You are invited to Worship on September 28 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
In God’s Eternal Time
Sunday, September 28, 2025, 10 am
Children’s Time “The Wisdom of Doing One Thing at a Time” Pastor John
Special Music: Our Town Emily Sinclair, Soprano
from Ned Rorem’s Aria
Dr. Emily Sinclair, soprano, has performed in opera and concert across the United States, including at the Caramoor Festival, Central City Opera, and Opera Colorado. In the Bay Area, Emily has performed with the San Francisco Choral Society, West Bay Opera, and most recently as the soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with Cantare Chorale in Walnut Creek. Emily received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, and holds additional degrees from Northwestern University, Manhattan School of Music and Yale University. In Santa Cruz, she conducts Fiat Musica and the Temple Beth El choir, and teaches voice and vocal repertoire at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Upcoming performances include the MAH Common Ground Festival and Santa Cruz Chamber Players.
Message “Do One Thing at a Time” Rev. John Song
As a pastor in charge of the congregation, sometimes the myriad of demands and responsibility can get overwhelming both within the church and outside of the church as a community leader. Over the years, I learned the wisdom of doing one thing at a time in ministry and personal life. This practice has kept me sane and raised the quality of my work.
There’s an old Zen teaching story of a novice who entered the monastery to become enlightened. For a year he has given a task of sweeping the ground, collecting woods to make fire for cooking rice and washing bowls afterwards. He was frustrated that he was just assigned to menial tasks and not learning about the Way of achieving Enlightment. The novice went to see the Roshi and made a complaint.
The Roshi replied,
“When you sweep, just sweep.
When you chop wood, just chop wood.
When you draw water from the well,
just draw water from the well.
When you cook, just cook.
When you eat, just eat.
When you wash dishes, just wash dishes.
When you sleep, just sleep.
And you will be enlightened.”
We will learn that doing one thing at a time, or “single-tasking”, improves focus, reduces stress, and increases productivity by allowing for deeper concentration on a single task instead of splitting attention. The real bonus is you get to savor life.
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 (The Message)
Seize life! Eat bread with gusto,
Drink wine with a robust heart.
Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure!
Dress festively every morning.
Don’t skimp on colors and scarves.
Relish life with the spouse you love
Each and every day of your precarious life.
Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange
For the hard work of staying alive.
Make the most of each one!
Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!
This is your last and only chance at it,
For there’s neither work to do nor thoughts to think
In the company of the dead,
where you’re most certainly headed.
