FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

This Sunday’s image of how the risen Christ shares his life with us is the image of the vine. Christ the vine and we the branches are alive in each other, in the mystery of mutual abiding that we read of in the gospel and the first letter of John. Baptism makes us a part of Christ’s living and life-giving self and makes us alive with Christ’s life. As the vine brings food to the branches, Christ feeds us at his table. We are sent out to bear fruit for the life of the world.

THIS SUNDAY AT ST. MARK'S

9:00 am Holy Communion with Children’s Time Sanctuary
9:50 am Sunday School School Rooms
10:00 am Refreshments and Fellowship Hour Heritage Hall
10:00 am Adult Forum - Dr. Margaret McLean Fireside Room
10:05 am Confirmation Confirmation Room
11:00 am Choral Eucharist Worship Service Sanctuary
12:15 pm Refreshments and Fellowship Hour Heritage Hall
3:00 pm Janis Lee Piano Recital Sanctuary

TEACHING PARISH STUDENTS TO PREACH
We have two teaching parish students from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary who have been assigned to St. Mark’s for three semesters in order to get experience in the context of the life and ministry of a congregation. Both Libby Pfaff and Pam Reynolds will be preaching this Sunday, April 29—Libby at the 9:00 a.m. service and Pam at the 11:00 a.m. service. This particular Sunday has been chosen as the result of a class assignment in which all of the students in the class were instructed to prepare a sermon on the reading from I John 4:7-12 for this Sunday.

ADULT FORUM THIS SUNDAY AT 10:00AM IN THE FIRESIDE ROOM LUTHERANS DOING MORE ETHICS--EDITING THE FUTURE
Recent developments in gene editing (including the breakthrough technology called CRISPR) have enabled genetic modification of crops to improve disease resistance and of insects to reduce transmission of diseases like malaria. Many human diseases are caused by genetic errors, some of which may be corrected by these new techniques. Such developments can have profound positive effects on human health but, as with previous technologies, their widespread use raises ethical questions. Dr. Margaret McLean returns to continue our moral deliberation about important matters--this time, we consider how we might respond ethically to the promise and power of gene editing. Please join us.

ADULT FORUM IN THE FIRESIDE ROOM - NEXT SUNDAY AT 10:00AM
Lutherans Doing More Ethics--The End of Life Option Act
In 2016, California joined its west coast neighbors in offering aid in dying for terminally ill patients. Under the End of Life Option Act, dying patients can request a prescription for a medication that will end the patient’s life. We will discuss the Act itself, what is allowed and what is not. We will then turn our attention to faith and ethics--asking how our understanding of our “resurrection faith” might inform our ethical response to this new option. Dr. Margaret McLean will facilitate our conversation and moral deliberation. Please join us.

UPCOMING ADULT FORUMS IN THE FIRESIDE ROOM AT 10:00AM
Our Lutheran Sierra Pacific Synod has a companion relationship with the Lutheran Church of Rwanda (LCR). These flourishing, mutual relationships strengthen the worldwide Lutheran community and deepen our global mission engagement. All of us have gifts to support God’s mission. There is no mission to, only mission with and among, and our connections with Rwanda embody this sentiment.

In April, St. Mark’s hosted Robin Strickler from Rwanda (founder of rwandaschoolproject.org), and we took her on a tour of sustainable buildings in the Bay Area, including the Exploratorium. If you missed that, we have more educational events and visits from Lutherans of Rwanda coming up.

Sunday May 13: Allana and Linnea Helland recently returned from a trip to Rwanda with PICO International. They’ll share inspirational stories about the work happening in Rwanda through PICO, the LCR, and The Rwanda School Project.
Sunday May 27: Pastor John Rutsindintwarane, Assistant to the Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Rwanda and Director of PICO Rwanda will join us in worship and will share information at noon coffee hour about PICO Rwanda and the Lutheran Church of Rwanda.

Pastor John will also attend SPS Assembly in Sacramento June 1-3 and will be the featured speaker at SPS “Rwanda Connection” in Sacramento on Saturday, June 9. Contact Allana Helland or Mary Ritter (mlrpeds@aol.com) for more information about these visits and other ways to get involved with out planning and hosting.

