Weekly News from St. Francis Lutheran Church for February 22, 2009

TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY

First Reading:      2 Kings 2:1-12 Second Reading  2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Holy Gospel:        Mark 9:2-9 Psalmody:           Psalm 50:1-6
	WE REMEMBER IN PRAYER:
Sylvia Beckerley, stepmother of Scott Beckerley, Nancy Burns the father of Ted Hyrons Jan, sister of Pastor Anita Hill Ron Merk Bruce Jervis Bill Hunter Bob Douglas Sophie Barron, mother of James Barron Pr. Lionel Ketola Lisa's daughter Amber, with addiction problems, and son Aaron serving in Iraq Humberto Valle, friend of Dale Leininger Mary, cousin of Michael Petrelis Eileen, the mother of a friend of Ken Hedrick our shut-ins Robert Gardiner, friend of Pastor Robert Those who use our facilities, especially our Seniors, and those attending the 12-step programs that meet here. We pray for their continued health, happiness and success. Those serving in the world: The Rev. Megan Rohrer, Missionary to the Homeless of SF through The Welcome Ministry; The Rev. Pieter Oberholzer and his partner, Fanie Zondagh, and the staff at Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM) in South Africa, serving LGBT people and allies; Catharine Coon and the Hope Alive Project in Uganda. The congregation of Holy Cross Lutheran, Newmarket, Canada, and their Pastors Hutchings and Ketola, suspended by their synod of the Evangelical Lutheran of Canada for installing Pastor Lionel Ketola who is openly gay

NEW MEMBERS RECEIVED TODAY

Eight new members are received at today’s service. We welcome Bryan Addy, Cary Bass, Michael Deschenes, Anthony Flores, Russ Morgan, Richard Peterson, Charles Schuler, and Brandon Torrez. Their Bios appear in the bulletin edition of the Times. Please welcome them in worship and at refreshments after the service today.

JOIN US FOR SERVICES AT ST. FRANCIS
FEBRUARY 25^TH
1:30 PM & 7:00 PM

JOIN A LENTEN DISCUSSION GROUP

The Stewardship Committee is coordinating a series of three gatherings which will take us through our personal journeys that relate to Lent and Easter. Sign-ups will start on Sunday, February 22 during coffee hour, and you may also contact the hosts directly to sign up. We will send out a mailing with each host’s contact information. (Member contact info can also be found in the church directory).

The discussions, which will begin at 6 p.m. with a light meal, will be offered in a variety of neighborhoods on different days of the week: Brian Border will host the first three Tuesdays in Lent (March 3, 10, and 17) at the church. Jim Kowalski and Bruce Jervis will host the first three Wednesdays in Lent (March 4, 11, and 18) at their home in Bernal Heights. Paul Brenner will host the first three Thursdays in Lent (March 5, 12, and 19) at his home in the Hayes Valley/Civic Center area.

Thrivent will build a Habitat for Humanity house here in San Francisco this year. The first Thrivent Builds Day when volunteers can help with hammers and nails will be February 21. Interested people should talk with Diane DeLange about getting on the list of workers. Austin Alldredge, the president of the local Chapter Board would like to speak to our congregation at Coffee Hour on March 1.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE NEWS

The Personnel Committee: Bill Mooney, Jim Kowalski, Susan Tucceri and Gabriel Proo has begun to evaluate, support and provide feedback to our staff. A secure email address stfrancispersonnel@gmail.com has been set up and managed by Bill. If you are contacted by the committee, your information will be held in confidence. Hopefully, the evaluation process will be completed by late Winter. You are welcome to contact any member of this committee.

REAL PROGRESS IN ELCA'S SECUALITY DOCUMENT

The national Lutheran Church body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) edges closer to where St. Francis has stood since 1990 with its publication of both the revised Proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality and the Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policy.

The first version of the Proposed Social Statement was ultimately a reactive document hearkening back to 1950’s moral ethics. The latest version is much revised and has addressed more sensitively and seriously the reality of devout Lutherans of conscience who support full inclusion of LGBTQ people.

The upshot is that as required by their mandate they are proposing to the ELCA Assembly in August 2009 in Minneapolis that there be a “local option”. That is, synods and congregations be allowed to call LGBTQ persons in relationships. In this way those Lutheran synods who cannot abide with such sexual minority equality will not have to be forced to do the same.

This strikes me as a realistic compromise as Lutherans in the metropolitan areas clash with mostly rural constituencies. We need to remember that the ELCA is politically a democratic institution from the ground up and this local option solution allows for progress that truly empowers bishops and synods like Sierra Pacific and Metro Chicago to continue and increase their support in full for LGBTQ persons. Pastor Robert

What follows is the report’s recommendation:

“The recommendation consists of four interconnected resolutions. Each takes a step in the decision-making process. The decisions are to be taken one by one: if the first is approved, then the second, third, and fourth are considered, but only if the preceding ones have been approved.

“Step one asks the assembly whether, in principle, it is committed to finding ways to allow congregations and synods that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountable lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships.

“Step two asks the assembly whether, in principle, this church is committed to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders of this church.

“Step three asks this church whether, in the future implementation of these commitments, it will make decisions so that all in this church bear the burdens of the other, respect the bound consciences of all. This means that any solution that serves only the conscience-bound positions of one or another part of this church will not be acceptable.

“Step four proposes how this church can move toward change in a way that respects the bound consciences of all. It recognizes that such respect will lead to diversity of practice. However, the majority of the task force believes that the conscience-bound lack of consensus will be respected most faithfully by providing some structured flexibility in decision-making so that congregations and synods may choose whether or not to approve or call people in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve on ELCA rosters.
-from Executive Summary of Report and Recommendations on Ministry Policies

The Sign-up list is on the Parish Hall bulletin board. Please take a moment to sign up and help at worship service. Thanks.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

The church office is open from 8:30 am to 5 PM, It is highly recommended that appointments be made when visiting Dave Walda, the Senior Parish Administrator to insure that he will be available to assist you. Thanks!

Lectionary for next Sunday

• First Reading: Genesis 9:8-17

• Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

• Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

• Psalmody: Psalm 25:1-10

Safeway parking permits are available in the back of the church. The permits allow parking for Sunday services ONLY.

St. Francis Lutheran Church

A Place for Gathering: Memory, Presence and Promise

152 Church Street, San Francisco, CA 94114-1111

(415) 621-2635, FAX (415) 621-8819

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