FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT
Advent is about the “coming days.” God’s people have always lived in great expectation, but that expectation finds specific, repeated enunciation in the texts appointed for these four weeks. The ancients anticipated a “righteous Branch to spring up for David.” The Thessalonians awaited “the coming of our Lord Jesus with all the saints.” Our Lord’s contemporaries hoped for the time “to stand before the Son of Man.” With them we eagerly await the coming days: another Christmas celebration, a second coming, and the advent of our Lord in word and supper.
This Sunday at St. Mark's
9:00 am - Holy Communion with Children’s Time - Sanctuary
9:50 am - Sunday School - Sunday School Rooms
10:00 am - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Adult Forum: Report from Delegation to El Salvador - Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Journeys in Faith - JIF Room
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Sanctuary
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
12:30 pm - Worship Team Planning Meeting - Sanctuary
4:00 pm - SF Early Music Society Concert - Sanctuary
CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE FOR BERNAL GATEWAY CHILDREN AND YOUTH
We will be collaborating with Lutheran Social Services in assisting their staff with the Christmas Potluck Party at Bernal Gateway Apartments. There are 43 children and youth living at the apartments. We will be providing a couple of presents for each of the children. A Giving Tree has been set up—one in the Narthex and one in Heritage Hall—with tags for each of the children. On each tag is the gender and age of the child. YOU may take one or more tags and purchase a present ($12 – 15) for each tag that you take. Please return the present (unwrapped) to church by Monday, December 10, and place it in the box by the small Christmas tree in Heritage Hall or bring it to the Church office. Make sure to attach the tag securely to the present.
The Party is on Wednesday, December 12, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. If you are available and willing to assist with the party (setting up, serving food, and distributing presents), please contact Jane Borg at (415) 826-4787. If you are in the mood for baking, we also have been requested to provide dessert pies for the Party—deliverable to the church office by Tuesday, December 11.
ADULT FORUM, DECEMBER 2 – VISIT TO CORDERO DE DIOS
On Sunday, December 2, the delegation from St. Mark’s that visited our sister congregation, Cordero de Dios, in San Salvador will be at the Adult Forum at 10:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room to share stories about their recent trip to visit the members of that congregation as well as the Lutheran Church in El Salvador. Come and hear about all of the exciting encounters and interactions that these 15 members of St. Mark’s had during this 6-day trip.
ADULT FORUM AT 10:00AM IN THE FIRESIDE ROOM - NEXT SUNDAY!
Gisela and Doug Daetz are active Bay Area Lutherans and have recently visited Palestine/Israel. Come and hear about their experiences in the Holy Land.
DEC. 16: CIDER, COOKIES, AND CAROLS
You are invited to bring cookies to share on Sunday Dec. 16th between services in Heritage Hall. We’ll sip hot cider, sing carols together, and share Advent traditions. Bring a friend and let’s celebrate the joy of Advent and Christmas!
NEW JOURNEYS IN FAITH GROUP STARTING THIS SUNDAY
New to St Mark’s? Thinking about your faith journey and a community to support it? Maybe thinking about becoming a member of St Mark’s? You are invited to join the newest group of Journeys in Faith.
Our first gathering will be TODAY, Sunday, December 2, at 10:00 in the Urban Life Center. Look for the Journeys in Faith signs. For more information, contact Liv Beck (beckliv@gmail.com; 415-205-3292).
ST. MARK’S ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS DEVOTION BOOK TO BE DISTRIBUTED THIS SUNDAY, DEC. 2
This daily devotional book has a personal devotion and prayer written by a member of St. Mark’s. Each day you can enjoy a devotion as a part of your Advent and Christmas celebrations. Pick one up in worship on Sunday, Dec. 2, the 1st Sunday in Advent.
Thank you to all St. Mark’s authors for your thoughtful devotions!
LITURGICAL CALENDARS TO BE DISTRIBUTED THIS SUNDAY, DEC. 2
The new Liturgical calendars will be distributed on Sunday, Dec. 2 so don’t forget to pick one up along with your Advent devotion book.
