On this day we celebrate the heart of our faith: the gospel of Christ-the good news-that makes us free! Though we give thanks for the events of the sixteenth-century Reformation that brought renewal to the church of that time, we pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to unite the church today in its proclamation and witness to the world. In the waters of baptism we aremade one body; we pray for the day that all Christians will also be one at the Lord's table.
This Sunday at St. Mark's
8:00 am - Call Committee Meeting - Church Office
9:00 am - Holy Communion with Children's Time - Sanctuary
9:45 am - Sunday SchoolSunday - School Room
10:00 am - Confirmation - Youth Room
10:00 am - Adult Forum - Reformation - Auditorium
10:00 am - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Auditorium
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Auditorium
Reformation Sunday:
9:00AM & 11:00AM worship services back in the sanctuary - Oct. 30
Wear red in celebration of this festive day. We will have the opportunity to sing some of the great songs of the Reformation in a reformed way with Jonathan Rundman, a gifted songwriter and performer, an artist with the gift of encapsulating the Gospel in memorable songs and engaging believers and non-believers alike.
Everyone is invited to worship on this Festival Sunday as we return to the sanctuary after worshiping in the auditorium for the past three months.
Thank you F.E.W. (Floors, Elevator and Window) committee
After three months of worshiping in the auditorium, we return to our church building giving thanks for the newly installed sanctuary floors and ongoing rehabilitation of our stained glass windows. We are grateful for the tireless work, energy and dedication of the FEW committee who volunteer their time to the stewardship of our church building in their service to God. Thank you to Tim Bohan (chair), Gary Schilling, Omer Voss, Jeremy McClain, Nadine Robinson, Matt Helland and Debbie Halladay. We are grateful to you and your work in beautifying our sanctuary.
In addition, we thank Plant Construction for their work on the floors, The Hyland Studio for their ongoing work on the windows, and the Eureka Valley Floor Company. Today, we are especially grateful for the leadership of Nathan Dunn, James Elliott and Mark Carpenter from Plant. Many thanks.
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
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 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: please read pgs. 7 - 47 before the first session. If you only have time to read a few pages, we suggest you focus on pgs. 19-22.
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!
St. Mark's 2016 Stewardship Campaign
Welcome members and friends to the fall season of stewardship at St. Mark's. We hope that this year's campaign slogan, "Forward in Faith... Lifted by Love2" will serve as an inspiration for you to reflect on the importance of stewardship in your everyday. Christian life and also to serve as an opportunity to move forward in faith with the assurance that God's love will support and lift us. Your pledge to the stewardship campaign goes directly into our general fund and is used to maintain and grow the missions and ministry of St. Mark's throughout the next calendar year.
You have likely noticed that this year's slogan ends with the number "2". This notation indicates that we are now in the second year of a three year capital campaign. A pledge to the capital campaign provides funding for important improvements to our church facilities, including the installation of an elevator, new flooring, and the repair and restoration of our stained glass windows.
Please consider making a pledge of financial support to these worthwhile causes. Pledge cards will be distributed in the near future, but you can quickly and easily make a pledge immediately by clicking on this link http://www.stmarks-sf.org/give-a-gift and filling out the on-line pledge card. The on-line pledge card is accessed by clicking on the Forward in Faith... Lifted by Love logo, located in the middle of the page. Your pledge of support, whether large or small, is greatly appreciated.
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
Use your Thrivent Action Grants. There are several projects where you could use your Action Grants like confirmation room refurbish, World AIDS Day 2017 Interfaith Prayer Service. Please talk to Pastors Elizabeth or Tita for more ideas and information. Do not let them go unused this year.
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:
Evening Gathering - November 1 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm in the Fireside Room
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 be reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson.
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.
Livestream of the Joint Commemoration of the Joint Commemoration of the Reformation in Lund, Sweden on October 31, 2016 at 10:30 PM PST
Link to the Livestream of the Joint Commemoration of the Reformation in Lund, Sweden on October 31, 2016 with the Pope Francis, for the Catholic Church, and Bishop Muib Younan and Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, representing the communion of church of the Lutheran World Federation. It will also be the launching of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Lund is the birthplace of LWF. https://www.lutheranworld.org/content/joint-commemoration-livestream
All Saints Sunday, Nov. 6
On this Festival Sunday, we will remember the saints who have gone before us. Come and give thanks to God for your loved ones who have died and those saints who have shaped our lives of faith. There will be an opportunity at each worship service to pray and name aloud those saints whom you have loved and admired.
Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday, Nov. 6
Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 6 (All Saints Sunday).
Voter Information
Lutheran Office of Public Policy has voter information, recommendations and guides on their website www.lutheranpublicpolicyca.org LOPP is an advocacy ministry of the ELCA and has valuable information regarding ballot measures and information on evaluating propositions. Check out their helpful website!
Winter Newsletter Deadline
The Winter edition of St. Mark's Voice Newsletter will be in production soon and is scheduled to go out November 23rd. The content will cover December, January and February. Please send any Voice submissions by Friday, November 4th to be included in the newsletter. Contact Stefani (lawrence@stmarks-sf.org) to submit material or if you have any questions.
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.
- October 30th: Big Group, all classes meet together. Reformation Sunday will be celebrated with a puppet show about Martin Luther.
- 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...)
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 to http://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...Liv Beck (9); John Barton, Richard Boyle (11)
Lectors...Barbara McCormick (9); Margaret McLean (11)
Chalice Bearer...Jane Borg (11);
Acolytes...Mila & Tayte Sall (11)
Sacristan and Altar Guild...Richard Boyle, Ed Chitty
Ministry of Welcome...Jerry Lundblad
Coffee Hour Chair...Nadine Robinson and Kimberly Hamilton-Lam
Next Week's Coffee Hour Chairs...Andrew Sallach
Prayers of the Parish
Cassie Allen
Debbie Brant & Ted Bernardi
Diana Bock
Natalie E. Bock
Riley Brooks
Jo Chadwick
Corrine Cottrell
Marilyn Desmond
Bonnie Elliot
Jack Heiter
Carolyn Johnson
Taylor Jones
Stephen Krefting
Arnold Lehmann
John Love
Margaret Massialas
Roderick Mobley
Stan Moeller
Lee & Irma Opitz
Ryan Parker
Cassie Pili
Marc Randal
Travis Schwartz
Matt Seiples
Tim Selander and family
LaVonne Strutz, mother of Geri Bailey
Mary Sukanya
Pastor Rebecca Swee
Dana Utz
Jerry Witherspoon
Brent Wolfe
For the family and friends who mourn the death of Beatrice Love, Mother of Liz Benson
For Harry and Dianne Velleno grieving the death of their son, Carl. A Memorial Service for Carl Velleno will be held at St. Mark's on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2:00 with a reception to follow.
For all military personnel, especially Will Lehmann in Afghanistan
For the growing families of St. Mark's, especially those who hope For and those who are expecting children
For the Kigali Parish of the Lutheran Church of RwandaFor the Cordero de Dios congregation in El Salvador
For our Missionary, Pastor Kate Warn, YAGM coordinator in Rwanda
For all Christians in the Holy Land, especially Bethlehem
For the people of Hong Kong, Macao, China
For the Kindergarten Cynthia Espinoza in Paraguay
For MLT Residents who are hospitalized or in hospice care
Every effort is made to keep the Prayers of the Parish current. Please email lawrence@stmarks-sf.org to add, remove or update a name on the prayer list.