November 6, 2016

All Saints Sunday

In holy baptism God makes saints out of sinners. In holy communion God forgives the sins of all the saints. In the assembly today we give thanks for all the saints "who from their labors rest," who have fought the good fight, who have gained the crown. In the same breath we petition our God for the strength to hear and to heed theadmonitions of the Lord Jesus in today's gospel. Recalling that we have been sealed by the Spirit and sustained by the Savior's body and blood, we keep on keeping on
as God gives us breath, to the praise of God's glory.

This Sunday at St. Mark's

9:00 am - Holy Communion with Children's Time - Auditorium
9:00 am - Endowment Committee Meeting - Fireside Room
9:45 am - Sunday SchoolSunday - School Room
10:00 am - Parents with Kidlettes - Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Confirmation - Youth Room
10:00 am - Adult Forum: From the Sixteenth Century to Today - Auditorium
10:00 am - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Fireside Room
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Auditorium
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Auditorium
12:15 pm - High School Fellowship - Youth Room
1:30 pm - Young Women's Choral - Conference Room
2:00 pm - Memorial Service & Reception for Carl Velleno - Sanctuary

Oct. 30 - Dec. 4 - Together by Grace:  Six Weeks of Introducing the Lutherans with Pr. Elizabeth Ekdale,  Dr. Kyle Schiefelbein, and Dr. Margaret McLean, 10:00AM in the Auditorium                       This Sunday's Theme: From the Sixteenth Century to Today
Who are the Lutherans and what do we believe?  How do we live out our faith in the world? As we begin this upcoming year of commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, join Pastor Elizabeth, Margaret andKyle for six weeks of exploring local and global Lutheran identity.  
This interactive adult forum is designed for novice and experienced alike and draws upon multiple learning styles.  Using the book Together by Grace: Introducing the Lutherans as the primary guide for the journey, each session combines focused topic questions, prayer, readings from the book and Small Catechism, and discussion of diverse experiences of Lutheranism.  

Books are available on Sunday mornings to purchase for $8.  
Your homework: For Nov. 6 read pgs. 47 - 84 before the second session. 
                           For Nov. 13 read pgs. 87 - 114 before the third session. 

All participants are encouraged to download the free Augsburg Fortress Small Catechism app. on your cell phones.  A few hard copies will be available too!

Please consider purchasing a hymnal in memory of or honor of a loved one.           
We are in need of 25 additional hymnals - the cranberry colored hymnals in our pews.  Each hymnal will be embossed on the front with St. Mark’s
Lutheran Church San Francisco.

On the inside of the hymnal will be a nameplate which will include the name of the donor (or anonymous) and the name of your loved ones.  The cost is $30.  Please note your information on your check or on a separate piece of paper and submit to the office in care of Stefani Lawrence.  Thank you!

Advent Midweek Services will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 6:45                  
Holden Evening Prayer will be used throughout Advent on Wednesday evenings.  Holden is a lovely, candlelit liturgy with Advent and Christmas images.  Come and nourish your spirits during the season of Advent.  Note: our community dinner will begin on the same Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 6:00.  All are welcome. 

Enjoy the Convenience of Electronic Giving                                          
St. Mark's wants to remind you that we offer electronic giving as a way to automate your regular weekly offering. Electronic giving offers convenience for individual congregation members and provides much-needed donation consistency for our congregation. Direct Debit Giving is used to automatically transfer funds from your checking or savings account to the church's bank account. Credit & Debit Card Giving lets you make offerings automatically on a predetermined schedule using a credit or debit card. Online Giving lets you go to www.stmarks-sf.org at any time to set up an automatic donation plan, change your donation plan, make a one-time donation or view your online donation history. As you contemplate future contributions, please consider electronic giving. Authorization forms and additional information are available from the church office.

Thrivent Action Grants                                                             
If you are a Thrivent member, you can apply for two Action Grants which can support St. Mark’s ministries.  Each grant is $250.  If you need assistance in deciding how to use your grant, contact Pr. Tita or Pr. Elizabeth for ministry ideas.  

St. Mark’s is using Thrivent Action Grants to redecorate the youth room, purchase new items for our Children’s space in the sanctuary, and create a more hospitable space in the church offices.  We can put your grants to good use! 

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 November our groups will meet on:

Second Tuesday - November 8 from 11:00am - 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 be on "When God Chooses the Unlikely: Paul and the Power of Failure" as found in the November issue of Gather Magazine.

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

An All Bach (& Sons) Organ Recital, November 12, 7:30 PM                          
Next Saturday, November 12, at 7:30, St. Mark’s, together with the San Francisco Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will host Dr. David Yearsley, organist and musicologist from Cornell University.  Dr. Yearsley is currently writing a biography of Anna Magdalene Bach, J. S. Bach’s second wife, and is immersed in the music of the entire Bach family.  David is an entertaining speaker and writer, and a wonderful organist - don’t miss this very Opportunity to hear Bach(s) on our very own Taylor and Boody organ.

High School Ministry Lunch Fellowship, November 6th 12:30-1:45 pm               
Come and let us join together for lunch, table talk (in the spirit of Luther's tradition) about faith and life, knowing each other more and planning for upcoming events. It will be fun! We will meet in Heritage Hall and decide where to go.  Please contact Pastor Tita at valeriano@stmarks-sf.org for more information. 

Young Adult's Theology on Tap, November 15th, 6:30 pm, Conference Room       
Do you want to hang out with good food, good people, good conversation and what else, good beer? We are through and through in the tradition of the Reformers! Please contact Pastor Tita at valeriano@stmarks-sf.org for more information.

Sunday School Schedule                                                            
All children ages 3 years old through 6th grade are welcome to participate in Sunday School.  Sunday School rooms are on the ground floor of the Urban Life Center.  Parents are welcome to stay and watch.  Please contact Jenny Hart, Sunday School Coordinator for information or if you have questions:  hartx4@hotmail.com

  • November 27th: Big Group, all classes meet together.  Advent Sunday will be celebrated with games and Advent craft.
  • No Sunday School December 18th, 25th and January 1st.
  • January 8th: Big Group, all classes meet together.  We will stuff stockings for the homeless.  Please bring toiletries or small items suitable for stuffing. (tooth floss, granola, bars, mints...)

Weekly Announcement Inserts                                                      
Please click the link below to see the insert for this week.
Nov. 6

Produce Market on the Square every Wednesday                                    
Support our community market! Please come and purchase fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs every Wednesday from 11am-12pm in the Urban Life Center Auditorium! The market is co-sponsored by Episcopal Senior Communities and Martin Luther Tower.

Donate Flowers in 2016                                                            
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. Your donation can be in memory of a loved one or in honor of a particular occasion. Please go tohttp://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 ...Ed Chitty (9); Phil Krikau, Kyle Schiefelbein (11)
Lectors ...Shannon Cheng (9); Cory Schoolland (11)
Chalice Bearer...Jane Borg (11);
Acolytes...Grace Hoch-Ekdale, Katherine Lam (11)
Sacristan and Altar Guild...Richard Boyle, Ed Chitty
Ministry of Welcome...Pam Cheung, Kimberly and David Lam,Tina Niu, Pedro Ospina, Linda R. Jackson
Coffee Hour Chair...Andrew Sallach
Next Week’s Coffee Hour Chairs...Susie Smith and Fred Blickle