FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT
Cradle and cross are inextricably connected on the fourth Sunday of Advent. Between a lovely tribute to the little town of Bethlehem and the blessed virgin Mary’s magnificent song of praise, the letter to the Hebrews reminds us in no uncertain terms that Christ’s advent is for “the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” It is the kind of tension in which the church always lives as when in the holy communion—with high delight—”we proclaim the Lord’s death.”
This Sunday at St. Mark's
9:00 am - Holy Communion with Children’s Time - Sanctuary
10:00 am - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Christmas Pageant Rehearsal - Auditorium and Sanctuary
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Sanctuary
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
REV. KATHRYN GULBRANSON IS THIS SUNDAYS PREACHER
We are pleased to welcome Rev. Kathryn Gulbranson, Assistant to the Bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod, as our guest preacher for today. Prior to accepting the call to this position, Rev. Gulbranson served as a co-pastor with her spouse, Tom Gable, at Marin Lutheran Church.
THANK YOU AND BLESSINGS TO PAM REYNOLDS
Sunday, December 23 will be Pam Reynolds last Sunday with us (though she will be in the Christmas Pageant). Pam was a teaching parish student from PLTS, and has been with us for the past 3 semesters. She has taken on many responsibilities in worship leadership and support, and has been a regular teacher this fall for our Pre-K Sunday School class. Thank you, Pam, and blessings on the completion of your seminary education.
END OF YEAR GIVING OPPORTUNITIES TO ST. MARK’S MINISTRIES
Please consider a special year end gift to St. Mark’s. Your gift will enable us to finish strong and begin the new year in a healthy financial position. Gifts are needed for the General Fund (which support St. Mark’s ministries), as well as the Capital Campaign (elevator, floors, and stained glass windows), which concludes at the end of the year. ALL gifts are appreciated. If you’d like your donation to go towards a specific area, please be sure to note the designation.
Ways to Give
1) Check Donations: must be postmarked by December 31, 2018 and dated within the current year for 2018 tax-deduction
2) Give online: Give online at www.stmarks-sf.org/giveagift. All online transactions must be marked with a December 31, 2018 processing date for 2018 tax-deduction
3) Gift of Stock: Please send a gifting letter to both 1) our broker, Samantha Chang at Raymond James: samantha.chang@alexbrown.com and 2) the church office at
give@stmarks-sf.org. For more information or if you require further assistance, please contact the church office at give@stmarks-sf.org or 415-928-7770
Thank you for remembering St. Mark’s in your giving.
JOYOUS GENEROSITY COMMITMENTS - PLEASE TURN YOUR COMMITMENT IN!
As of this week, we have received $393,979 in commitments for 2019 with a total of 92 commitments out of a possible 187 giving units, totaling 49% participation. Thank you for everyone who has made a commitment! Our goal is to have everyone participate by sharing their commitment to St. Mark’s ministries. Please bring your commitment card to worship and place it in the offering plate, mail it to the church office, or go online and fill out your commitment card on the website: stmarks-sf.org/giveagift. Every commitment has a direct impact to St. Mark’s ministries in 2019 and our goal is to have 100% participation!
CALLING ALL ANGELS AND SHEPHERDS!
Preparations are underway for the St. Mark’s Christmas Pageant! If you have participated in the past you know it is a great event. If you haven’t, please consider starting a new tradition this year! All families are welcome, and there is a role for everyone!
The Pageant is at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Call time will be 4:00 p.m. Rehearsal is Sunday, December 23 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Note this change from previous years! The second rehearsal is on Sunday so we don’t have to break the set down after rehearsal, and to free up that final Saturday of December. We will make sure there is enough food for everyone to eat for lunch.
Please contact Matt Helland (helland@nka.com) if you plan to participate or if you have any questions.
BRIGHT STARS OF BETHLEHEM AT COFFEE HOUR
THIS SUNDAY (23rd) and next Sunday (30th) at Coffee Hour: Spread the Light of Epiphany for students in Bethlehem, Palestine. BRIGHT STARS of BETHLEHEM offers wonderful prizes for donors to the Scholarship Fund of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem. Every ticket bought supports them and enters you into a drawing on Epiphany January 6th! $10./ 2 for $25/ 15 for $100. - plus a festive celebration on January 6th at PLTS. See Linda Krauskopf or other Bright Stars supporters among us to purchase tickets and see the exceptional prizes your donations can win! Students in Bethlehem THANK YOU!
INTERFAITH HOMELESS SHELTER
St. Mark’s will be participating in the San Francisco Interfaith Council Winter Shelter program and will be hosting January 13 to February 2.
Please consider volunteering for this very worthwhile ministry. Volunteers will be needed to serve during both Breakfasts and Dinners. Please contact John Elford at 415-490-7966 or jbruceelford@gmail.com if you would like to participate in this ministry, which helps so many people in need at this time of the year.
ADVENT/CHRISTMAS LIBRARY BOOKS AVAILABLE TO CHECK OUT
A selection of Advent and Christmas titles are available to check out from the church library this Sunday. We are bringing the library to you in Heritage Hall after both worship services. Browse available titles, quickly set up a library account, and take home a book! The library is being newly reorganized with an online catalog and circulation features, thanks to a Thrivent Action Team grant. For more information, contact Cora Rose and Marisa Lee at library@stmarks-sf.org.
ADULT FORUM - EPIPHANY CELEBRATION - SUZANNE SMITH AND PR. ELIZABETH, JAN. 6 AT 10:00 IN THE FIRESIDE ROOM
Everyone is welcome to learn about the Festival of Epiphany - the traditions, the story (think camels and Wise ones!) and the sweets associated with this Liturgical day. We will finish the Christmas Season by celebrating Epiphany together in Heritage Hall. All are welcome.
