Tag: Aptos

Are you ‘church’ alone, in ZOOM reality, a building & does it even matter?

What’s a “church” & does it even matter?

The minister of Trinity Covenant in Aptos, CA  typically discusses books which he has read  and today was no exception.

The book mentioned  today   is Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. A best seller  on Amazon — for $10.21 in paperback and $12.99 on electronic Kindle –  Into the Wild is  about a young man who gives  up everything he owns, lives a life of non-attachment and four months later he poisons himself and  then starves to death in Alaska. His body was found.  He had  kept a journal.   One of his last journal entries was  “Happiness is only real when shared.”   

Christopher McCandless, the young man who sought non-attachment and died on the slopes of Alaska,    realized  belatedly that sharing and happiness are intertwined.

So is a church about sharing? Yes.   Christians know that Communion / aka Mass  is sharing bread and wine as the body of Christ.  And there’s  other kinds of sharing –  the word of God, sharing prayers for others and sharing  lots of smiles and also   tears.

A   bit of what people heard in the sermon:    “Spirit is the word for wind…..”   “Fire comes down when God makes a new place of worship…. “  “God pours Himself in with baptism….”

Take away what a church is?    An  attempt:   A church is a  gathering of Christians in physical space  (not ZOOM virtual reality)  which is at the same time  both a  specific   and  a  catholic  gathering    Analogy:    Think of light — which is both a wave and a particle.   Likewise a church is both a  particular physical gathering  and not a not  particular world wide gathering.

So, what’s your attempt to define “church”?

What is shared in the picture taken at Trinity Covenant on Pentacost Sunday, May 31, 2020?    The minister,Troy Martin,  invites with the words “Come together to eat” 1 Corinthians 11:33.  Together in one place people share.

Interested?  Want to share?   The Trinity Covenant  service  is at 10:00 am on Sundays at physical location of  1040 Bonita Drive, Aptos, CA.    The building is  just off highway #1 near the Seascape exit.

You can also tune in on ZOOM.    Go for the real thing, I say.

There’s heaps of  well  behaved kids.  Amazing kids!  Just a little  popery!   

written by Cameron Jackson   drcameronjackson@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A cup of water costs how much in Aptos, CA? At Sno-White?

paper cup costs 7 cents

How much does a cup of  water cost in Aptos, CA?   About  75 cents for the cup.

Sno-White Drive In  now   charges about $.75 for a paper cup that costs .07 cents.   Sno-White  charges about 10 times what the cup costs. This is a new charge.

Someone recently bought a breakfast sandwich  ($3.50) and also  asked for a half cup of  water.

The customer gave Sno-White   a $5.oo bill and was given back a quarter, a nickel and a few pennies.  As  the breakfast sandwich costs $3.50 the additional charge for the paper cup was about $.75.

Asked ‘why charge for water?’ the reply  from the cook/ owner  was ‘I charge for the cup’.

So, what do paper cups cost?  About 7 cents.

You can buy 1,000  hot/cold paper cups (12 oz) on Amazon for $69.85 with no charge for shipping.  

Sno-White Drive In in Aptos, CA  has good  ‘burgers.  It’s located near  the entrance to  Seacliff State Beach.   

Charging 10 times the cost for a paper cup is not good public relations.  When  a customer wants a cup of water — let them have it for free.  That’s good PR.  

The City of Watsonville  just recently  now requires all  restaurants which provide paper cups to charge 10 cents.   They do so based on the state wide law regarding paper bags.

Per The Santa Cruz Sentinel 7/12/2019 Santa Cruz County eyes sweeping plastic prohibitions.  Also under consideration is a fee for disposable cups — similiar to the statewide 10 cent fee for grocery bags — and a requirement that all businesses provide recycling bins for their customers.

Aptos Psychologist:  Pe adage,  ‘Waste not, want not.’

Best to keep handy  a re-usable bag for groceries  and a re-usable cup for water.

Sno-White Drive In has good, reasonably  priced  ‘burgers.  Keep a water bottle in your car.

written by Cameron Jackson   jaj48@aolcom

 

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many churches: how & why “church” with St. John’s Episcopal & others in Aptos CA?

Many churches: How & why “church” with St. John’s Episcopal & others in Aptos, CA?

Come & participate re future of St. John’s on  Sundays at 9:15.

Let’s have fun ….

Some reasons to “church””   1) so women do not wear hajib — which according to the Muslim “bible” prevents rape & sexual assault.  Well, you probably can wear hajib at St. John’s and other churches.  What think?    DrCameronjackson@gmail.com

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Heal & Heal others through Christ & make friends via Order of St. Luke (OSL) website — Here’s How!

        Go to  the Order of St. Luke website.

