Jesus' parable about two sons who don't do what they say reveals surprises in the reign of God, such as prostitutes and tax collectors going before others into God's kingdom. In the reading from Ezekiel the people question whether the ways of the Lord are unfair; instead they are to repent and turn to the Lord. Paul urges us to look to Christ as a model of humility, looking to the interests of others above our own. Nourished by the broken bread and shared cup, we offer our lives for the sake of our needy world.
THIS SUNDAY AT ST. MARK'S
9:00 am - Blessing of the Animals - Sanctuary
9:50 am - Sunday School - Sunday School Room
10:00 am - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Adult Forum “California Interfaith Power and Light”- Heritage Hall
10:00 am - Parents with Kidlettes Heritage Hall
10:05 am - Confirmation Class - Confirmation Classrooms
11:00 am - Choral Eucharist Worship Service - Sanctuary
12:15 pm - Refreshments and Fellowship Hour - Heritage Hall
THIS SUNDAY'S GUEST PREACHER
Today we welcome Rev. Will Scott, the outgoing Program Director of California Interfaith Power and Light as our guest preacher and our Adult Forum teacher. We welcome him to St. Mark’s!
ADULT FORUM, OCTOBER, FIRESIDE ROOM @ 10:00 A.M.
THIS SUDNAY - Confronting Giants & Climbing Higher Mountains: Inspiring stories of California’s interfaith climate movement
For 17 years, California Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL) has been living into its founding mission–to be faithful stewards of Creation by responding to global warming as a moral issue. Today, CIPL is a network of nearly 700 congregations of all faiths committed to addressing climate change from Chico to San Diego, Mono Lake to Monterey Bay. Together, CIPL and member congregations like St. Mark’s are making a real difference. Whether championing the first-in-the-nation cap on carbon, or calling for an end to new fossil fuel infrastructure projects, we, along with our member congregations, have been growing the interfaith movement to protect our common home. Since 2002, CIPL member congregations have prevented 223,822,567 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. At today’s forum Rev. Will Scott, the outgoing Program Director will share ways individuals and congregations can respond to urgency of the climate crisis with wisdom, courage, and compassion.
Next Weeks Adult Forum: Justice through Faithfulness:
A Re-reading of Romans
Guest Speaker - Rev. Ray Pickett Luther ignited a reformation by related relating the message of Romans to religious oppression in the context of Christendom. The theme of Romans is the revelation of God’s righteousness, but in Paul’s day the word the common meaning of the word that has been translated as “righteousness” was actually “justice.” The first audience heard the theme was the heard the theme of the letter as the revelation of God’s justice through faithfulness. In this adult forum we will explore the significance of this fresh translation of Paul’s letter for our own post-Christian time.
NEW TO ST. MARK'S? WELCOME!
If you are interested in learning more about St Mark’s, we would love to talk with you! All questions are welcome. Contact Liv Beck (beckliv@gmail.com; 415-205-3292).
AGING AND SPIRITUALITY GROUP
Join Pr. Elizabeth every Monday from 11:00 – 12:00 in the Brockie Lounge of Martin Luther Tower for this time of sharing and support. What are the challenges of aging in today’s world? What are the joys and surprises? How has your faith changed and grown with aging? All these questions and more are for us to ponder and consider together. This is a safe place to share your feelings, frustrations and joys about aging. All are welcome.
FAITH, A FRAGILE PLANET, HUNGRY PEOPLE!
Saturday, October 07, 2017
Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, Davis, CA, 9:30 to 4:30PM
Presented by the Sierra Pacific Synod Hunger Network
Learn how faith and environmental justice are intertwined in a hungry world! This hungereducation workshop, by the Sierra Pacific Synod Hunger Network, explores the life-saving work of the ELCA Hunger and Disaster Appeals, how climate change and other environmental issues impact world and domestic hunger and how you can learn to be an effective advocate for our fragile planet. We are willing to present a parallel children’s program upon request
Offering at closing worship will be to the ELCA Hunger Appeal. Make offering checks to ELCA Hunger Appeal. An optional social hour follows. Only $10 for the day, including lunch; no charge for congregational hunger contacts, college students or seminarians. If you take AMTRAK California, rides to the workshop will be provided. Questions? Contact Edie Lott at thelotts@gmail.com or (530) 582-5362.
