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

[Read more…]

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…]

We gather on the 13th Sunday after Pentecost for worship at 10am.

Wisdom prepares a feast, sets her table, and invites all to come and eat her bread and drink her wine.  The first chapter of John’s gospel owes much to the biblical tradition that imagined Wisdom as existing before anything was created and having a role in his flesh and drink his blood.  John’s gospel includes no account of the institution of the Lord’s supper, but here we can’t help hearing Jesus’ words as an invitation to the meal of bread and wine we share.

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. Aug. 17 – Property work day (pruning & painting)
• Mon. Aug. 19 –  Women’s Café Group 6:00 pm
• Weds. Aug. 21 – Bible Study  11 am & 7:30 pm
• Tues. Sept. 10  – Church Council 6:30 pm
• Thursdays – Men’s A.A. 7:00 pm
• Fridays –  A.A. 7:00 pm

[Read more…]

We gather on the 12th Sunday after Pentecost for worship at 10am.

Jesus says that the bread he gives for the life of the world is his flesh, and whoever eats this bread has eternal life ow and will be raised on the last day. In Ephesians Paul tells us what this life Jesus gives us looks like, this life we live as those marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit in baptism.  We live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. The whole purpose of life is giving yourself for the other.

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. Aug. 10 – Eagle Scout Court & BBQ 5:00 pm VFW
• Tues. Aug. 13  – Church Council 6:30 pm
• Weds. Aug. 14 – Bible Study  11 am & 7:30 pm
• Mon. Aug. 19 –  Women’s Café Group 6:00 pm
• Thursdays – Men’s A.A. 7:00 pm
• Fridays –  A.A. 7:00 pm

[Read more…]