ALIGNING OUR CORE IN CHAOS
DISCOVERING TRACTION IN TRANSITION
Hello Dear Friends,
This week while traveling up and down the San Lorenzo River I ran into two old friends. Robert, on the right, I met at the Monday Night Coffee House years ago. He told me that he had been camping in Watsonville the past several years and had found a life companion there. They are moving to Chico where he had lived earlier. Many of you might remember Robert who is a mathematician and used to impress members of Calvary Church with his knowledge of calculus and differential equations. Jeffrey on the left, also a regular from the Monday Night Coffee. He seemed excited to meet Cedric, my dog, and me. I hadn’t seen Robert for years. He was delighted with my bagels and lox and a fresh pair of socks. He was eager to tell me what he had learned about kindness and humility in recent months. When I finally arrived at the Clock Tower, Mindy was eager to join our meditation, saying that she really needed to de-stress. Robin, another regular at meditation, asked for a copy of the prayers by Thomas Keating that I print out each week. As always, it felt like God’s work. Imagine hundreds of volunteers In Santa Cruz building relationships with housed and unhoused neighbors. It would make Santa Cruz a safer and healthier place for us all. Much gratitude to the dear ladies at the Villages Episcopal Community. This week they supplied Stillpoint with another 10 bags of clothing that filled my Chevy Bolt. There were another 2 bags from Saint John’s Helpful Shop.
Come join us this Saturday 9/10 at the Clock Tower at 12:30pm when we will be back again with socks, bagels, lox, and meditation. Most importantly we will be validating life, all created in the image of God. I always come away with a sense that God is profoundly at work in me and my many unhoused friends. Also, we appreciate any clothing items you have to donate, or if you would like to support us financially in our bridge-building ministry contact Stillpoint: Joel@stillpoint.world or (831) 419-8290 or https://stillpoint.world. Please visit our new Website.
We meet for Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina meets as always this Tuesday, 9/5 at 8 am and 8pm. Attached is the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8352995499?pwd=RllrMlRrd2VTNFdZZW1hQTBTRDg3QT09
Our next retreat is already scheduled for October 18th at Villa Maria del Mar. We endeavor to experience God -- talking “about” God is always secondary. RSVP so our hosts can prepare the delicious and healthy lunch that they are so skilled at. Lunch is $20 and Stillpoint appreciates donations to cover printing and preparations.
In the beauty of love,
Joel+