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Watsonville First United Methodist Church

Watsonville, CA

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It’s Time for Baptism, Confirmation and Membership

March 1, 2021

“Then [Jesus] told them a story: “A man had an apple tree planted in his front yard. He came to it expecting to find apples, but there weren’t any. He said to his gardener, ‘What’s going on here? For three years now I’ve come to this tree expecting apples and not one apple have I found. Chop it down! Why waste good ground with it any longer?’

“The gardener said, ‘Let’s give it another year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize, and maybe it will produce next year; if it doesn’t, then chop it down.”                                                                      Luke 13:6-9, The Message

Sometimes young people, like older folks, think there are easy answers in life.  They imagine that all we have to do is to be in the right place at the right time, and we’ll win the lottery and strike it rich, or pick our mate out of the air like magic, or successfully and effortlessly navigate a career, have 2.5 perfect children, enjoy the biggest house, drive the fanciest car, etcetera, etcetera.  You get the idea. 

I hate to burst your bubble, but that’s not how life works.  

Jesus knew that, and so do we.  Which is where our Scripture comes in.  Personally, I hope I’m never a tree that gets chopped down.  Maybe some of you can relate.  Which brings us to Lent.   

I don’t know how you feel about it, but I think it’s great that we’re in this time of Lent, the 40 days (less Sundays) before Easter.  Since ancient times, Lent has been an extended time of introspection for Christian people, and an excellent opportunity to consider what God has in store for us and our church.  Such opportunities might seem kind of scary, given the impact of the coronavirus and all, but this Lent as we prepare for Easter, I hope we consider how we might grow together and be renewed in the faith.

And how do we do that?  Through Baptism, confirmation and membership.  It’s time.    

Baptism, that sacred, meaningful sacrament of our faith symbolized by water, is the first step on the road to discipleship.  Baptism is a sign of new birth, the door through which one enters the church.  To become a Christian is to receive a new identity in Christ.  Baptism marks our becoming that new person.  It’s what Jesus did, and we do too!  Is anyone in your family not baptized yet?  We can help with that.  In the Methodist Church, folks of all ages—infants to seniors—may be baptized.  

We’re also offering our first online “Confirmation Crash Course 2021,” which will be held via Zoom on the Sunday afternoons of March.  All ages are welcome.  Learn more about our church and meet some of the people involved. 

And membership?  That’s when we say to God, “I’m all in!” 

Are you all in?

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Join Partners in Caring on Feb 10!

February 2, 2021

Partners in Caring Virtual Gathering
Life Review – Reflecting and Making Meaning at End of Life
Wednesday, February 10, 12:00 – 1:00pm 
Register Here
Life review is an important part of bringing one’s life to a close and a core aspect of spiritual care. Join us as we explore how faith leaders play a valuable role in this process.
Neil Vargas-Gladen, Lead Spiritual Care Counselor at Hospice of Santa Cruz County, will discuss how he uses life review and legacy in his work and will share tools for helping individuals at end of life to reflect and recognize the value and meaning of their experiences. The presentation will be followed by peer-to-peer discussion groups.
Please share this invitation with others who may be interested in attending including: clergy, lay leaders, and anyone who ministers to the aging or those with serious illness.
Warmly, 
Vanessa Silverstein
Education and Outreach Coordinator

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UMC Clergy Statement of Solidarity January 6, 2021

January 6, 2021

We, as United Methodist Clergy in the Central Coast area of California, stand in solidarity against today’s violence at our nation’s capital, and hereby reaffirm the statement of Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe, General Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church:

Today is when the Congress of the United States certifies the votes of the people. This duty fulfills Congress’s constitutional role in the democratic process.

The peaceful transition of power is a pillar of representative democracy.

Even as we affirm the right to peaceful assembly, nothing must disrupt this democratic process.

We condemn the rhetoric from leaders inciting violence and division. We call on all to work for justice and the common good of the country and our democracy.

We continue to pray for the healing of our nation. Join [us] in praying these words from the Prayer in a Time of National Crisis (from the United Methodist Book of Worship, # 517):

May leaders be led by your wisdom;
May they search your will and see it clearly
If we have turned from your way,
Reverse our ways and help us to repent.
Give us your light and your truth, let them guide us;
Through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of this world, and our Savior.
Amen.

We also reaffirm the message of Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño of the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, who professed:

On this Day of Epiphany, Christians remember that the Magi guided by a divine light visited the Christ Child bearing gifts and their souls.

Let us pray for the divine light of Christ to manifest the fullness of his righteousness in this our moment of darkness.

The protests against the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris that have escalated to violence at the US and at the California state capitals are truly an expression of darkness based on deception and fear-mongering.

As people committed to a civil society and a democratic process of governance, this is not the way to express differences of opinion. It certainly is not the way to be as people of faith.

Let us pray for our broken society and recommit to being followers of Christ who is the Light of the World.

Gabriel House (Aptos),

Clyde Vaughn (Boulder Creek),

Luke Ham (Carmel),

Patrick Davis (Morgan Hill),

Hwapyoung Kang (Gilroy),

Karla Lundin (Hollister),

Angel Rivero (Marina),

Sanghyun Lee (Marina),

Steve Lundin (Salinas),

Jay K. Pierce (Santa Cruz),

and Robin Mathews-Johnson (Watsonville)

 

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My 2021 Pledge Survey // Encuesta de Mi Promesa Financiera de 2021

November 20, 2020

You can now submit your 2021 pledge online! Simply complete our survey using the following link, https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RP2VZH2.
 
¡Ahora puede hacer su promesa financiera de 2021 en línea! Simplemente complete nuestra encuesta utilizando el siguiente enlace, https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RP2VZH2

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