Click on Create News Account or  Login.

On top right, go to Chapters and click on Chapters by State/ Province. Find on the map the blue Geolocate Me and click on it.

Using the website’s GPS, a list of the Chapters closest to you will appear.

For example, people living in Aptos, CA  will see the following chapters listed:    Aptos – St. John the Baptist;  Aptos – Soquel Drive;   Salinas – Salinas Chapter;  Pacific Grove  – St Mary’s by the Sea

Next, click on the GREEN button Chapter Page. Click to JOIN the Chapter.   Then, READ the Announcements and Discussions that are posted.

Four Chapters of the Order of St. Luke are hosting a Healing Event ‘Christ Heals Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow! in Aptos, CA on October 13 & 14, 2017.   Go to AptosChurch.info for complete information.

It is easy to JOIN several Chapters.  For example, near Sacramento there’s a Chapter that regularly posts what happens at their monthly  meetings.  Elba White is the Convener for that Chapter.   Have fun meeting other OSL members online.  Reach out to others as you participate in Jesus’ Ministry of Healing!      written 9/3/2017  by  DrCameronJackson@gmail.com

 

 

 

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Gardeners & Plot Numbers for Aptos Community Garden, Aptos CA

Aptos Community Garden

AptosCommunityGarden.info on Twitter has some  pictures for the Garden.

Like to say ‘hello’?   Maybe share produce  with   fellow gardeners at Aptos Community Garden in Aptos, CA?

That’s easy!

To facilitate ‘saying hello’,  see below list.  You know your plot number, so just look for numbers around you in the garden  &  that way you can easily get acquainted with fellow gardeners.  Saying ‘hello’ is a nice part of gardening together.

 Each plot number and name of person renting the plot are listed below.

Names of persons &  plot numbers at Aptos Community Garden, July 3, 2017:   

Chuc Nowark                     3

Laurie Nowark                  3

Cameron Jackson             6

Samantha Olden               7

Samantha Olden              8

Alejandro Callejas            9

 

Grace Baillie                       11          

Jane Amaral                       12

Wandis Wilcox                   13

JoAnn Christiansen         14

Mardee McGraw               16

Elizabeth Renfro               18

Lisa Logsdon                       19

 

John Lovett                        20

Sandy Lovett                      20

Adriana Bartch                  21

John Bartch                        21

Norma Spiegel                  22

Jackie Nelson                     23

John Nelson                       23

Jackie Nelson                     25

John Nelson                       25

Neil Kennedy                     26

MaryJo Voorhees            27

Doreen Albertson            28

Neil Kennedy                     29

 

Dana Abbott                      31

Debby Samuels                 32

Janine Kittleson                33

John Lovett                        34

Sandy Lovett                      34

Roberta Ruiz                      35

Daryl Wise                           36

Sumer   Yarema                37

Tom Yarema                       37

Donna Kaelin                     39

 

Lindsay Rosalba                40

Joseph Stearns                 41

Joseph Stearns                  42

Lucas Willey                        43

Sally Willey                          43

Gina Mersman                  44

Gina Mersman                  45

John Wescoat                    46

John Wescoat                    48

Verginia Voinea                 49

 

Lisa Dupont                        50

Erin McNeally                    51

Michael Schalow              52

Julie Lolmaugh                  53

Karen Juarez                      54

Michelle Lloyd                   55

Sian St. Laurent 55

Nathaniel Ritchie              56

Juanita Contin                   58

Max Contin                         58

 

George Winslow              62

Terrie Winslow                62

Andela  Milligan               63

Kasey Milligan                   63

Gina Mersman                  71

Gina Mersman                  73

Aptos Community Garden  — as of June,  2017  — has some  plots available.  Plot No.  10,  12,  24,  46 and 57 are still available.  Come see if one of the available  plots interests you.

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Aptos Psychologist Cameron Jackson

Dr. Cameron Jackson, Licensed Psychologist

Aptos Psychologist,  Cameron Jackson,  Ph.D., assists people as a licensed California psychologist # PSY 14762.

Dr. Jackson has an office in Santa Cruz at 127 Jewell Street, Santa Cruz, CA 90560.   831 688-6002

DrCameronJackson@gmail.com

Do you need or prefer  a “house call” and live in the Aptos or nearby areas?  That may be possible.  Yes — getting around Santa Cruz County gets more difficult week by week .

Call 831 688 6002 and leave a confidential message .  If you are in crises  — call  a crises resources such as 911.

Autism?  Dementia? ADHD?  Family issues? Depression? Anxiety issues?

Questions?  Call Dr. Jackson   831 688 6002

#aptosia   On Twitter.  Monterey Bay Forum.

