Saturday Bridge Building
We are Stillpoint and we’ve been around for two years building trust and goodwill as best we can in our beloved community.
Every week we are out along the San Lorenzo River distributing, winter gear, bedding, water, socks and bagels and lox. We also provide counseling and life coaching for those who desire that service.
All this may sound a bit transactional, activities that are measured in the number of clients, items of clothing, socks and bagels that we pass out. But we are much more than numbers to be counted.
We are a bridge into our community that allows friendships and relationships to develop between the housed and the unhoused communities. On Saturdays, my Santa Cruz neighbors, volunteers, and people who believe that the unhoused are more than numbers to be counted venture out to create good will and friendship. If you feel that the unhoused should be more than a faceless part of our community join us in distributing items of clothing or all the other items that have been donated during the week.
Our signature item is bagels cream cheese, capers, and lox. There are many groups and organizations who also provide food. All done in love, and all an important part of creating a caring community here in Santa Cruz. For Stillpoint, bagels and lox is more than a nutritional meal. Bagels and lox is a symbol of special caring. In the same way that Jesus turned water into the finest wine, we want to provide something unique and extraordinary. We are delighted when we hear, “this is the most delicious bagel I’ve ever had.” And we hear it often. Bagels and lox is a portal to gain and build trust and friendship.
And each moth there are more who avail themselves of the counseling services that I provide as a Certified Core Transformation therapist to help navigate a way out of the spiraling dilemma of homelessness, substance abuse, mental health challenges and poverty.
Recently Manu Koenig, a County Supervisor who is a champion advocate for the unhoused, joined Stillpoiint to distribute” socks and lox” this past year. He had this to say at the end of our time together along the San Lorenzo River: Improving the situation of the homelessness “all begins with relationships.” Manu is right. Resolving homelessness is grounded in relationships and is much more than any transactional act.
We are grateful for the many organizations in Santa Cruz that provide housing, meals, beds and clothing but what is needed isa stronger foundation of trust and goo will among the housed and unhoused. But if you want to know here are our numbers for this past year: Bagels and lox – over 1800; socks 2400;clothing items and bedding over 3500; counseling clients several on an ongoing basis.
I am particularly grateful for the Santa Cruz Rotary, the Santa Cruz Warrior Staff and the many individuals who have joined us on Saturdays in our efforts to make Santa Cruz safer and healthier for everyone.
The bags of clothing and socks come from so many generous in-kind donors: St. John’s Helpful Shop, The Santa Cruz Rotary, Trinity Chapel in San Jose, and the Baglery who provides us with the bagels. Stillpoint would also welcome your financial support. Renting trucks to transport clothing and the cost of cream cheese and lox has only gone up. If you are inclined to support and help in this way, please visit our website: https:/stillpoint.world.
Endeavoring to make Santa Cruz safer and healthier for everyone,
Joel Miller+
Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina and Meditation
Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina meets as always, this Tuesday, 3/12 at 8 am. At 8pm we will also meet for a time of non liturgical guided meditation. Many find this helpful with Insomnia, and stress and issues of health
Attached is the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8352995499?pwd=RllrMlRrd2VTNFdZZW1hQTBTRDg3QT09
I am also lead an “in person” meditation and lectio divina at Trinity Cathedral in San Jose on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 12 Noon.
The address at the cathedral is:
81 N Second Ave
San Jose, CA
95113
In the beauty of God’s love,
Joel+