2019 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
Our 2019 Membership directory will be in production soon and we want to make sure we have the most up-to date information. Please send any address changes to Stefani at lawrence@stmarks-sf.org by January 2. Thank you!
SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
There will be no Sunday School on Sundays, December 23 & 30. Sunday School will resume on Sunday, January 6 with a large group community service project putting together stockings for homeless people.
ST. MARK'S WELCOMES A PASTORAL INTERN
In January 2019 Sonja Pilman will begin her pastoral internship at St. Mark’s. The internship is 12 months long and split with St. Andrew’s in San Mateo. Sonja Pilman is going to be 50% of the time at St. Mark’s and 50% at St. Andrew’s. Sonja is a candidate for ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and her internship is part of her candidacy requirements.
She grew up in Switzerland and earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Theology from the Universities of Zurich and Basel respectively. Also in Switzerland, she has worked as a youth director in Zurich for two years and has done a substitution for a pastor on maternity leave.
In 2016 she came to the Bay Area with her husband Markus Pilman for his job. They both fell in love with the diversity of California’s nature, cities, and culture. They have settled in very well. Sonja Pilman is now looking forward to being able to continue her path of becoming a pastor.
St. Andrew’s in San Mateo has been the parish she has been an active member at for a year now. She took a Lutheran Worship class at PLTS in Berkeley, did Clinical Pastoral Education at UCSF, and went through the needed part of the ELCA Candidacy process.
She has a great passion for preaching and for working with youth in confirmation. She is eager to learn about joys and challenges of a congregation in San Francisco.
In addition to church and family life, her interests are traveling, time with friends, cooking, and great TV shows.
Sonja Pilman is looking forward to meeting you and having your support in this year of learning and growing. If you would like to serve on her Internship Committee, please speak with Pr. Elizabeth
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR DEBBY HALLADAY
Please join us as we give thanks to God for Debby Halladay on Saturday, January 19 at 11:00 am. A reception will follow in Heritage Hall. Cards of condolences for her family may be sent to her sister at the following address: Lauris Halladay, 7002 NE 66th St., Vancouver WA 98661
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR RANDY HICKS, RESIDENT OF MARTIN LUTHER TOWER
Please join us as we give thanks to God for Randy Hicks on Sunday, January 6 at 3:00 pm. A reception will follow in Heritage Hall.
DONATE FLOWERS
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. We still have dates available in December for Advent so please sign up!
Your donation can be in memory of a loved one or in honor of a particular occasion. Please go to 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.
YOU ARE INVITED!!
Bright Stars of Bethlehem
is hosting the 5th annual
Wise Men and Women from the West
Epiphany Gathering and Celebration of Light!
January 6, 2019
2 PM - 5PM
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
2000 Center St #200, Berkeley, CA 94704
Live music with Georges Lammam
food, wine, door prizes, fellowship and DRAWING!
PLEASE JOIN US to celebrate the wonderful support from our communities for the work in Bethlehem, Palestine at
Dar al-Kalima University!!
RSVP:
Martha Meyer - marthalou45@gmail.com
Jeanette Cool - jeanettercool@gmail.com
You're Invited!
Please join the San Francisco Interfaith Council and local civic leaders as we explore together the interconnections of faith, financial empowerment, and community strength. Co-hosted by a planning committee of women of faith and action, including Congregation Emanu-El Senior Rabbi Beth Singer, Human Rights Commissioner Hala Hijazi, St. Mark's Lutheran Church Lead Pastor Rev. Elizabeth Ekdale, and Grace Cathedral’s The Rev. Canon Dr. Ellen Clark-King, this special "mini-summit" will feature nationally recognized leaders, San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros and Commissioner on the Status of Women Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz.
Financial Capabilities: A Social Justice Issue
Thursday, January 31, 2019
9:00 am – 11:00 am
Latino/Hispanic Community Room of the San Francisco Main Public Library
*Refreshments will be provided*
This event will help raise awareness about the vast inequities in pay and wealth impacting our diverse San Francisco community, pioneering local efforts responding to this challenge and strengthen economic security and mobility for our families, and ways we can support this important work. The program will feature faith leaders on social justice, a keynote from Commissioner Schwab-Pomerantz on the importance of financial capability, and a vibrant discussion led by Treasurer Cisneros about the San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment’s programs, and powerful roles the faith-based community can play to expand this work. We will be joined by a strong delegation of peers from amongst San Francisco’s various faith-based congregations, community associations, labor organizations, and social service organizations. We look forward to seeing you in the new year.
San Francisco Interfaith Council
P.O. Box 29055
San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 474-1321
office@sfinterfaithcouncil.org
WORSHIP LEADERS THIS SUNDAY
Director of Music...Dr. Timothy Zerlang
Assisting Ministers…Liv Beck (9); Phil Krikau, Katja Jackson (11)
Lectors…Hans Hoch (9); Diana Gomez (11)
Communion Ministers…Rommel Schiefelbein-Guerrero, Aaron Greig (9) Steve Ernst, Rommel Schiefelbein-Guerrero (11)
Wreath Lighter…The Frances Family
Altar Guild…Sharon Reinbott
Acolytes…Alison Schieber, Katja Jackson
Sacristan…Pam Reynolds
Ushers…Marisa Lee (9); Larry DeSpain, Gail Culp, Cal Culp, John Elford (11)
Fellowship Hour Chairs…Diana & Greg Gomez
Next Week’s Fellowship Hour Chairs…Calvin & Gayle Culp, Philip Krikau