We believe that ministry is not just something churches do. Ministry is at the heart of what it means to be Christian.
“…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6.8)
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1.27)
Jesus said, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25.35-36)
God has blessed us with a rich and wonderful shared ministry with (not to) those who are homeless. Our Helping Hands Ministry helps in a variety of ways:
During Helping Hands hours (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10:00 am - 1:00 pm) we provide:
Socks, blankets, raincoats, other items in the winter
Bus vouchers for those needing help with transportation
Community Meal Tuesdays at 5;30 pm
Overnight shelter for 20 people as part of the Interfaith Satellite Shelter Program every Tuesday night
Community Meal Sunday at 11:30 am.
Other help as we have means and ability
Please call the church for more information, as this ministry is ongoing and constantly changing.
The Circle is a not just a church, it’s a hub of community activities. About 1,00 people each week enjoy a rich variety of activities here, including volleyball, basketball, music, education, self-help, cultural and neighborhood improvement programs as well as religious activities. To see the entire calendar of activities going on in our building, go to the Community Calendar tab at the top of the page.
We are host to three other Christian churches:
VictoryOutreachChurch meets Sundays at 10:00 am.
FirstUnitedPentecostalChurch of
Santa Cruz meets Sundays at 6:00 pm
We provide space for the Bhartya Cultural Association, a Hindu community, to meet for special Hindu holiday celebrations.
Ten Twelve-step programs meet here weekly. (Twelve-step programs are not affiliated with this church or any other organization. We are honored to provide space for them to meet.)
Sunday 6:00pm Narcotics Anonymous
Tuesday 8:00pm Alcoholics Anonymous
Thursday 8:00pm Narcotics Anonymous
Thursday 8:00pm Heroin Anonymous
Friday 7:00pm Alcoholics Anonymous
Saturday 8:00pm Alcoholics Anonymous
We are a distribution site for Grey Bears food for seniors on Friday mornings.
We support Bayside Centers of
Santa Cruz – providing social services to differently-abled persons
We sponsor a child through the Christian Children’s Fund
Through Week of Compassion (a Disciples of Christ ministry) we provide disaster and urgent relief in crises around the world
We are also a part of the various ministries and missionaries supported by Disciples Mission Fund around the world.
The Circle Church is a member of the Progressive Christian Forum of Santa Cruz. We are also founding members of The Association of Faith Communities in Santa Cruz County, an organization which works to improve services to those in the greatest need, , especially those who are homeless.