PROPERTY TEAM DAY SATURDAY DECEMBER 1, 9:00AM-12:00PM
All members of St. Mark’s are invited to join the Team as we hang the Advent Wreath and tackle our ToDo list of minor repairs and cleaning. Enjoy fellowship and treats while we continue our stewardship of this beautiful building. Please contact Tim Bohan if you are able to attend, timelain@pacbell.net 415-6945-9499
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE - FINISH STRONG!
On Sunday, September 20, 2015, at a special meeting of the congregation, St. Mark’s members approved a 3-year Capital Campaign to raise money for installing an elevator, replacing flooring in the sanctuary, and restoring the stained art glass windows in our sanctuary. In addition, we voted to tithe 10% of monies received to the ELCA Always Being Made New campaign.
Here we are, three years later, at the end of our three-year campaign. We have a newly installed elevator, restored windows, and new flooring in our sanctuary. Thanks be to God!
As we conclude the campaign and pay our final bills to our contractors and vendors, we invite everyone who made a commitment to the campaign to fulfill their pledge. Currently, we have $76,781 dollars still outstanding from commitments made by members and friends. PLEASE fulfill your commitment so we can conclude the campaign, pay our bills, and be able to finalize our income and expense report for the Congregational Meeting on January 27, 2019.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of our Capital Campaign. THANK YOU!
JOYOUS GENEROSITY COMMITMENTS - PLEASE TURN YOUR COMMITMENT IN!
As of this week, we have received $352,819 in commitments with a total of 83 commitments out of a possible 188 giving units, totaling 44% participation. Thank you for everyone who has made a commitment! Our goal is to have everyone participate by sharing their commitment to St. Mark’s ministries. Please bring your commitment card to worship and place it in the offering plate, mail it to the church office, or go online and fill out your commitment card on the website: stmarks-sf.org/giveagift. Every commitment has a direct impact to St. Mark’s ministries and our goal is to have 100% participation!
Thank you, The Stewardship Team
CALLING ALL ANGELS AND SHEPHERDS!
Preparations are underway for the St. Mark’s Christmas Pageant! If you have participated in the past you know it is a great event. If you haven’t, please consider starting a new tradition this year! All families are welcome, and there is a role for everyone!
The Pageant is at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Call time will be 4:00 p.m. Rehearsals are Saturday, December 15 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (although we will likely stagger the rehearsal so not everyone has to stay the entire time), and Sunday, December 23 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Note this change from previous years! The second rehearsal is on Sunday so we don’t have to break the set down after rehearsal, and to free up that final Saturday of December. We will make sure there is enough food for everyone to eat for lunch.
Please contact Matt Helland (helland@nka.com) if you plan to participate or if you have any questions.
SENIOR ADULTS FIELD TRIP - TUESDAY, DEC. 4
Let’s go to Half Moon Bay! Please join Pr. Elizabeth for lunch at Barbara’s Fish Trap in Half Moon Bay and then shopping in the quaint downtown shopping area. You will need money for your lunch and any shopping you might want to do. We will enjoy the beautiful drive along the coast and the views of the Pacific Ocean along the way.
Please sign up by calling the Martin Luther Tower office 415 885-1084 or the church office 415 928-7770. We will leave at 10:00 a.m. and return by 4:00 p.m.
PROPERTY TEAM CHRISTMAS TREES AND DECORATING DAY, SATURDAY DECEMBER 15, 2018 9:00AM-12:00PM
All members of Saint Mark’s Church Family are invited to join the Team as we put up and decorate our Christmas trees. We will also tackle our ToDo list of minor repairs and cleaning. Enjoy fellowship and treats while we prepare our beautiful Church for Christmas celebrations. Please contact Tim Bohan if you are able to attend, timelain@pacbell.net 415-694-9499
UPCOMING MOSAIC TELEVISION SHOW HOSTED BY PR. ELIZABETH
Tune in on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 5:00 am on KPIX (channel 5) to watch Pr. Elizabeth interview one of St. Mark’s faith neighbors. Pastor Vanessa Southern is the Senior Minister at First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco and shares with Pr. Elizabeth background on the denomination and the various ministries in her parish. Learn about our neighbors across the street from us - First Unitarian Universalist Society - by watching Mosaic on Dec. 9.
