ALL SAINTS SUNDAY
Of all three years of the lectionary cycle, this year’s All Saints readings have the most tears. Isaiah and Revelation look forward to the day when God will wipe away all tears; in John’s gospel, Jesus weeps along with Mary and all the gathered mourners before he demonstrates his power over death. On All Saints Day we celebrate the victory won for all the faithful dead, but we grieve for our beloved dead as well, knowing that God honors our tears. We bring our grief to the table and find there a foretaste of Isaiah’s feast to come.
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 - Confirmation - Youth Room
10:00 am - Adult Forum: The Ministry of Lutheran Social Services - Fireside Room
10:00 am - Sanctuary Task Force - Heritage Hall
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Sanctuary
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
12:15 pm - “All Saints Together” WELCA Hygiene Kit Assembly Project - Heritage Hall
2:00 pm - Young Women’s Choral Project Sectional - Conference Room
4:00 pm - SFNM Crisis Line Counselor Training - Fireside Room
ALL SAINT’S SUNDAY - NOVEMBER 4 - THIS SUNDAY
On Sunday, November 4, we celebrate the festival of All Saints when we remember all of those who have died during this past year, both from St. Mark’s as well as Martin Luther Tower. You also will have an opportunity during this worship service to remember your loved ones who have died and give thanks for all that they have contributed to your life. The liturgical color for the day is white.
ADULT FORUM AT 10:00AM IN THE FIRESIDE ROOM - THIS SUNDAY!
The Ministry of Lutheran Social Services - Today, we welcome Stephanie Casenza, LSS Director of Development to learn more about the ministry and programs of Lutheran Social Services. Later, we will assemble hygiene kits for Lutheran Social Services to give to their clients. Come and learn about the important work LSS does in Northern California.
ANOINTING STATION AT 11:00 AM WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY
During the distribution of Holy Communion at our 11:00 a.m. worship service, the Anointing Station will be open for anyone who desires a special prayer for oneself, for someone else, or for some situation. The Anointing Station is located in the back corner of the sanctuary. Share your name with the person at the Station, and make your prayer request. You will receive a prayer and the sign of the cross with oil on your forehead.
NOVEMBER 4, 12:15-2:00 P.M. - “ALL SAINTS TOGETHER” - THIS SUNDAY!
St. Mark’s-St. Paulus WELCA (Women of the ELCA) invites members of St. Mark’s and St. Paulus congregations to participate in a special fellowship event after 11:00 service on Sunday, November 4 (All Saints Day). To encourage all to attend, childcare will be extended until 2:00 p.m.
“All Saints Together” will be a great opportunity to learn more about LSS, and what we can do together to support its wonderful programs. We will assemble hygiene kits in Heritage Hall for Lutheran Social Services to give to clients in its programs for homeless people. There will also be other activities, good food, and fellowship. Proceeds from a free will offering will be sent to LSS. See you there!
EAST SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP POTLUCK
St. Mark’s East San Francisco Neighborhood Group is having its kick-off event on Saturday November 3 at 5:30. It will be a potluck dinner at the home of Sheryl Squires (located only 2 blocks from St. Mark’s!). If you’re a member of the East San Francisco Neighborhood Group and you’d like to attend, please contact Sheryl at sherylsquires@yahoo.com or (415) 316-9835.
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS, NOV. 4
Don’t forget to “Fall Back” and change your clocks on Saturday night, November 3rd.
BISHOP'S CHILI SUPPER
Bishop Mark Holmerud is serving his famous chili at Conference gatherings throughout the Synod this fall. He will be serving at our San Francisco Peninsula Conference on Sunday, November 4, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Unity Lutheran Church, 609 Southwood Drive in South San Francisco. This is a time to be in conversation with Bishop Holmerud about what is going on in your congregation as well as to hear from him about happenings throughout the Synod. Participants are asked to bring their favorite chili topping and corn bread or some other bread. If you would like to find out more about this event, or would like to register (which is strongly requested), you may go to the Synod website at www.spselca.org.
VOICE DEADLINE
The deadline for the Winter Voice newsletter is November 5 and will cover the months of December, January, and February. Please send all submissions to Stefani at lawrence@stmarks-sf.org. Thank you!
“TOWN MEETINGS”: SHOULD ST. MARK’S BE A SANCTUARY CONGREGATION?
November 11 and 18, 2018
10-10:50am
St. Mark’s Heritage Hall
St. Mark’s is an inclusive congregation, now and in the past.
Our St. Mark’s Mission Statement says...
“St. Mark’s Lutheran Church is a growing Christian community rooted in tradition and open to new expressions. Responding to God’s compassionate love, we reach out in service to the community and the world. With openness of heart and spirit, we welcome all.”
Our Sierra Pacific Lutheran Synod voted in 2017 to be a Sanctuary Synod. We are increasingly aware of the difficult issues for our immigrant friends and neighbors in the community and around the world. We are in a Sanctuary city and partner with several Sanctuary congregations in the city and Bay Area, including two Lutheran Sanctuary congregations, Santa Maria y Santa Marta in San Francisco, and University Lutheran Chapel in Berkeley.
So, should St. Mark’s be a Sanctuary Congregation?
Come and join the conversation on November 11 and 18 at 10am in Heritage Hall as we consider the following:
1. What does Sanctuary look like in the 21st century?
2. We are an ELCA AMMPARO Welcoming Congregation. What would be the difference if we were a Sanctuary Congregation?
3. Would we house immigrants or protect them from deportation?
4. What are the legal issues of Sanctuary?
5. Can we work with other Sanctuary Congregations or immigrant resource agencies, or would we be a Sanctuary Congregation alone?
