Join us for the Third Sunday of Easter
9:00 am - Holy Communion with Children's Time
10:00 am - Sunday School
10:00 am - Refreshments
10:10 am - Confirmation Class
10:10 am - Journeys in Faith Gathering
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist
12:15 pm - Refreshment and Fellowship Hour
1:00 pm - Worship at Nursing Home
St. Mark's Knitting Retreat Saturday May 10 from 10am to 2pm
All knitters and people who would like to learn to knit are invited to a retreat at St. Mark's Heritage Hall. We have knitted scarves and blankets and bandages and slippers and caps and lap robes for African midwives, people with leprosy, clients of SF Night Ministry and our Winter Homeless Shelter and Central Gardens nursing home. We have new lovely yarns. We always need to make more caps and scarves. Some may want to knit prayer shawls for those who are in need of a comfortable prayer-filled cover. Bring your projects, or come prepared to take a project home to complete. Bring your own sack lunch. Be prepared for a wonderful time of knitting and sharing. Questions? Contact Mary Ritter at mlrpeds@aol.com or Marge Okuley at marge.okuley@gmail.com.
Confirmation at St. Mark's
Confirmation class meets weekly at 10:10 in the youth room. 6th-8th graders welcome!
Sunday School News
May 18th: Bay to Breakers, no Sunday School
June 1st: Last day of SS Party!
Women's Monthly Study Gatherings
All women are welcome to come and study together at our morning Women of the ELCA Gathering. In May our group will meet on:
Second Tuesday - May 13 from 11:00am to 1:00pm in the Fireside Room
All women are invited to come for study at 11:00 and then at noon to eat their sandwich or salad and share fellowship. Drinks and dessert will be provided. Our Bible study will center on "Rahab, a Faithful Businesswoman" using the Women of the ELCA's guide, In Good Company: Stories of Biblical Women.
If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Smith 415.285.7438 or suzathome@comcast.net.
June-July-August Voice deadline
Please note that the deadline to submit items for the June-July-August edition of St. Mark's Voice is Wednesday, May 21st. Please submit all articles, blurbs, photos to dayton@stmarks-sf.org. Thanks!
Spring Assembly of ELCA Congregations in San Francisco, May 18
At our District C Fall Assembly, we decided that it would be great to revive the practice of gathering for a San Francisco Conference Spring Assembly. Folks from our ten churches and our social service ministries can get to know one another better. And we can focus on matters that pertain to doing ministry in our city. I hope you'll come - and bring a group of people with you! Our topic of discussion: How do we do outreach in today's "spiritual but not religious" culture? Taking as our starting point Diana Butler Bass' book Christianity After Religion, we'll talk together about our own congregations' ministries. Join us at First United Lutheran Church at 2097 Turk St (at Lyon) from 2:00 to 5:00 pm.
Collection for Synod Assembly in Burlingame
The Synod is asking for donations of knit or crocheted hats and scarves, rain gear, and sleeping bags that turn into rain gear. Please place your donations in the white, labeled box on the information table in Heritage Hall. Thank you!
Ascension Day Events with the Synod
On Wednesday, May 28 at 7:00 pm all are invited to University Lutheran Church for an evening of hymn singing and conversation with the Rev. Dr. Susan Briehl. Join us at 1611 Stanford Ave.
On Thursday, May 29 at 7:30 pm there is a Festival Eucharist at Stanford Memorial Church. You are invited to join local Episcopal congregations for a service of Holy Eucharist hosted by the Episcopal Lutheran Campus Ministry in celebration of Ascension Day and our call to common mission. Our preacher will be the Rev. Susan Briehl, poet, musician, and pastor and the presider will be the Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real.
Bike to Worship on Sunday, June 1
As part of Bike Month in May, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition members are working in partnership with the San Francisco Interfaith Council to create a Bike to Worship Week from Sunday, May 25 to Sunday, June 1, 2014. St. Mark's is participating in the event with a Bike to Worship Day on June 1. We are calling on all bikers to participate! The event will include a Blessing of the Bicycles at both services as well as a raffle for free bike gear. Don't know what route to take? Talk to Andrew Sallach or Colin Williams for tips, or consult the bike routing function on Google Maps. Interested in helping on the day of the event? Please contact Matt Helland to volunteer.
