July 15, 2026
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Dear Beloved Community,
Within the span of only six days, two migrants have been fatally shot during immigration enforcement operations. On Tuesday, July 7, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed by an ICE officer in Houston, Texas. And on Monday, July 13, Joan Sebastian Guerrero was killed during an ICE operation in Biddeford, Maine.
Two lives taken by ICE in less than one week.
They were not merely names in news stories. They were beloved members of families and communities. They carried dreams, responsibilities, relationships, and sacred worth. Their lives mattered, and the grief of their families and communities matters.
One of the greatest dangers we face is not only the violence itself, but the possibility that we will become accustomed to it. When raids, detentions, disappearances, shootings, and deaths become regular headlines, we may begin to receive them as ordinary. We may shake our heads, offer a brief prayer, and then continue with our lives.
But as followers of Jesus, we must never allow this violence to become normal.
We must never accept the idea that migrants are disposable. We must never permit words such as “enforcement,” “operation,” or “deportation” to hide the human suffering taking place. We must never forget that Christ told us, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Christ continues to meet us in the migrant, the refugee, the detained person, the frightened child, and the grieving family.
My prayer is that we will never stop speaking out against violence carried out by our government. May we never surrender our moral outrage. May we never become silent because speaking feels uncomfortable, political, or inconvenient. Silence will not protect our migrant neighbors, and silence will not bring us closer to the way of Jesus.
Let us say their names: Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Joan Sebastian Guerrero.
May God receive them with tenderness. May God surround their families with comfort and strength. And may God give us the courage to mourn publicly, speak prophetically, demand accountability, accompany our migrant neighbors, and work for a nation where no human being is treated as less worthy of life.
Two fatal shootings within six days must not become just another week in America. May we never normalize these killings. May we never look away. And may our faith always move us toward courageous love, justice, and solidarity.
Now, this Sunday, Jim will share his story with us. His message is titled “Three Sharp Knives on My Pathway.” Because his spiritual journey is far too long to share in only ten or fifteen minutes, Jim has chosen to tell us about three people who have had a major influence on where he finds himself spiritually today.
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
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.
Taize Service: Friday, August 14, 7:30pm. Our regular monthly service of chant and prayer.
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
The real problem of humanity is the following: we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology. ---Edmund O. Wilson, debate at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, Mass., 9 September 2009
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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