6. What are the financial costs?
7. What are the staffing and volunteering requirements?
Come and join the St. Mark’s Sanctuary Task Force and St. Mark’s members on November 11 and 18 at 10am in Heritage Hall as we prayerfully consider these issues.
St Mark’s Sanctuary Task Force
Mary Ritter, Chair
Laura Evenson
Kimberly Hamilton Lam
Jason Jennings
Pastor Ron Moe-Lobeda
Cora Rose
INTERFAITH WELCOME CONCERT AT MT. ZION LUTHERAN
The Interfaith Welcome Committee of the SF Interfaith Council is sponsoring a concert on Friday, November 9 at Zion Lutheran Church (495 9th Ave.) in SF on behalf of the International Rescue Committee. Winne Nieh, who has performed in concert venues throughout the world, will bring her “impeccably pure and heart-breaking voice,” to inspire all in attendance. The suggested donation is $15/person and $25/family. A reception will follow the concert.
TUTORING OPPORTUNITY
Our local neighborhood elementary school, Tenderloin Community School (TCS) at 627 Turk Street, is looking for mentors to serve as role models for their students while engaging the students on site in studies or other structured activities. The expectation is one hour/week for the school year, either during school hours or after school. If you might have interest in this opportunity, you may let Pastor Ron know or contact the TCS Mentoring Coordinator, Dana Wong, at (510) 965-5250.
WOMEN'S MONTHLY STUDY GATHERINGS
All women are welcome to come and study together at our Women of the ELCA Gatherings. In November our groups will meet on:
Book Group - Saturday – November 10 from 10:00am to noon in the Conference Room in the Urban Life Center. All women are invited to come. Refreshments will be served. This month we will discuss All the Women in My Family Sing by Deborah Santana and will celebrate the birth of Catherine Louie Lee.
Second Tuesdays – November 13 from 11:00am to 1:00pm in the
Fireside Room. All women are invited to come for study at 11:00 and at noon to bring their sandwich or salad and share fellowship. Drinks and dessert will be provided. Our Bible study will center on “Repentance: Turning as the Church to the World” and we will take our yearly Thanksgiving offering.
NOVEMBER 2018 SENIOR LUNCHEON
St. Mark’s Seniors! Thursday, November 15 is the next MLT monthly luncheon in Heritage Hall, from 12:00-1:30pm. Please join us for a delicious Mediterranean meal. Entrées are Grilled Marinated Chicken Kebab with veggies or Grilled Organic Tofu with seasonal vegetables. All entrees come with Couscous with garbanzos and currants, Garden Salad with vinaigrette dressing and Hummus with pita bread. Dessert will be Warm Apple or Berry pie. MLT resident, Tom Berg, will grace us with his musical talents at the piano. The cost is $5. Please sign-up in the MLT Office by Friday, November 9th. Come be among friends. Hope to see you there!
If you can volunteer with set-up and serving please contact Pr. Elizabeth at
ekdale@stmarks-sf.org or 415.928.7770 ext. 2300.
REV. MITRI RAHEB SPEAKS AT PACIFIC SCHOOL OF RELIGION
Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, Palestinian Theologian and Founder of Bright Stars of Bethlehem, will be the featured speaker at the Pacific School of Religion chapel (1798 Scenic Ave. in Berkeley) on Wednesday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m. This event is co-sponsored by Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.
PASTOR RON AT EN CUENTRO
Pastor Ron will be traveling to El Salvador this week to participate in En Cuentro which is the time when the Lutheran Church in El Salvador invites all of its global partners to come to El Salvador, hear about the challenges that the Lutheran Church faces, and consult with them about its mission and goals for the next 3 years. Pastor Ron will be representing St. Mark’s as well as the Sierra Pacific Synod in these collaborative conversations.
INTERFAITH FOOD PANTRY, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17
St. Mark’s members staff this food pantry on several Saturdays throughout the year at Old First Church in SF from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. You could help for any length of time by unloading the food from the truck, setting up the distribution sequence, or handing out food to over 300 people. The next distribution date is Saturday, November 17. Please contact Diana Gomez if you have any questions (dianamrsgomez@mindspring.com).
AN INVITATION FROM THE NIGHT MINISTRY
The San Francisco Night Ministry is growing! We’d like to celebrate and share our good news at an event on Saturday evening November 10 at 6:00 pm. Please join us in welcoming our new Night Ministry executive team. Rev. Valerie McEntee is the 5th Night Minister, and the first woman in the position since it’s inception 54 years ago, and “because one pair of shoes was too big to fill” after Lyle Beckman’s retirement, our new Executive Director and CPE Educator, Rev. Thomas R. Carter, who brings the SF Night Ministry presence into the daytime hours. Dinner and light entertainment will be provided. There will be live and reverse auctions to support our ongoing ministry. Tickets for $54 (in honor of our years in ministry) can be purchased at facebook.com/sanfrancisconightministry Donations can be made at our webpage at sfnightministry.org or talk with St. Mark’s member and SFNM Board member, Diana Gomez.
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 (9); Phil Krikau, Steve Ernst (11)
Lectors...Dianne Velleno (9); Matthias Will (11)
Communion Ministers...Beth Dioli, Aaron Greig, Cristin Owens (9) Jane Borg, Cynthia Moe-Lobeda
Anointing Minister...Pam Reynolds
Altar Guild... Jane Borg
Acolytes...Jesse Peirce, Katherine Lam
Sacristans...Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero
Ushers...Randy Schieber, Tapio Boles (9); Donna Dindia, Linda Jackson (11)
Fellowship Hour Chairs...Donna Dindia, Chuck Lewis
Next Week’s Fellowship Hour Chairs...Eva & Matt Dober, Kate Knickerbocker