2019 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
Our 2019 Membership directory will be in production soon and we want to make sure we have the most up-to date information. Please send any address changes to Stefani at lawrence@stmarks-sf.org by January 2. Thank you!
WOMEN'S MONTHLY STUDY GATHERINGS
All women are welcome to come and study together at our evening and/or morning Women of the ELCA Gatherings. In December our groups will meet on:
First Tuesdays – December 4 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm in the Conference Roomin the Urban Life Center. All women are invited to come for dessert and fellowship for the first half hour and then discussion until 8:30. This month we will discuss Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah.
Second Tuesdays – December 11 from 11:00am to 1:00pm in Heritage Hall. All women are invited to come for study at 11:00 and then our Christmas Luncheon. Our program will be led by Debby Halladay on “Not Just ‘Christmas’” - Icons and Art about Stories in Matthew 1-2, and Luke 2. Bring your Bible
If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Smith at 415.285.7438 or suzathome@comcast.net.
SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
December 2: Big Group: Advent activity.
December 23 and 30: No Sunday School
January 6: Big Group Community Service: Stockings for the Homeless
February 10: Big Group: Valentines for MLT and Lenten Box art.
March 10: Big Group: Mardi Gras/Lent observance.
March 24: Big Group: Pastor led lesson on the Sacraments
April 14: Big Group: Palm Sunday lesson and activity.
April 21: Easter: No Sunday School
April 28: Big Group: Passover meal and lesson.
May 19: Bay to Breakers, no Sunday School
May 26: Last day of Sunday School PARTY!!
ELCA GOOD GIFTS
If you are looking for an opportunity to give a Christmas gift in honor of someone in your family, you may want to consider the ELCA Good Gifts Program. Purchase a chicken, a goat, a share of a well, farming tools, school supplies for children, mosquito nets, a share of a start-up for women through this program, etc. Your gift will be used where it is most needed within the wider category of each gift that you have selected. You may go to ELCA.org/goodgifts or call 800-638-3522 for more information and the purchase of a gift(s). A couple of catalogs will be on the table in Heritage Hall for your perusal as well.
DONATE FLOWERS
St. Mark’s members and friends can sign up to donate flowers for the chancel on a Sunday by placing your name on the chart for the Sunday you wish. We still have dates available in December for Advent so please sign up!
Your donation can be in memory of a loved one or in honor of a particular occasion. Please go to www.stmarks-sf.org/flower-donations/ to sign up on our online chart. If you are unable to sign up online please call the office (415-928-7770).
The donation is $50 and can be paid via check in the offering plate. Please note “Flowers” in the memo of the check. If you would like to submit your payment online please click on the donate tab on the main page on St. Mark’s website and enter your flower donation under the “other” option and write flowers in the box.
WORSHIP LEADERS THIS SUNDAY
Director of Music...Dr. Timothy Zerlang
Assisting Ministers...Rachel Boles, Greg Jahnke, Phil Krikau (11)
Lectors...Robert Rathmell (9); Jo Chadwick (11)
Communion Ministers...Cristin Owens, Beth Dioli (9) Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Nadine Robinson (11)
Wreath Lighter...The Haller Family
Altar Guild...Cora Rose, Cory Schoolland
Acolytes...Grace Ekdale-Hoch, Jesse Peirce
Sacristans...Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero
Ushers...Jon Moeller, Vanessa Hierbaum (9) Pam Cheung, Linda Jackson (11)
Fellowship Hour Chairs...Andrew Sallach, Elaine & Tim Bohan
Next Week’s Fellowship Hour Chairs...Susie Smith, Frederick Blickle