July 08, 2026
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Dear Beloved Community,
This past Sunday, I shared the first part of my spiritual journey with you: the story of how I came to convert to Christianity. This upcoming Sunday, I look forward to sharing the second part of that journey: my life as a Christian, beginning as an Evangelical Christian in 1998 and continuing to where I find myself today as a progressive Christian.
Over these past 28 years, I have experienced many transformations in my faith. While my conversion to Christianity was a powerful moment of change in my life, it was not the only transformation God had in store for me. Again and again, my faith has been challenged, stretched, reexamined, and renewed.
That is why I believe it is so important to keep rethinking our faith. Not because faith is disposable, but because faith is alive. A living faith continues to grow. It asks questions. It listens. It learns. It allows God to meet us in new ways throughout the different seasons of our lives.
For me, following Jesus has meant remaining open to transformation. It has meant trusting that God is not finished with me yet, and that the Spirit is still inviting me to learn, unlearn, and grow in love, justice, compassion, and grace.
So this Sunday, I look forward to sharing more of my journey with you. My hope is that, as I share my own story, we may also be invited to reflect on our own journeys of faith and the ways God continues to transform us.
See you Sunday!
Peace and blessings,
-jorge
P. S. July's Giving Sunday collection is for Mission Hospice. Founded in 1979, Mission Hospice is an independent nonprofit organization providing exceptional end-of-life care, grief support, and education for patients and families in the San Francisco Peninsula and South Bay.
The Church Council clarified what monies in the collection plate go to our Giving Sunday recipient each month. On the first Sunday of the month (the "Giving Sunday"), the whole plate goes to the designated nonprofit. Any other time during the month you can contribute by way of a check with the name of the nonprofit in the memo line.
Recent sermons
Check out our YouTube page to see recent sermons. Go to our archive of slides to see bulletins and slides used during recent services.
Recordings of our Taize services are also on the YouTube page.
Upcoming services and events
Taize Service: Friday, July 10, 7:30pm. Our regular monthly service of chant and prayer.
Thursday Discussion Group: Thursday, July 16, 7pm on Zoom. Dream exploration. We're continuing with the new book -- "The Spirituality of Dreaming" by Kelly Bulkeley. His thesis is that dreaming is/can be a spiritual practice. Read chapter 7 on lucid dreaming for the 16th.
Church Pot Luck: Sunday, July 26 , after worship. Our monthly meal together.
Book Group: Sunday, July 26, 7pm on Zoom. It's time for some fiction, so we chose Elizabeth Strout's latest: "The Things We Never Say." Everyone is welcome to zoom in to the discussion at the end of July.
Joint UCC Picnic: Sunday, Aug 2, 12:30-2:30. We are hosting all the local UCC churches this year. Come on out and greet the downtown church, the Belmont church, Island United and whoever else the organizers invited! See details in the poster above.
Worship & Arts: Sunday, Aug 9, after worship. All are welcome to come help us plan worship.
Church Council: Sunday, August 16, after worship.
Women's Retreat: Aug 28-30, Pacific Grove. All CHC women are invited. Info and RSVP's to Polly.
Links and resources
Quote of the week
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."
— Maya Angelou
Weekly events
• Meditation group: Wednesdays at 7:30 am.
In person at the church building
• Sunday worship: 10 am
In person at the church building
• Church Office Hours: Thursdays 2:30pm-5:30pm, in person at the church building.
To schedule an appointment please call or text 510-754-6796 or email xicanominister@gmail.com.
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