MIDDLE SCHOOL LOCK-IN
Thanks to several members of St. Mark’s, residents of Martin Luther Tower will be able to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and go to a movie. Your donations of gift cards to Peet’s, Starbucks and AMC Movie Theaters, will be given to residents who cannot afford to do so. Your generosity and kindness extends the love of Christ to these residents. Thank you.
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 October our groups will meet on:
First Tuesdays – October 3 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 Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance.
Second Tuesdays - October 10 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 the second section of the Apostles’ Creed – “I Believe in Jesus Christ…”
If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Smith at 415.285.7438 or suzathome@comcast.net.
UPCOMING MOSAIC TELEVISION SHOWS WITH PR. ELIZABETH
Oct. 8: Pr. Elizabeth interviews, Dr. David Hollinger, a History Professor from UC Berkeley, on the History of American Protestantism
Oct. 15: Pr. Elizabeth interviews John McKnight who is the Director of Emergency and Disaster Services with The Salvation Army. KPIX, Channel 5, the shows airs at 5:00 a.m
SAFE CONGREGATION TRAINING
The next training session for orientation to St, Mark’s Safe Congregation policy and practice is scheduled for Sunday, October 15 at 12:30 PM in the Fireside Room. Anyone and everyone who works directly with the children and youth at St. Mark’s is expected to take this training in order to know how best to create a safe environment for our children and youth. Those who took the training 3 years ago are expected to renew their training. Anyone else who might be interested in this training is encouraged to attend and participate. Margaret McLean and Mary Ritter facilitate this training and do a great job in ensuring that our Safe Congregation Policy is implemented and enforced so that our children and youth are invited into as safe an environment as possible. If you plan to attend, please contact Mary (mlrpeds@aol.com), Margaret (mmclean.mrm@gmail.com) or Winnie (heslin@stmarks-sf.org) in the church office.
The members of the Governing Board of the San Francisco Night Ministry invite you to attend their Fall Gala under the theme Aloha Makahiki (A Gathering of Love).
Proceeds will support the ministry and outreach of Night Ministry which has offered pastoral care, counseling and crisis intervention every night of the year between the hours of 10:00 PM and 4:00 AM for the past 53 years!
Join us on St. Mark’s Square for: A Reception, program, live music, small plates from the islands, beer and wine bar, soft and specialty drinks, with silent, live and reverse auctions
$108.00 Individual General Seating, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3083923
ELEVATOR PROJECT UPDATE
Thanks to everyone who has signed the bricks that will soon clad our elevator addition! As you can see on the west side of the church, we now have wall surfaces that will soon receive a plaster substrate for the brick finish. We also have windows installed in the north wall, one at each elevator lobby: Heritage Hall, Sanctuary and Balcony. This small project is now packed with workers, and Plant Construction is busy managing the efforts of the various subcontractors. At the Balcony west doors, we are working closely with Plant and our architect, ARG, to find the optimal design and hardware that will allow both emergency egress and wheelchair accessibility – a true challenge given the tight space and arched door opening. Our elevator is scheduled to arrive by October 6, installed before the end of October, and then inspected by the State Elevator Inspector. On the outside, we have met with Stephen Wheeler Landscape Architects to finalize a plan for pots and planting on the stair that leads down to the elevator enclosure wall. These plants, along with new ornamental fencing on the north side of the elevator addition, will be the finishing touches for the project, visible from the elevator lobby windows and the north entry ramp.
