-American Indian
