February 18, 2018

First Sunday In Lent

On Ash Wednesday the church began its journey toward baptismal immersion in the death and resurrection of Christ. This year, the Sundays in Lent lead us to focus on five covenants God makes in the Hebrew Scriptures and to use them as lenses through which to view baptism. First Peter connects the way God saved Noah’s family in the flood with the way God saves us through the water of baptism. The baptismal covenant is made with us individually, but the new life we are given in baptism is for the sake of the whole world.

THIS SUNDAY AT ST. MARK'S

9:00 am - Holy Communion with Children’s Time - Sanctuary
9:50 am - Sunday School - Sunday School Room
10:00 am - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Adult Forum - Dr. Margaret McLean - Fireside Room
We Are a Community of Moral Deliberation
10:00 am - Journeys in Faith - JIF Room
10:05 am - Confirmation - Youth Room
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Sanctuary
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
12:30 pm - Choir Advance - Sanctuary

CALLING ALL POTENTIAL WORSHIP ASSISTANTS
One of the central disciplines of Lent is prayer, and the communal prayer for which we gather on Sundays requires a committed group of volunteers.  During this season of preparation and reflection, you are invited to discern a call to serve as a chalice bearer, altar guild member, usher, assisting minister or lector.  If interested, speak with Kyle or e-mail him at kschiefelbein@ses.gtu.edu.  No experience necessary – training provided!

ADULT FORUM AT 10:00AM IN THE FIRESIDE ROOM - THIS SUNDAY

THIS SUNDAY: We Are a Community of Moral Deliberatio
Lutherans Doing Ethics
If theology is how we speak about God, then ethics is how we speak about life.  Ethics is our lived response to the good news of the gospel.  As Lutherans, we have a penchant for ethics—for recognizing that we are sinners striving to live as saints.  But, as Lutherans, do we think differently, live differently precisely because we are Lutherans?  Please join us as we consider “Lutherans Doing Ethics.”  These 4 forums are facilitated by Dr. Margaret McLean, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies and Associate Director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University and member of St. Mark’s.

UPCOMING FORUMS:
February 25 Deliberating About Genetics
March 5 Deliberating End of Life Options
March 11 Deliberating Together from Birth to Death

FEBRUARY SENIOR LUNCHEON
St. Mark’s Seniors, Thursday, February 22 is the next MLT monthly luncheon in Heritage Hall from 12:00-1:30pm! Please join us for a delicious meal prepared by MLT’s very own Delvone Anderson. MLT resident Tom Berg, will grace us with his talents on the piano. Entrée options are Chicken Enchiladas, Vegetarian Enchiladas, and Tacos with ground beef. All entrees come with Nachos, Taco Salad, Corn Succotash, Refried Beans & Rice. Desserts will include Flan and Dulce de Leche. Non-alcoholic Margaritas will also be served! The cost is $5. Please pay in the MLT Office by Friday, February 16. Come be among friends. See you there! Sign up by calling the MLT office at 415-885-1084.

We need a couple of volunteers to help set up the place settings and serve the meal to our guests on Thursday, February 22.  Please let Pr. Elizabeth know if you are available.  We would ask that you arrive at 11:00 a.m. and would be finished by 1:00 pm.  And, we will happily feed you a lunch.  ekdale@stmarks-sf.org or 415 928-7770 ext. 2300.

MIDWEEK LENTEN SUPPER AND WORSHIP ON WEDNESDAYS
Join our “Lenten Journey to the Easter Vigil” during this Lenten season by coming to our Midweek Lenten Supper and Worship on Wednesday evenings, February 21 – March 21.  A simple supper of soup and bread will be served at 6:00 p.m., followed by our worship service in the sanctuary at 6:45 p.m.  For our worship services, we will be using 5 of the assigned lessons for the Easter Vigil as our theme and emphasis for each week leading up to the Easter Vigil.  