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Life is an ultra-marathon. To run fast run alone, to run far run together? Yep.

to run fast run alone. to run far run together
Life is an ultra- marathon.

Life is an ultra-marathon.

To run fast run alone, to run far run together. Yep.

You may not run the Badwater race in California. That is one brutal ultra marathon!

Badwater elevation
Badwater elevation

You do have your own  marathon to run.  Your life.

And  it’s best to  keep moving!

And it’s best to do it together!

Sometimes we all feel weary and alone. Very alone.  And very weary.

weary
Weary and alone at times ?

 

You may  be weary from the  care of  a chronically ill spouse or relative.

weary from care
weary from the care of  a loved one?

Or you may feel weary because a situation seems stuck.  And, things just don’t seem to change.

 

 

weary and stuck
weary and stuck in a situation?

Some people   use exercise gyms to get out of feeling weary.

 

An hour  of exercise bike, weights and stretching can remove the feeling of weariness.  For some, exercise helps to get the body ‘moving’.  Consider joining  gym for regular exercise.

Another way to exercise  — a  gentle way  –can be through gardening.   Aptos Community Garden has a few plots available. Call 831 688-5727 extension 2 and leave your name and telephone number.

Community gardening allows you to meet and connect with others.  And, you can  grow beautiful  flowers and vegetables.

Aptos Community Garden
gardening can be a way to exercise & meet people
gyms help some
gyms help some people to exercise

 

 

 

We have families — biological and by groups we associate with by choice — where we can concretely practice mutual love  and support for one another.

You are not alone.

Remember those who came before you.   There are those who came before you, ones who have run the race.

Christians refer to those who came before them as the “great host of witnesses”  of those who came before.  That host of witnesses  includes Abraham who believed by faith and had a son with Sarah in their old age.  David. Solomon. Elizabeth cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus. St. Augustine, Martin Luther.Dorothy Day. And others.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin what so easily entangles  us. .  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  Hebrews 12:1

cloud of witnesses
Remember the cloud of witnesses which  came before you, the spiritual giants who inspire you.

Who are the’giants’ in your life, the persons who have inspired and continue to inspire  you?

cloud of witnesses
cloud of witnesses Catholic tradition

 

A book by  Malcolm Muggeridge titled A  Third Testament explores the spiritual wanderings of St. Augustine, Blake, Pascal, Kierkegaard, Tolstoy and Bonhoeffer.

That and other Christian books about “the host of witnesses”  are available at The Word Shop,  adbooks@aol.com  831 688 6607.

The Word Shop
The Word Shop

Through books you can  explore the spiritual wanderings of others who have gone before you.

Yes, your life is an ultra-marathon.  And to run far  — run it together.

One place to ‘keep moving’ and  practice mutual love  for one another is through a Christian community. And one such community is:

Christ Lutheran Church, Aptos, CA  http://www.AptosChurch.org  

 831 688-5727  10707 Soquel Drive,  Aptos, CA 95003   e-Mail:  office@AptosChurch.org

The above post written by Cameron Jackson   is a re-working of  the sermon  given  by Rev. Dale Solom-Brotherton, Pastor on August 28, 2016.  pastor@AptosChurch.org 

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http://www.aptospresbyterianchurch.org/

 St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Aptos, CA

Caregivers’ Circle:  Do you or someone you know care for a chronically ill spouse?   Yes  — that’s a tough, long , difficult ultra-marathon to run.

Come get support. Break the isolation.  Say hello.

Starting Friday, Sept 16, 2016 at 1 p.m in Thomas Lounge at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Aptos, CA  there’s  a Caregivers’Circle to provide a safe haven for sharing feelings;  a place to learn new coping skills;  and to provide relief from isolation.

Run that ultra- marathon with others!

All are welcome. Please   RSVP to Karla Norton at karla_norton@yahoo.com —  that’s so adequate materials are available.

http://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/article/17094761/why-running-world-toughest-race-135-miles-death-valley

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badwater_Ultramarathon

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TakeAway: You drove miles to hear this preached? Yikes! And the church spends money to put this on a website?

TakeAway:  And you drove miles  to a church to hear this  preached?  preached

Yikes! And that  church spends   money to  put this on  a website?  

What to do to improve?  

 Issue:  A man leaves his wife for another woman after having cared for his wife for  the last several years.  His wife has  Alzheimer’s.  

Alzheimer's
A man leaves his wife who has Alzheimer’s

 What do you say about this?  Has the man betrayed his vows?  Or is he meeting his needs?  

 Based on 1 Corinthians 1: 18-25,  the sermon at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Aptos  August 21, 2016  is   about the Greek  world view versus the Hebrew world view. And how these two world  views — Greek and Hebrew – collide today, both  personally and politically.

