Worship

We gather on the 18th Sunday after Pentecost for worship at 10am.

Today we hear James warn against selfish ambition while the disciples quarrel over which one of them is the greatest.  Jesus tells them the way to be great is to serve.  Then, to make it concrete, he puts in front of them a flesh-and-blood child.  We are called to welcome the children God puts in front of us, to make room for them in daily interaction, and to give them a place of honor in the assembly.

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: 

• Sat. September 21 – Sister Parish 30 yr Celebration at Watsonville Public House 2:00 pm
• Tues. Sept. 24- Provide Habitat lunches 10:30 am
• Weds. Sept. 25 – Bible Study  11 am & 7:30 pm
• Thurs. Sept. 26 – Newsletter Collating 2:00 pm – helpers needed
• Mon. Sept. 30 –  Women’s Café Group 6:00 pm
• Tues. Oct. 1 – New Trinity Tuesday 6:30 pm local pub (Discretion Brewing Co.)
• 1 hour, 1 faith question, 1 drink
• Sun. Oct. 27 – Reformation / Polka Mass / Oktober Feast potluck / Tree planting
• Thursdays – Men’s A.A. 7:00 pm
• Fridays –  A.A. 7:00 pm

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We gather on the 16th Sunday after Pentecost for worship at 10am.

Three weeks ago we heard Peter’s confession of faith as told in John’s gospel.  This week we hear Mark’s version, when Peter says, “You are the Messiah.”  In John, the stumbling block is Jesus’ invitation to eat his flesh, given for the life of the world.  In Mark too the scandal has to do with Jesus’ words about his own coming death, and here Peter himself stumbles over Jesus’ words.  But Jesus is anointed (the meaning of messiah) in Mark only on the way to the cross (14:3); so we are anointed in baptism with the sign of the cross.

James tells us to stop showing favoritism in the assembly, treating the rich visitor with more honor than the poor one. Jesus himself seems to show partiality in his first response to the syrophoenician woman in today’s gospel.  Was he testing her faith in saying Gentiles don’t deserve the goods meant for God’s children?  Or was he speaking out of his human worldview, but transcended those limits when she took him by surprise with her reply?  Either way, the story tells us that God shows no partiality.  Everyone who brings a need to Jesus is received with equal honor as a child and heir.

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: 

• Weds. Sept. 18 – Bible Study  11 am & 7:30 pm
• Tues. Sept. TBA  – Church Council 6:30 pm (rescheduled)
• Mon. Sept. 16 & 30 –  Women’s Café Group 6:00 pm
• Sat. September 21 – Sister Parish 30 yr Celebration at Watsonville Public House 2:00 pm
• Tues. Oct. 1 – New Trinity Tuesday 6:30 pm local pub (Discretion Brewing Co.)
• 1 hour, 1 faith question, 1 drink
• Sun. Oct. 27 – Reformation / Polka Mass / Oktober Feast potluck / Tree planting
• Thursdays – Men’s A.A. 7:00 pm
• Fridays –  A.A. 7:00 pm

[Read more…]

We gather on the 16th Sunday after Pentecost for worship at 10am.

James tells us to stop showing favoritism in the assembly, treating the rich visitor with more honor than the poor one. Jesus himself seems to show partiality in his first response to the syrophoenician woman in today’s gospel.  Was he testing her faith in saying Gentiles don’t deserve the goods meant for God’s children?  Or was he speaking out of his human worldview, but transcended those limits when she took him by surprise with her reply?  Either way, the story tells us that God shows no partiality.  Everyone who brings a need to Jesus is received with equal honor as a child and heir.

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: 

• Weds. Sept. 11 – Bible Study  11 am & 7:30 pm
• Tues. Sept. 10  – Church Council 6:30 pm
• Thurs. Sept. 12  – MMRR Circle Fall kick off 10:30 am
• Mon. Sept. 16 & 30 –  Women’s Café Group 6:00 pm
• Sat. September 21 – Sister Parish 30 yr Celebration at Watsonville Public House 2:00 pm
• Tues. Oct. 1 – New Trinity Tuesday 6:30 pm local pub TBA (1 hour, 1 faith question, 1 drink)
• Thursdays – Men’s A.A. 7:00 pm
• Fridays –  A.A. 7:00 pm

[Read more…]

We gather on the 15th Sunday after Pentecost for worship at 10am.

Jesus protests against human customers being given the weight of divine law while the essence of God’s law is ignored.  True uncleanness comes not from external things but from the intentions of the human heart.  Last week Jesus told us, “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life”  (John 6:63).  Now James says God has given us birth by the word of truth.  We who were washed in the word when we were born in the font return to it every Sunday to ask God to create in us clean hearts.

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: 

• Weds. Sept. 4 – Bible Study  11 am & 7:30 pm
• Tues. Sept. 10  – Church Council 6:30 pm
• Thurs. Sept. 12  – MMRR Circle Fall kick off 10:30 am
• Mon. Sept. 16 & 30 –  Women’s Café Group 6:00 pm
• Sat. September 21 – Sister Parish Celebration at Watsonville Public House 2:00 pm
• Thursdays – Men’s A.A. 7:00 pm
• Fridays –  A.A. 7:00 pm

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We gather on the 14th Sunday after Pentecost for worship at 10am.

In today’s gospel many people take offense at Jesus’ invitation to eat his flesh and drink his blood; even many of Jesus’ disciples peel off.  This is the backdrop in John’s gospel for Peter’s confession of faith.  “To whom can we go?” asks Peter, in words we sometimes sing just before the gospel is read.  “You have the words of eternal life.”  In order to take such a stand, as Peter and Joshua did, Paul tells us to arm ourselves with the word of God.  We pray in the Spirit that we might be bold ambassadors of the gospel.

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: 

• Weds. Aug. 28 – Bible Study  11 am & 7:30 pm
• Thurs. Aug. 29 – Newsletter Collating 2:00 pm (helpers needed)
• Tues. Sept. 10  – Church Council 6:30 pm
• Thurs. Sept. 12  – MMRR Circle Fall kick off 10:30 am
• Mon. Sept. 16 & 30 –  Women’s Café Group 6:00 pm
• Sat. September 21 – Sister Parish Celebration at Watsonville Public House 2:00 pm
• Thursdays – Men’s A.A. 7:00 pm
• Fridays –  A.A. 7:00 pm

[Read more…]