New LSS Building Opening Celebration on June 1
All are welcome to attend the opening of a new Lutheran Social Services home in San Francisco, at 191 Golden Gate Avenue. Bishop Mark Holmerud (ELCA) and First Vice President Paul Hoffmann (Missouri Synod) will be in attendance. Come and bless us with your presence at 4:00 pm on Sunday, June 1st. Light refreshments will be served.
Give Thrivent Choice Dollars® to St. Mark's Now!
Thrivent Financial members: Direct your Choice Dollars to St. Mark's before May 31, and Thrivent will add $20 to your grant. Select us as the first organization when you make your direction(s). Thrivent's campaign "Direct Now...add $20" is for each Thrivent member directing Choice Dollars. Our members have $2,400 to donate! Check your Choice balance / donate online now or call 800-THRIVENT (800-847-4836) and say "Thrivent Choice."
Please return those Lenten offering boxes!
The recipient of the offerings this year is Lutheran Social Services. Please get those boxes in so we can send the money on to LSS. Remember LSS in your prayers.-St. Mark's Social Ministry
Register Now for Summer Day Camp at St. Mark's, June 30- July 4
Day Camp is a unique partnership between Mt. Cross Summer Camp and St. Mark's Lutheran Church. Join us for a week of faith-based fun, which includes group games, arts & crafts, worship, community building activities and Bible Encounters. Location: St. Mark's Heritage Hall. Dates: June 30-July 4.|Time: 9am-3pm | Cost: $90. Full scholarships are available. | Age range: Youth who have completed Kindergarten through 6th grade | For more details and registration forms, please visit www.stmarks-sf.org.
Do you have any housing leads for members of St. Mark's?
Affordable housing is a concern for all residents in the Bay Area. We have a special interest at St. Mark's. Each year, beloved members of St. Mark's move out of the area due to lack of affordable housing. We'd like to utilize the power of the St. Mark's network to share possible leads with these families. Currently, we have the following affordable housing needs:
1. An active couple at St. Mark's is looking to purchase a condominium in SF for approx. $600,000.
2. An active couple at St. Mark's is looking for affordable rent near transit or to buy; their buy budget is no greater than $500,000.
If you have a piece of property that you might be willing to sell or have any leads for these two families, please e-mail Pr. Elizabeth at Ekdale@stmarks-sf.org. She will connect the two parties together. Thank you. (Please refer to article in current newsletter for additional details.)
Western States Youth Gathering June 27-July 1
Calling all high school students! WSYG is for high school youth (grades 9-12) in Lutheran congregations. WSYG occurs every three years, and is a partnership with California Lutheran University. WSYG will feature mass gatherings with great speakers and musicians; learning and small group experiences; worship that takes you in new directions; an immersion experience in Los Angeles; a Southern California beach party, and much more! Visit www.wsyg.com or contact Pastor Bekah for more details.
Malaria Campaign Challenge Grant
An anonymous member of St. Mark's has offered a $10,000 challenge grant for congregations in the Sierra Pacific Synod who are raising funds for the ELCA Malaria Campaign! The challenge provides a $1-for-$1 match. To have your gift doubled, please make your check out to St. Mark's and write "Malaria Campaign" in the memo line. Alternatively, you can click on the donate button on St. Mark's homepage and designate your gift to the Malaria Campaign. The challenge grant will be offered until the goal is met or until July 31.
Interfaith Food Pantry Dates for 2014
The Interfaith Food Pantry is held every Saturday at the Old First Presbyterian Church. Here are the St. Mark's dates in 2014: May 17th, July 12th, August 16th, October 4th and November 15th. All Faiths Dates in 2014: June 21st, August 23rd, October 11th, December 6th. For more info, contact Wendy Figliuolo at Northern.cal@gmail.com.
Let's fill those Food Bank barrels!
Most needed foods are: tuna, canned meat, peanut butter, soup, chili, beans, cereal, canned fruit and vegetables and granola bars. No glass or perishable items; please donate only unopened items that you would eat, and check that items are still within their "Use before" date. Look for the green barrels in the Narthex.
Worship Leaders for this Sunday
Assisting Ministers...Maria Anderson (9); Philip Krikau, Richard Boyle (11)
Lectors...Randy Schieber (9);Margaret McLean (11)
Acolytes...Erika Taylor, Mila Sall
Chalice Bearers...Marisa Louie, Liv Beck (9);Jane Borg, Cora Rose (11)
Welcome Ministry...Tapio Boles, Randy Schieber(9); Lew Randall, Rachel Letchumanan, Viknesh Silvalingam
Refreshment Hour Chairs...Barbara Bock, Tina Hogan