 The Greek  world  view:  The Rev.  Anne Mcanelly quotes from a book by Elizabeth Gilbert titled Committed: A Love Story p. 250 (on Amazon for $16.09 or Kindle for $11.99)

that  “the Greeks gave us all our notions about democracy, equality, personal liberty, individualism ….   and what we might call multiculturalism…”

The Hebrew world view:  “And then there is the world view of the Hebrews … including the ancient world view that is all about tribalism, faith, obedience and respect.  This way of thinking is clannish,   patriarchal, authoritarian, moralistic, ritualistic and suspicious of outsiders….   The collective is always more important than the individual, morality is more important than happiness and vows are inviolable”  (pg. 251 Unbreakable)

The preacher then asks, Which are you — are you finding yourself more in the Greek camp,

which are you
Which are you?  More in the Greek god camp …

or  are you more attuned to the Hebrew way of thinking?

Hebrew God
or  more in the Hebrew God camp?

To cover all bases she says, “Of course there is no right or wrong preference and when we understand how we see the world and maybe how our close  relatives do as well, we might discover some insight how to get along better….”

The Rev.  goes on to say, “A friend of mine told me about a family crises.  Her father-in-law is leaving his wife for another woman….  the twist in the story is that the wife has Alzheimer and the man cared for his wife for severeal years but now has started dating someone else.

My friend felt betrayed… I reminded her that its his very Greek way of thinking he is simply looking out for himself. He is placing personal needs ahead of loyalty and faithfulness and that is not sitting very well with my friend.  Now most of us would expect the husband to be loyal, but what is at issue is the world view more than moral fiber.”

“This Greek/ Hebrew dichotomy can also played  out in the political realm, where  some see every decision only in the way it would affect them — a very Greek way of thinking.  While others see a more holistic , community and ask what might be be better for all concerned, thereby favoring the Hebrew way….”

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Aptos Psychologist:  Many sermons — including this one — just don’t ‘work’.    As many sermons do, this sermon sets up a false  this or that dichotomy (Greek versus Hebrew world view ).  In reality, many people  in the pews know that they are both …  and more.  Ho, hum. Snooze time……

Maybe what some  Christian churches — for sure this one —  needs is a FeedBack form for pew sitters.  Let people comment right then and there as to what they heard and how helpful/ useful it is.

As  part of the church bulletin on the back page put:   Comments?  On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 = Low and 5 = High   And 3 = ???    What did I TakeAway from this sermon that I will/ can use? Encourage people to tear off the Comments? and put them in the basket along with their money.

As for Aptos Psychologist,  for this sermon I would rate it a 3  — ????  Not horrible. But not useful.

Gilbert’s description of the Hebrew God as “clannish, suspicious, patriarchal…”  (quoted in the sermon)  seems similar to that as portrayed in  A God Who Hates: The Courageous Woman who Inflamed  the Muslim World Speaks Out …  by  Wafa Sultan   That book IS worth reading.

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Aptos, CA  www.aptospresbytermianchurch.org lists a contact number 831 688-4211 and an email   to reach the Office.

Located at 9850 Monroe Avenue, Aptos, CA 95003

Sundays:  9:00 AM for adult education and 10:30 for worship.

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
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The Word Shop: Come for books, discuss books & share cup of tea

 

The Word Shop and Alliee DeArmond
The Word Shop and Alliee DeArmond

Alliee DeArmond, with the help of many volunteers, operates  The Word Shop in Aptos, CA.  As of 2016, this book shop has been operating for 21 years.   831 688-6607   Monday – Fridays  10-6 most days.

Alliee recently applied to be on the Board of Directors for St. John the Baptist  Episcopal Church in Aptos, CA. Alliee write regularly for a newspaper.  Her column In the Spirit publishes in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.  Various activities related to books occur routinely at The Word Shop.

Quite an accomplishment for all the women and men who have been  involved.

Back in 2009  — when this post was first  written -there were Literary Parties.  What’s going on is always changing — but always about books.

“These Literary Parties are a real blast! We choose a genre–mystery this month–everyone brings a book or two in that genre and we take turns waving the books around and saying why we like them. Then people usually have comments and conversation ensues until I bellow, “next.” We’ve done one every month since January–usually somewhere between a half-dozen and a dozen folk crammed into our back room. Quite fun.”

The Word Shop is located at 246 Center St. # A. This is a small book store located near entrance to Seacliff Beach. For more info contact Alliee DeArmond at adbooks@aol.com    831-688-6607

The Word Shop
The Word Shop with Alliee DeArmond

Use the SEARCH function (top right) to find more information about The Word Shop.  Live near or around Aptos?    Join  #aptosia

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