“TRAVELERS TO EL SALVADOR”
MEETINGS OCT 22 AND NOV 19
Nine St. Mark’s members have made a commitment to visit our sisters and brothers at Cordero de Dios November 21-26, 2017. It is not too late to join the group. Please contact Mary Ritter mlrpeds@aol.com or Matt Helland helland@nka.com if you have questions.
Travelers will meet monthly before the trip to discuss accompaniment, the growth of our relationship with Cordero de Dios, and travel and safety concerns. We hope all travelers can attend all the sessions. Save these dates and times: October 22 at 12:30, November 19 at 12:30. The meetings will be in the Conference Room.
HYMNFEST AND OKTOBERFEST, OCTOBER 28
Saturday, October 28 will be a memorable day as we gather for a special commemoration of the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation, celebrate 50 years of Martin Luther Tower ministry, and highlight our stewardship efforts and the mission of St. Mark’s. The day begins at 1:00 PM with a Hymnfest featuring a festival of Reformation music presented by St. Mark’s choir members in concert with choir members from the Sierra-Pacific Synod and members of the SF Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. At 2:30 PM, we will transition to our annual Oktoberfest in the St. Mark’s Square. Come for an afternoon of great food, fun entertainment, and a bouncy house for the children. This event is open to everyone in the community. So, invite your friends and neighbors to join in this wonderful German festival—this year in honor of the 500th commemoration of the Reformation. Suggested donation is $10/person. Martin Luther Tower residents are free. Please contact Cristin Owens at cristinowens@gmail.com if you are able to help with any of the set up, food preparation, or clean up.
J.S. BACH MISSA BREVIS & CANTATA 21
Friday, October 20, 8:00 p.m. at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, SF
Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance
The California Bach Society, recently awarded “Best Baroque Performance” by San Francisco Classical Voice for its 2016 production of J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, presents two other jewels from Bach’s work: Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis (BWV 21) and the Missa Brevis in G (BWV 236).
Initially written for a funeral in Weimar in 1713, Bach’s magnificent Cantata 21 was performed often during his lifetime and remained well-known among his colleagues and students throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Later in his life, Bach elegantly reworked some of the best choral and solo writing from his Leipzig cantatas into the Missa Brevis in G Major. With no less than three different choral fugues, two graceful arias, and a wonderfully expressive soprano-alto duet, the Missa Brevis is a worthy companion to Cantata 21. The program also includes Johann Kuhnau's poignant motet, Tristis est anima mea.
Artistic Director Paul Flight leads the 30-voice chorus and a Baroque orchestra of trumpets, tympani, oboe, and strings. Vocal soloists are Caroline Jou Armitage, soprano; Paul Flight, countertenor; Jonathan Thomas, tenor; and Sepp Hammer, bass.
Advance Ticket Prices: General - $30, Senior - $20, Students and Under 30 - $10
At the door: General - $35, Senior - $25, Students and Under 30 - $10
Students: please bring your ID to show at the door.
Special Early Bird Offer for St. Mark's Parishioners!
Order tickets by Thursday, October 19 at 5 p.m. and receive $5 off the above price of Advance General and Senior tickets (discount does not apply to Student/Under 30).
Order online at http://www.calbach.org/tickets/ and enter the code stmarkssf in the promo code box on the checkout page (online orders subject to $4 handling fee);
or order by phone at (650) 485-1097 and mention St. Mark's SF to receive the discount.
WORSHIP LEADERS THIS SUNDAY
Director of Music...Dr. Timothy Zerlang
Assisting Ministers...Amy Brendel (9); Phil Krikau, Katja Jackson (11)
Lectors...Barbara McCormick (9); Diana Gomez (11)
Acolytes...Grace Ekdale-Hoch and Emily Chernock
Sacristans...Ed Chitty, Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero
Ushers...Kimberly and David Lam, Jon Moeller (9); Pam Cheung, Linda R. Jackson (11)
Coffee Hour Chairs...Barbara Bock
Next Week’s Coffee Hour Chairs...Nadine Robinson, Kimberly Hamilton-Lam