We’re not there yet but we are moving closer. My personal goal and vision of having 3000 volunteers serving and building bridges between the housed and the unhoused here in Santa Cruz is quietly being realized, and it is always heartening to see Calia and David and their Bread and Roses crew along the San Lorenzo River serving oatmeal and coffee, doing what Stillpoint is trying to do - building community, nurturing relationships and making Santa Cruz Safer and Healthier for Everyone.
Imagine what might happen if there were 3000 volunteers taking part in the many ministries around town - more caring relationships, more needs met and more empathy in Santa Cruz. Who can be against that. Less love is never better than more love. Certainly there are 100s, maybe even a 1000 volunteers who serve with Housing Matters, Wings, in Food Banks, Clothing Closets and venues where meals are served, but I am pretty sure that we are not up to 3000 yet.
Politically this is important. Ballot initiatives to fund more social workers, more case workers, more temporary and permanent housing usually fall short by 5-6% in local elections.
So imagine 3000 of us who will enjoy a warm place to be this winter with ample food, surrounded by loving friends and families being more personally connected to the unhoused. If the unhoused community became our friends, people that we knew and cared about, the next time an initiative came up on the ballot, we would be voting for our friends. It might make up for the 5-6% deficit.
By the way, Calia will be away for holidays from Dec. 20-29. She is in need of volunteers to help prepare and serve food during that period. If you feel the call to help, you can call her at (805) 440-1298.
“Experiencing Beliefs”
Our next retreat is already scheduled for Wednesday, January 24th, from 9 am to 3 pm at the Villa Maria del Mar Retreat Center. At our next retreat we will be exploring the experience of beliefs and belief systems.
Why is it that some beliefs we carry with absolute certainty, such as there is no Santa Claus. While other beliefs such as I am a valuable and worthwhile individual, we often carry with far less confidence. Is trust and belief something that is random and unmanageable or are there resources within us that enable us to realign our internal systems with faith and love.
Habakkuk, St. Paul and Martin Luther all said: “The just shall live by faith.” Maybe in their persistence they’re trying to tell us something. We just need to grow in accessing the that precious resource of faith and trust. I think meditation is the key to this discovery. Join us and kindly RSVP!
Villa Maria del Mar Retreat Center
21918 East Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA
(831) 475-1236
Rescheduled Saturday Bridge Building this Week
We are back on schedule, Saturday December 16th distributing bagels and socks and lots of other items. Let me know if you’d like to join us. We depart my place at 12:00 noon (note we are beginning a half hour earlier) and wend our way up to the Clock Tower to deliver clothing and enjoy 10 minutes of silent meditation with others in the presence of the life force that surrounds us and is within us. Somehow, I get a deeper appreciation of that life energy every time I spend time in silence with others.
Be assured that Stillpoint does not have a stockpile of clothing, socks or bedding.
We need your donations.
If you have any of these items and would like, please donate. Stillpoiint and the unhoused community are grateful for all donations. If you would like to support us financially in our bridge-building ministry contact us at Stillpoint: Joel@stillpoint.world or (831)419-8290 or https://stillpoint.world
Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina on Zoom
Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina meets as always this Tuesday, 12/12 at 8 am and 8pm.. Attached is the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8352995499?pwd=RllrMlRrd2VTNFdZZW1hQTBTRDg3QT09
In the beauty of God’s love,
Joel+