BEN LOMOND

Good Friday community prayer service

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 101 Riverside Ave., is hosting a community prayer service on Good Friday, April 18, from noon to 1 p.m. All Christian churches in the San Lorenzo Valley are invited to share in this service for the community at large. This year’s theme is “Our Need of Grace and the Gift of Grace.”

There are six co-sponsors this year: Boulder Creek United Methodist Church, Cross Road Biker Church, Felton Presbyterian Church, Mount Cross Lutheran Ministries, Redwood Christian Center and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. The service will include familiar hymns, bible readings and meditations by Christa Garcia of Mt. Cross and Pastor Martin Yabroff of St. Andrew’s. Many churches will also offer their own services that evening.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

San Lorenzo Valley weekend art tour

Get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant artistic spirit of the San Lorenzo Valley! Local artists are opening their studios and exhibition spaces for the SLV Art Tour, taking place the weekend of May 17. This exciting event will showcase the diverse talents of 27 artists nestled throughout the scenic San Lorenzo Valley on May 17 and 18, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Visitors can expect to discover stunning paintings, intricate sculptures, handcrafted jewelry, spectacular wood carvings and turnings, captivating photography, unique ceramics and much more. A map and list of participating artists and their locations is available online at slvarttour.org. Visitors are encouraged to plan their route and enjoy a weekend filled with art and discovery. Large fluorescent pink signs up and down Highway 9 will help visitors locate the artists of their choosing. This is a free event.

SANTA CRUZ

Introduction to Zen meditation

The Santa Cruz Zen Center, 113 School St., will host an introduction to the body and mind of Zen meditation and the forms used, on April 19 from 1-2 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Free of charge. For more information, contact 831-457-0206 or contact@sczc.org.

SANTA CRUZ

Free resources for homeless community

New Beginnings Community Church will be hosting a free event to serve the unhoused community April 26, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St. There will be a free box lunch, some clothing, bags with toiletries, socks, beanies, gloves and other miscellaneous items. For information, call 831-239-3659 or email swmiller@pacbell.net.

SOQUEL

Guided hiking retreat in Santa Cruz Mountains

Join St. Clare’s Retreat Center, 2381 Laurel Glen Road, on May 4 and Aug. 17 at 1 p.m. for a free guided group hike with naturalist Gary Paul and hike the majestic trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Meet at 12:45 p.m. in the parking lot of St. Clare’s Retreat. This is a contemplative hike to allow time to slow down, quiet your mind and let nature nurture your soul. The hike is roughly 3 miles total and will be a leisurely saunter, not an aerobic hike.

Following the hike, participants can enjoy snacks and beverages as well as a tour of the retreat center. Registration is limited to 30 people and closes one day before the hike. This is a free hike but donations are welcome. Contact St. Clare’s Retreat for registration or questions at 831-423-8093 or info@stclaresretreat.org. For additional details, visit stclaresretreat.org/guided-hiking-retreat.

SOQUEL

Third Friday Community Drumming Sessions

Percussionist and educator Jim Greiner is continuing his Third Friday Community Drumming series through 2025 at the Congregational Church of Soquel, 4951 Soquel Drive, on April 18 from 7-8:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30. The cost is $10.

Greiner provides hand drums and other percussion instruments, but feel free to bring your own favorites. All levels of experience are welcomed. There will be a few fun and easy tips on playing the instruments for beginners, as well as how to use rhythm as a playful life practice to reinforce positive powerful life rhythms and patterns of attitude and action to ground, focus and empower ourselves.

Contact Greiner through SantaCruzDrumLessons.com.

APTOS

Neighborhood nonprofit to host community meeting

The Rio Del Mar Improvement Association will hold its spring community meeting April 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rio Sands Hotel, 171 Aptos Village Way. Second District Supervisor Kim DeSerpa, Director of Government and Community Relations at Watsonville Hospital, Allyson Violante, Scott Rohlf from California State Parks and Recreation and Sgt. Travis Huntsman from the Aptos Service Center of the Sheriff’s Department will be the featured speakers. The meeting is free to attend and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

APTOS

Free economics seminar at Cabrillo

On April 14, the Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County will hold a forum at the Cabrillo College Horticulture Building, 6500 Soquel Drive, from 7-8:30 p.m., on “Solidarity Economics: Building an Economy that Works for All.” Professor Chris Benner from UCSC will speak and facilitate a discussion. He will help us understand how social movements are essential for economic prosperity and help put our current crisis in historical context. The event is free and open to the public. There will be light refreshments. For more information, contact Peggy Flynn at peggyflynn26@gmail.com.

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