Seek Ye First
As a leadership team, we've been prayerfully considering the budget and ministry plan for 2026-2027--and one scripture has risen to the surface, capturing our hearts for the coming year:
"Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" Matthew 6:33.
This verse captures the humble dependence, the reorientation of our priorities, the hunger for God's movement among us, and the abiding trust in Him above all.
But what does "Seek first the Kingdom" actually look like for us?
Seek First
Seeking first means we're putting down all the other options to set our focus on Him alone, prioritizing His presence, and searching through it all to discover His way and hear His heartbeat.
The Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God "is the range of his effective will, where what he wants done is done. The person of God himself and the action of his will are the organizing principles of his kingdom, but everything that obeys those principles, whether by nature or by choice, is within his kingdom" - Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy
This means from the organizing structures of the church body, to the worship services on Sundays, from the generosity of our people, to the internal transformation of each person--we are seeking that God's reign, His power and presence, be first, effective, prioritized, and given full permission to move with freedom in and among us.
His Righteousness
His righteousness is the complement to His kingdom, that all the relationships and operations be done with the wisdom and winsome joy of the King, that the systems, internal and external, would operate with His heart. This righteousness is given to us by Jesus at salvation, but must continue to be exercised and embodied in and among us, His people.
And All These Things Shall Be Added
This is the reality and the trust we embrace when we prioritize God's leadership and ways first...we don't get to choose how it looks. We don't get to strive or control how and when and why things are added the way they are. We get to trust.
"For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all" Matthew 6:32.
It may not look like we expect. It may come differently than we would recognize. It may push out some of our preferences, and will press upon our comforts. But God's promise is He will not neglect our needs, but like a Good Father, He knows our needs before we even speak them out loud.
He promises to add these to the foundation of our trust, our seeking, our prioritization of His presence.
And so we settle our whole ministry and season in the arms of the Father.
We embrace His rule over and above our own.
We prayerfully anticipate His movement, wondering through the weeds of how He might break through.
We set wisdom and love at the center of our operations and services.
And we rest in Jesus, knowing that what He accomplished on the cross paid for all that we might need.
For "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:31-32.
Join us in prayerfully anticipating that this Sunday and in the year ahead that God will take care of all our needs as we "seek first His Kingdom."
Pastor Dave
PS. And conviently, the new sermon series starting is called "Seek Ye First" based on the classic devotional song. We'll study the "one thing" passages of Jesus in the gospels, when He clarifies the heart of the Father and simplifies our priorities, calling us and our church to seek His face above all else (Psalm 27:4,8) and image).
Announcements
Join A Small Group with The Journey, Two Saturdays per month- Next group is This Saturday June 13th 9:30-11am
Each month now through July, on two Saturdays, from 9:30-11am, we're launching a church-wide discipleship initiative called The Journey in which we'll travel together through transformative biblical content that helps us experience Jesus' presence in every season of the soul, and offers beautiful moments of co-journeying with one another in ways that heal us and heal others, too. Please begin the Journey on your own by downloading and watching 1 hr video/teaching and study, then come to HSCC to join a small group for The Journey, next on Saturday June 13th! Contact Dave for the QR code with discount.
Video: Watch the Journey Introduction Video
Content: The Journey Course & Content
Questions: email Dave
HSCC Life & Ministry Annual Meeting- Sunday June 14th at 11am, voting June 28th at 11am
Please plan to come to our important Annual Meeting with ministry and financial updates Sunday, June 14th, and a time for questions and prayer together!
Voting for our HSCC Ministry Budget will take place two weeks later on Sunday June 28th.
Boardwalk Day- Youth Ministry & Beyond (Youth and adults invited) Sunday, June 14th 12-4pm
Gabe & Zionne are planning a Boardwalk Day on Sunday, June 14th after our Annual Meeting from 12-4pm. All youth and adults are invited to join in! Lunch together will be at 2:30pm at the tables between the Giant Dipper and the Log Ride, where there are lots of eateries. Please see flyer for more events throughout the Summer, including Roller Skating, Camping, and The True Love Festival. Please contact Gabe or Zionne for more info.
Pregnancy Resource Center Baby Bottle Campaign- Mother's Day to Father's Day June 21st
This is your last chance to participate in our Baby Bottle fundraiser for the Pregnancy Resource Center!
The PRC of Santa Cruz provides no cost Medical Services including:
Free ultrasounds, counseling, material assistance, and legal info (including adoption)
AND low cost medical services including prenatal/postpartum care, 3D/4D ultrasounds, and therapy.
Please take a bottle from the back of the Sanctuary and fill it with coins, cash or checks and return them on Father's Day, June 21st, to donate to the PRC for their loving Christian ministry.
Thank you for caring for families and individuals with challenging pregnancies in our Santa Cruz Community.
More info: https://www.santacruzprc.org/
Click here to watch a video of a PRC client and her moving story
Kids Ministry Summer 2026
Please see flyer for events sponsored by our Kids Ministry with Zoe Leones, Kids Director leading. Events include: Father’s Day BBQ, Annual Kids Ministry Party, and monthly Parents Night Out! Contact Zoe for more information or to RSVP your child for Parent’s Night Out.
SAVE THE DATE! Mount Hermon Retreat Labor Day Weekend September 4-7th for ALL AGES!
We are planning to go as a church family to the Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center for a Labor Day Weekend Retreat, joining their program only option- no housing or meals. This allows us to be together for their bible teaching and fun activities, worship, campfires, smores on the recreation field, etc. while keeping the cost lower! Camperships also available through Mount Hermon. Register now by clicking on above link, then Labor Day September 4-7th and click on “Register Without Housing” on website. (Each family has to register on our own). We may have lunch together each day as well. More info to come!