Please pray with us as we look to Jesus to guide us through the process of relaunching our Sunday worship services.
Tuesday April 19th 630pm
Tuesday May 17th 630pm
High Street Community Church
*note: at this point, we do not have childcare available.
Beginning this Sunday January 3rd 2016, we will be worshiping with Faith Community Church on Sunday mornings at 9am. Faith Community Church is located at 115 South Morrissey Avenue in Santa Cruz.
We will continue to worship with Faith Community Church on Sunday Mornings during 2016, as our family is given some time to rest, refresh, and renew in preparation for re-planting / re-launching Sundays at Westside Community later in 2016 (there are a lot of “re’s” in this sentence…and this process).
It’s important to remember, that even though our Sunday Mornings will be slightly different for a little while, this does not make us any less of a church family. We are the church — whether we gather together in a home, an elementary school cafeteria (as we have been for almost 4 years), or a traditional church building — church is about people.
Westside Community will continue to be a church throughout this transition, and we’re praying that this process will actually grow us closer to Jesus and closer together as a family.
I believe that it’s important for us to continue to gather together and worship together on Sunday mornings at Faith Community Church during this transition. As we know, there are many things at work to keep God’s people isolated and separated from one another. Not to mention that transitions like this can be awkward, challenging, and difficult for many of us. I will be praying for all of us during this transition.
We will be continuing weekly Community Groups on a ongoing basis beginning in February. At some point, we will add prayer meetings, and a monthly Sunday evening service, in preparation for re-planting / re-launching weekly Sunday services later in 2016.
Several people have asked about giving — you can continue to give online to Westside Community, you can mail a check to our PO Box 8445 Santa Cruz CA 95061, or you can give to Faith Community Church and designate your offering to Westside Community and they’ll make sure it gets to the right place.
I’m thankful for all of you, I’m looking forward to continuing to worship Jesus with all of you, and I’m excited to see what God has planned for our church in 2016 and beyond.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Ben
pastorben@wscsantacruz.com
(831) 313-4777
Thank you for your faithful generosity in your offerings to the Lord through our church this year. As 2015 comes to a close, we ask that you consider giving a special year-end gift to Westside Community Church.
As Christians, our giving is to be a cheerful response to the grace and generosity of God.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
We consider giving to be an aspect of worshiping God, which is why we receive offerings as a part of our Sunday service and online.
Westside Community Church is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Details about how and where our resources are extended are available.
Christmas Eve by Candlelight
You’re invited to join us, along with Faith Community Church, and Santa Cruz Church of the Nazarene, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, this Thursday 12/24 from 5-6pm.
Faith Community Church, 115 S Morrissey Avenue in Santa Cruz.
Advent
Advent is often thought of as a fun tradition with candles, gifts, wreaths, and calendars with little windows to open. And it is that, but it’s also more than that.
Advent means coming or arrival. During advent, we celebrate the first coming of the promised Messiah, Christ Jesus. And, while we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we also look for his return. As Christians, we are those who live in-between the first and second advent of our Lord.
The next 4 Sunday mornings at Westside Community church we’ll be observing advent by considering the following themes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book God is in the Manger.
Waiting, Mystery, Redemption, Incarnation.
…a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
I hope you will pause during the flurry of activity we call the holiday season and contemplate the miracle of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
– Pastor Ben
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Thanks to Ciara Barsotti for the beautiful Advent artwork. You can check out more of her art here.
You’re invited to join us for a new teaching series beginning Sunday morning September 13th.
JOY | Paul’s letter to the Philippians
wscsantacruz.com | (831) 313-4777 | info@wscsantacruz.com
This month, we’re beginning a new teaching series. And, this one is different. It’s different because it involves 4 different churches here in Santa Cruz – Westside Community, Faith Community Church, Santa Cruz Hope, and Elevation. Below is part of the story as told by Andy Lewis, pastor of Faith Community Church.
One of the pastors said “Wouldn’t it be cool if . . .” I can’t remember who said it, but when he said it everybody agreed. “Wouldn’t it be cool if . . . we came up with a teaching series where we all traveled through each of our faith communities and shared our heart for the kingdom of God here in Santa Cruz?” Here’s what usually happens when an idea like that gets thrown out to a group of pastors. Usually we pastors say, “That would be cool” and then we don’t really do anything to make changes to make it happen. Usually we like ideas related to greater church unity but we dislike the effort it takes to make it happen – especially if that effort runs the risk of undermining our ministry “brand.” Concerns about how to coordinate, how to let other people speak from “our pulpit,” and concerns about what might happen if “other pastors from the church down the road comes to speak to my people and my people like the other pastor.” I’m sure all of the guys had a few of those thoughts run through their minds. I know I’ve thought them. But what’s cool is that all the guys were honest about these thoughts and feelings – in fact we all openly laughed at our usual concerns – and yet everyone was still willing to risk doing it!
So we started laying out plans to have a sermon series in the Spring of 2015 where each of us would get to share our unique take on God’s heart for our city. It’s crazy how honesty led to prayer, prayer led to ideas, ideas took shape, and as those ideas took shape other ideas began to spark . . .
What’s the men’s breakfast all about?
An opportunity for guys to eat breakfast together once/month.
It’s that simple.
You should come.
The first one is this Friday April 3rd at 8am at the Harbor Cafe.
You’re invited to EASTER at WSC
Sunday April 5th 1030am
A Message of Hope
Kids Activities
Complimentary Brunch
Join us this Thursday night March 26th 7pm in the fellowship hall at Messiah Lutheran Church to pray for Easter Sunday
