October 5 - November 9, 2024

“…they shared with those in need…with joy and generosity.”
Acts 2:45,46

October and November are our Acts of Kindness Months!!  Our desire is that many people within the congregation will participate in some project to show kindness to our community.

GOAL:  We are challenging all small groups, families or friend groups this Fall to come up with a service project and to complete it before November 9th. Ideally and what has more lasting effects, is when an individual, family or small group reaches out to someone they know personally – maybe a neighbor or co-worker of someone in your group who is in need or a school that your kids attend that has a need.  Clean up and weed a widow's yard, help repair or paint at a neighbor's home or a shelter or other community building, clean up and landscape at your child's school, serve at a food bank, make cookies and encouragement cards for public servants, or cook a meal for a group of elderly folks.  The possibilities are limitless!!

FUNDS:  If you are lacking funds for your project, we do have a limited amount of funds to award to groups.  Email   to submit a request for funding.

NOT IN A GROUP or NEED A PROJECT:  For those of you who do not have a group to work with or your group needs a project, you can sign up for one of the service projects listed below.  If you have questions, email .

OCTOBER 5th and FOLLOWING WEEKENDS in OCTOBER - Word of Life Church Building Restoration

• Help refurbish the current building with projects such as:  framing, drywall, painting, stucco work, electrical, and miscellanius clean up.
• We need skilled laborers as well as anyone who wants to help out.
• We are accepting monetary donations towards the material needs.  Please contact Robin Spurlock at  if you would like to donate towards the project.
• Learn more about Word of Life at www.wordoflifesnatacruz.org
• For more information or to sign up, contact the team leader Randy Strong at

OCTOBER 19, 2024 - Projects On This Day 

•  Assemble Gift Bags for New Brighton Middle School Staff - FULL!!!
  • Questions:  Contact Robin Spurlock at  .
    
  • Encourage and support the entire staff by giving them a gift bag full of goodies.
  • If you want to donate gift cards for the bags, see list and instructions below. 
• Project Pajamas - Family Friendly 
  • Help sort, bag and deliver NEW pajamas to kids in transitional housing situations (foster care, homeless, etc.) or who are dealing with cancer (Jacob's Heart).
  • We really need NEW pajamas for boys and girls, infants through 18 years old can be donated in the barrels in the lobby before October 19th.
  • We will gather at 9 AM in the TLC church lobby.
  • If you want to help out, please sign up here. 
  • Questions:  contact Robin Spurlock at
  • Bring a box of ziplock gallon sized bags and a black sharpie.
    
•  Assemble Hygiene Bags for the Unhoused - Almost Full - only a couple of spots left!!
  • Encourage those who are unhoused with a bag full of personal hygiene products, snacks and new socks.
  • We will assemble the bags at TLC in 7107 and 7108 at 10:30 AM.
  • If you want to donate items, see list and instructions below.
  • If you want to help out, please sign up here 

    • NOVEMBER 9, 2024 - PROJECTS ON THIS DAY

• Stuff the Trucks - Clean out your closets and raise money to help others!

• If you have things you are ready to give away, we will be collecting the following items to fill large Goodwill trucks.  For each truck we fill, we will receive $1000.  We hope to fill FIVE trucks and use the money to help purchase items needed for our other Acts of Kindness projects such as building materials for Word of Life refurbishing, new socks and underwear or tents and sleeping bags for the unhoused, gift cards and supplies for staff and teachers at a local public junior high school, and items needed for hygiene kits for the unhoused.

•  WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP THE DAY OF!!!  Help monitor the donations on one of three shifts: 9-11 AM, 11 AM-1 PM, or 1-3 PM.  Sign up here.

• For more information, contact Laurie Schlaepfer at

• You can drop off your acceptable donations on Saturday, November 9th between 9 AM to 3 PM.  The trucks will be parked in the main parking lot.  Follow the directions of the staff.  PLEASE, only drop off what is accepted (see list below).  If possible, pack things in boxes or bags or containers.

