SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
In spite of all we have heard and all that we have seen, it is often hard to believe. Because it is hard to believe, we will invest ourselves in the Easter mystery for fifty days (a week of weeks). Because it is hard to believe, John the evangelist will provide sign after sign celebrating Jesus’ victory over death. Because it is hard to believe, Jesus will return to us again and again in the mystery of the holy communion, inviting us to touch and taste his presence, and offering us his peace.
This Sunday at St. Mark's
9:00 am - Holy Communion and Children’s Time - Sanctuary
9:50 am - Sunday School - Sunday School Rooms
10:00 am - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Adult Forum: Heritage Hall
Meet our Seminary Students and Pastoral Intern
10:00 am - Journeys in Faith - JIF Room
10:00 am - Confirmation - Youth Room
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Sanctuary
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
12:15 pm - El Salvador Sister Parish Meeting - Heritage Hall
ADULT FORUM - THIS SUNDAY!
April 28 - Meet our Seminary Students and Pastoral Intern - hear their faith stories - and learn about these three remarkable women who are preparing to serve as clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Pr. Elizabeth will moderate this discussion with Pastoral Intern Sonja Pilman, Teaching Parish student Libby Pfaff, and Teaching Parish student Evangeline Dai. This forum meets in Heritage Hall at 10:00 am.
INSTALLATION OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MARTIN LUTHER TOWER IN WORSHIP
This Sunday, we install the Board of Trustees who provide oversight and vision of Martin
Luther Tower Senior Housing, the Urban Life Center, and parking lots on St. Mark’s Square. We thank these trustees for their ministry, governance and stewardship of these
important assets and ministries. Our trustees are the following: Susie Smith, Leah
Palmer, Barbara Engmann, Barbara Bock, Jo Chadwick, Scott Taylor, Jon Moeller, Jerry Lundblad, Shannon Cheng and Pastor Elizabeth.
Thank you Board of Trustees for your leadership and dedication to the ministries on St. Mark’s Square.
EL SALVADOR MINISTRY APRIL 28 AT 12:30 IN HERITAGE HALL
Everyone is invited to El Salvador Ministry meeting on Sunday April 28 at 12:15pm. We will meet around a table in Heritage Hall to discuss our ongoing accompaniment relationship with Cordero de Dios and to plan upcoming activities, including a trip in November to visit the congregation in El Salvador. .All are welcome, whether or not you are interested in traveling to El Salvador. We will continue to consider ways to walk with our sisters and brothers at Cordero de Dios. Questions? Contact Mary Ritter or Liv Beck or Matt and Allana Helland.
NOW IS THE TIME TO TURN IN YOUR LENTEN OFFERING BOXES
Bring them to church and turn them in with your regular offering. Thank you!
HIKE SUNDAY MAY 5: LABYRINTHS AND WILDFLOWERS
Join us for a 1.5-2 mile easy to moderate hike in Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland Hills on Sunday May 5. Sibley has 3 hidden labyrinths, and we know where they are! We will also enjoy all the wildflowers the park has to offer. Afterward, everyone is invited to Sharon Reinbott’s house nearby. We’ll meet in front of the church at 12:45 pm, and carpool over to the East Bay. Please see Sharon Reinbott or Andrew Sallach if you’re interested, emails sharon.reinbott@gmail.com and andrew.sallach@yahoo.com.
SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
April 28: Big Group: Passover meal and lesson.
May 19: Bay to Breakers, no Sunday School
May 26: Last day of Sunday School PARTY!!
HOSPITALITY TEAM MEETING ON SUNDAY MAY 5 AT 12:15 WITH PR. ELIZABETH
“Hospitality involves food, love, empathy, warmth and caring. It means helping people to feel that they belong, they matter, they are noticed and heard. It is the most reliable source of social capital within congregations and beyond for better lives and a better world. It also happens to be the way of Jesus” Source: ELCA website
Join Pr. Elizabeth if you would like to join this new ministry team. We will meet in Heritage Hall at 12:15. This team will coordinate the hospitality events at St. Mark’s: Oktoberfest, receptions, potlucks and other ways we can expand our Hospitality Ministries. If you are unable to attend but would like to participate on the Hospitality Team, please send Pr. Elizabeth an e-mail at ekdale@stmarks-sf.org or leave a message at 415 928-7770 ext 2300. All gifts are welcome on this team!