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 May our groups will meet on:

First Tuesdays – May 1 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm in the Conference Room in 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 The Master Butcher’s Singing Club by Louise Erdrich. There will be a special gathering on Saturday, May 26, from 10 to 12 in the Conference Room to discuss the book Evicted by Matthew Desmond.

If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Smith at 415.285.7438 or suzathome@comcast.net.

SPECIAL WOMEN’S BOOK GROUP MEETING
The Women’s First Tuesday’s Book Group invites all women to a special gathering on Saturday, May 26 from 10:00 to noon in the Conference Room. We will discuss the book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond.

ST. MARK’S EL SALVADOR TRIP NOV 20-25, 2018: RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT CORDERO DE DIOS!
All members of St. Mark’s are encouraged to consider joining the next accompaniment trip to El Salvador on November 20-25, 2018 (Thanksgiving week). Singles and couples and families with children are all invited to travel with the delegation.

St. Mark’s is a sister parish with Cordero de Dios, in Soyapango, El Salvador. We have visited them several times. As we build wonderful relationships with our Salvadoran Lutheran brothers and sisters, we learn and grow and share much.

Former travelers can answer questions about travel and safety issues. Let Liv Beck (beckliv@gmail.com) know if you are interested in going or if you have any questions. We will likely soon start purchasing airplane tickets - the tickets prices are good right now but will likely go higher.

The next planning meeting for the El Salvador trip will be June 10, after the 11:00 service.

SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
May 20th: Bay to Breakers, no Sunday School
May 27th: Last Day of Sunday School PARTY!!

YOU CAN NOW MAKE ONE-TIME DONATIONS TO ST. MARK’S USING PAYPAL GIVING FUND!
If you’d like to utilize this service, please see the instructions below:

Open or Download the PayPal App
Log in or Create an Account
Tap the “Send Money” Icon

Enter “give@stmarks-sf.org” in the search field and continue as prompted

ST. MARK'S YOUNG ADULT GATHERING
On Sunday, May 6, the young adults of St. Mark’s will be gathering at 12:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room of the Urban Life Center for a simple lunch and time to catch up with everyone in terms of what is happening in people’s lives. We also will use this time to talk about what we may want to do together throughout the summer months. This is a very open and informal group and both members and friends of St. Mark’s are welcome to participate. If you have the opportunity, please let Pastor Ron know if you are planning to attend so that he can plan food accordingly.

INTERFAITH WINTER SHELTER WALK
The San Francisco Interfaith Council is sponsoring a Walk on Sunday, May 6, to raise funds for the Winter Shelter. The Walk will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Lake Merced (parking circle) in SF. To register, donate, or obtain more information, visit: http://winterfaithshelterwalk.dojiggy.com. If you have any questions, please call 415-474-1321 or email winterfaithshelterwalk@gmail.com. Perhaps we could get a team of walkers from St. Mark’s to participate.

VOICE DEADLINE

The deadline for the next Voice newsletter is Monday, May 14 and will cover June, July, and August. Please send all submissions to Stefani Lawrence (lawrence@stmarks-sf.org). Thank you!

WORSHIP LEADERS THIS SUNDAY

Preachers...Libby Pfaff (9); Pam Reynolds (11)
Presider...The Rev. Ron Moe-Lobeda
Anointing Minister...The Rev. Elizabeth Ekdale
Director of Music...Dr. Timothy Zerlang
Assisting Ministers...Rachel Boles (9); Linda Jackson, Katja Jackson (11)
Lectors...Barbara McCormick (9); Cory Schoolland (11)
Chalice Bearer...Cristin Owens, Nadine Robinson (11)
Acolytes...Evan Schieber, Katherine Lam
Altar Guild...Cora Rose and Cory Schoolland
Sacristans...Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero
Ushers...Jerry Lundblad, Barbara McCormick (9); Kimberly and David Lam (11)
Coffee Hour Chairs...Barbara Bock
Next Week’s Coffee Hour Chairs... Susie Smith, Frederick Blickle