February 21 - Genesis 1:-2:4a - Creation
February 28 - Genesis 7:1-5,11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 - Flood
March 7 - Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 - The Red Sea
March 14 - Isaiah 55:1-11 - Salvation for All
March 21 - Daniel 3:1-29 - The Fiery Furnace

If you would be willing to provide soup and/or bread for one of our Lenten suppers, please email Deidre at events@stmarks-sf.org.  Food for 12 – 18 people usually is sufficient.  Thank you.

LENTEN BOXES TO LUTHERAN IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICES (LIRS)
Giving something up for Lent? Put the amount you would have spent on it every day into your St. Mark’s Lenten box. The money you deposit into your St. Mark’s Lenten box during the 40 days of Lent will be donated to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS). LIRS has been caring for immigrants and refugees in the United States for over 70 years. Look at http://lirs.org, or @LIRSorg on Facebook, for information about Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. You can also see a video, “The Journey” at https://vimeo.com/117593637. The 5-minute video is about young unaccompanied migrants from El Salvador, the difficult journey they have made, and their lives now filled with hope because of the accompaniment of Lutherans and the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services.

During the season of Lent, we are invited to care for immigrants and refugees through our giving. Fill your box with coins or bills, or write a check to St. Mark’s with “Lenten Box” or “LIRS” in the memo line. LIRS thanks you!

You can get your colorful decorated box, one per family, from any usher or worship leader during the season of Lent.

GRIEF GROUP AND GRIEF COUNSELING AVAILABLE
Losing loved ones is one of the most difficult things we will ever endure. The trained clinical and grief counseling staff at Institute on Aging are available to help with grieving the loss of a friend, loved one, or associate.  Every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. a Drop-In Grief Group is available for free at 3575 Geary Blvd. Call Institute on Aging for further information 415 750-4111.

LET'S CELEBRATE TEA IN THE TENDERLOIN, SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2-5PM
You are warmly invited to celebrate with Lutheran Social Services at 191 Golden Gate Ave. Staff will be on hand for you to tour their amazing office complex and learn about some of their exciting work. RSVP to events@lssnorcal.org

ST. MARK'S MEN'S RETREAT
All of the men of St. Mark’s are encouraged to attend the upcoming Men’s Retreat on Friday – Saturday, April 27 – 28 at Mercy Center in Burlingame.  Please mark your calendar for this special opportunity to spend 24 hours with other men (however you self-identify) from St. Mark’s and engage in a conversation about the joys and challenges of being a male person of faith in our contemporary culture.  Pastor Ron will be facilitating this retreat, and will draw us into conversations around the topic, “Men Also Have Feelings.”  The cost is $154/person for the overnight, 3 meals, and our meeting room.  You may submit a check to St. Mark’s and earmark it for “Men’s Retreat.”  We may check in any time after 4:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, have supper at 6:00 p.m., and conclude our retreat at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.  Please let Pastor Ron know if you need a scholarship to defray your expenses.  

To register, please make a note on a Welcome Card with your name and put it in the offering plate, or email Pastor Ron at moe-lobeda@stmarks-sf.org.  The registration deadline is Monday, March 26 as we need to submit an accurate count to Mercy Center by then.  You will receive more detailed information about the retreat after you have registered.  This event will be a great opportunity for the men of St. Mark’s to come together and strengthen the relationships that we already have with one another.  

CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED FOR PRESIDENTS' DAY
The church office will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19 in observance of Presidents’ day.  The office will resume normal business hours on Tuesday Feb. 20.

WORSHIP LEADERS THIS SUNDAY
Director of Music...Dr. Timothy Zerlang
Assisting Ministers...Liv Beck (9); Phil Krikau, Pam Reynolds (11)
Lectors...Barbara McCormick (9); Jo Chadwick (11)
Chalice Bearer...Cristin Owens
Acolytes...Pam Cheung and Linda Jackson
Sacristans...Ed Chitty, Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero
Ushers...Omer Voss (9)
Coffee Hour Chairs...Nadine Robinson, Kimberly Hamilton-Lam
Next Week’s Coffee Hour Chairs...Andrew Sallach, Elaine & Tim Bohan