GUARDIAN ANGEL TRAINING
The St. Mark’s Sanctuary Team is hosting a Guardian Angel Training on May 18, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in Heritage Hall. If you are interested in learning more about how to offer spiritual accompaniment to immigrants who are making a court appearance, this training is for you. Mary Campbell, Director of AMMPARO of the ELCA in Chicago will lead the training. No legal experience is needed, and the time commitment is very flexible. There is no cost for the training, but registration is requested by calling 415-294-1832 or emailing FLeBAS@ses.plts.edu.
WOMEN’S MONTHLY STUDY GATHERINGS
All women are welcome to come and study together at our Women of the ELCA Gatherings. In May our groups will meet on:
Book Group - Saturday – May 4 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 Why Religion? By Elaine Pagels.
Second Tuesdays – May 14 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 “From generation to generation: Two-way blessings” as found in our gather magazine.
MUSIC TO BENEFIT REFUGEES
More MUSIC TO BENEFIT REFUGEES from war-torn countries, languishing on the island of Lesvos, Greece! Interfaith Refugee Welcome and Zion Lutheran invite you to hear amazing classical Korean music while also supporting the outstanding work of Sea of Solidarity in Lesvos, Greece. Korean musician Soo Yeon Lyuh, master of the haegeum , classical Korean two-stringed instrument, willl perform with Ensemble Ari, a group of Korean American musicians in the Bay Area on FRIDAY, MAY 3 at 7:30 P.M. at Zion Lutheran Church, 495 - 9th Ave. (at Anza), San Francisco. Muni Bus #38 or street parking available. Suggested donation: $15/person; $25/family. A reception follows the concert. PLEASE JOIN US and bring your friends! Concert proceeds will fund Sea of Solidarity’s “One Happy Family” community center, which serves a daily hot meal to hundreds of refugees from over 22 countries.
UNDERSTANDING PALESTINE THROUGH THEATER!
Come and see “Scenes from 71 Years”: stories of family and friends revealing the real human story of daily life in the shadow of the Separation Wall in Palestine. Presented by Golden Thread Productions and Palestinian-Irish playwright Hannah Khalil; cast includes members from the Bay Area Palestinian community; U.S. Premiere. April 5 - May 5, 2019 at Potrero Stage, 1695 - 18th Street, San Francisco. Tickets: $15 - $38 ; call 415-626-4061 or email: boxoffice@goldenthread.org.
ST. MARK'S MEN'S RETREAT
Now is the time to make preparation for our next Men’s Retreat to be held at the Mercy Center in Burlingame on (Friday and Saturday, June 7-8) (4:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.). Under the theme, “The Connection between My Faith and Daily Life,” we will explore topics such as our faith journeys, our experiences in the Church, the challenges of our society, our relationship with God, and our involvement with the St. Mark’s community. The retreat will include 3 meals, single-room occupancy overnight, and our meeting room where we also will gather for worship at the end of the retreat. The cost is $160 (or $70/day = $140 for commuters) to be paid to St. Mark’s and earmarked for “Men’s Retreat”. To register, you may use the Welcome Card and give it to Pastor Ron, email Pastor Ron at moe-lobeda@stmarks-sf.org, or respond to the forthcoming email about the retreat. The registration deadline is Monday, May 6 as we need to submit an accurate count to Mercy Center by then. This event is a great opportunity for the men of St. Mark’s to come together and strengthen the relationships that we already have with one another.
WORSHIP LEADERS THIS SUNDAY
Director of Music...Dr. Timothy Zerlang
Assisting Ministers...Jennifer Sun (9); Matthias Will, Linda Jackson (11)
Lectors...Hans Hoch (9); Lisa Gray (11)
Communion Ministers...Kate Knickerbocker, Cristin Owens (9) Richard Seefeldt, Steve Ernst (11)
Altar Guild...Cory Schoolland
Acolytes...Emma Gray, Jesse Peirce
Sacristan...Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero
Ushers...Louis Gutierrez, Marisa Lee (9) Gail Culp, Cal Culp, John Elford (11)
Fellowship Hour Chairs...Nadine Robinson, Kimberly Hamilton-Lam
Next Week’s Fellowship Hour Chairs...Andrew Sallach, Elaine & Tim Bohan