• ABLE TO ACCEPT

• Clothing for men, women & children
• Shoes, boots, purses, belts, and jewelry
• Kitchen items – (such as dishes, glassware, utensils, baking pans, cooking pots)
• Small appliances in working order (toaster, coffee maker, toaster oven, NO microwaves)
• Clean linens, blankets, comforters (but NO bed pillows)
• Home decor (such as lamps, pictures, clocks, decorator pillows, candleholders)
• Small antiques or collectibles
• Books, textbooks, CD’s, video’s, DVD’s, games
• Children’s toys, books and games in very good condition (no missing or broken parts, no stuffed animals)
• Musical instruments (portable keyboards, guitars, violins)
• Bikes
• Sporting goods of all kinds
• Small Tools in working condition(such as drills, sanders, hammers)
• Holiday decor, arts & crafts
• Very small “furniture” such as a plant stand or small end table 
• Computers, computer software and computer equipment
• Electronics – such as flat screen TV’s, radios, stereos

• NOT ABLE TO ACCEPT

• Large Furniture – Sofas, dressers, chairs and tables, etc…
• Cribs and Baby items like car seats, strollers, highchairs, pack-n-plays, rattles (baby blankets, crib sheets okay)
• Mattresses, box springs, futons, bed pillows and water bed components
• Metal Filing Cabinets, printers, scanners, 
• Plumbing or building supplies
• Carpeting or Fixtures (lighting, plumbing, etc.)
• Large Appliances (microwaves, refrigerators, ranges)
• Barbecues 
• Paint, cleaning supplies, or other hazardous materials, anything that may have or may contain alcohol and anything with a gas or propane tank
• Food or Drinks
• Automobile parts or tires
• Large exercise equipment such as treadmills and exercise bicycles
• Pianos and Organs
• Weapons and Ammunition of any kind
• Medical Equipment such as wheelchairs, medical beds, walkers, commodes, shower seats

PROJECT FOR JR. HIGH, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS ONLY - NOVEMBER 9, 2024

• Pick Up Trash at Seacliff Beach on Sat. Nov. 9th
  • Meet at the bottom of the stairs at 9 AM.
  • Wear closed toe shoes, bring gloves and large trash bags, and a trash picker if you have one.
  • To sign up, email or text Gio at  or 520-481-5203 

    DONATIONS

    If you would like to donate items that we are collecting for any of these projects, here are the instructions as to what we need, where to drop them off and when to drop them off by the designated date.
• NEW PAJAMAS - For Project Pajamas! 

  Infant to size 18 for boys and girls. NEW ONLY!  We need more for older elementary, jr. high and high school age.

  Donations can be placed in the marked barrels in the church lobby until October 16, 2024.

• ITEMS FOR THE UNHOUSED - for bags to hand out year-round.

  • We are collecting new socks - men's and women's adult size, crew or knee high.  

  • New travel size shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bar soap, kleenix, lip balm, hand wipes, and hand sanitizer.

  • Donations can be placed in the marked barrels in the church lobby until October 16, 2024.

  • Any questions contact

• GIFT CARDS for New Brighton Middle School Gift Bags

  • We are collecting $10 Coffee gift cards (Loft, Starbucks, Peets, etc.)

  • We are collecting $15 Eatery gift cards (Erik's Deli, Taquerias, Togo's, The Farm, Chilpotle, etc.)

  • We are collecting $25 Amazon gift cards

  • Donations can be dropped off at the church office for Robin Spurlock on Mondays through Thursdays, 9 AM to 4 PM by October 16, 2024 (deadline).

October 21 - November 10, 2024

• SECOND HARVEST FOOD DRIVE
  • Drop off canned, boxed and bagged dry goods in the bins provided in the lobby.
  • Give monetarily - mark your donation online or on check memo FOOD DRIVE.