Weekly News from St. Francis Lutheran Church for June 7, 2009 FESTIVAL OF THE HOLY TRINITY
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WE REMEMBER IN PRAYER: |
Every year in late May the congregations that make up the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), comprising northern California and Nevada, meet in Assembly. This year they met in Fresno, CA.
St. Francis and First United Lutheran Churches of San Francisco do not belong to the synod because they were removed by the ELCA in 1995 for ordaining clergy in same sex relationships. But the synod, as a gesture of hospitality, has allowed us to have voice but no vote at the assemblies.
This year’s assembly was extraordinary in that the synod voted on issues that go to the heart of St. Francis’ vision and past reason for exclusion from the roster of congregations of the ELCA.
Since 2001 the ELCA’s Sexuality Task Force has been working on a sexuality social statement. Social statements are documents created by the church to provide a theological basis to policy matters. In 2007 the Churchwide Assembly asked that the ELCA come up also with rostering recommendations for same sex clergy with partners. This struggle for justice has been part of St. Francis’ mission since 1990 when we called Pastors Phyllis and Ruth. The rostering recommendations have at last begun to catch up to our stand of full equality. The Sexuality Task Force is indeed recommending that gay and lesbian clergy in committed relationships be allowed to serve congregations.
However, because there is a significant proportion of Lutherans who oppose any same sex rights, the recommendations are limited to the synods that vote in favor and even to single congregations in unfavorable synods. In short this “local option” is not universal. It is not ideal but it is a pragmatic solution.
The votes of a large majority of Sierra Pacific Lutherans supported the recommendations of the Task Force and went further to direct the Board of Pensions to include such clergy and their partners in Health and Pension coverage. This synod also called upon the ELCA to accept clergy from other rosters or who have been dropped because of the past rules. This recommendation could embrace the clergy on the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries roster.
All these requests passed with strong majorities. They are forwarded on to the national Churchwide Assembly to decide in August in Minneapolis. If the national Churchwide Assembly accepts these recommendations, and, at last, it looks promising, what will this mean for St. Francis?
You are invited to discuss and pray about this. It will also be a topic at the Council Retreat in late June. Certainly the majority mood at the Sierra Pacific Synod is very welcoming. Yet St. Francis has to think of those same sexual minority persons in those synods which choose not to follow the recommendations and maintain discrimination —as well as other issues. We need to pray and talk about this. Pastor Robert
Our liturgical deacons have completed their training and will be commissioned on June 14, 2009. Please plan to attend this service and welcome Grant Burger, Bruce Jervis and Paul Johnson into this important ministry of our congregation.
NEW MEMBERS BRUNCH CANCELLEDThe special brunch to introduce our latest new members, that was to have been held on June 14th, has been postponed until a later date. The brunch will be rescheduled for sometime in the fall. |
New York Times
The New Hampshire legislature approved revisions to a same-sex marriage bill on Wednesday, and Gov. John Lynch promptly signed the legislation, making the state the sixth to let gay couples wed.. Mr. Lynch, who previously supported civil unions but not marriage for same-sex couples, said in a statement that he had heard “compelling arguments that a separate system is not an equal system.”
Our hospitality hour, now in its 10th year, is a wonderful success in providing a fine meal in a welcoming atmosphere for up to 60 people. Thanks to the recent addition of the Food Runners program, the meals have become more varied, have more quality and are delicious thanks to our wonderful chef Carl Tebell.
But our notice that we need help (especially with clean-up from 9:00-9:45) have not produced any new St. Francis volunteers.
Then it occurred to us: the system we developed for volunteers for our Saturday food deliveries is working spectacularly. People commit to work one Saturday per month. Perhaps this can work on Sundays as well. So we ask, can you see yourself volunteering one Sunday a month for the short period of time between 9 and 9:45 AM? As with the Saturday food deliveries, Max will phone those who sign up a day or two before their Sunday to remind them.
Come and join us in the good work we do! Please consider this and then phone Max at 282-6022. We need 2 people per Sunday to help with clean-up so that the regular volunteers can stay in a blessed mood for church. Don’t worry, you won’t have to the clean toilet - Max does that.
As of May 28th, our team has now grown to a total of 97: 36½ from school, and 60½ from St. Francis, ratio of 2 to 1. This is looking good. Those who have collected on-line have raised $2790. This also is good considering the date.
But only 6 individuals, out of 97, have raised money. Not so good. This tells me that most of you haven’t quite started. And that would include me even though, somehow, mysteriously I’ve got 100 on my account (Thanks, Tom).
I’ll be gone for the next two weeks, in a land far, far away. So I’m hoping when I return the six individuals will be joined by many more.
Questions? Ask Max, or Grant Burger or Sylvia Braselmann, or Beverly, or Deb Coté, or Carl Tebell, or Jim and Diane DeLange. Or just about every other St. Francis member.
Below, is the new free ad for the AIDS Walk booklet sent to all participants.
Stay the course.
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Sign up soon for the 2009 Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28. Both Lutherans and Episcopal bishops will be present, to celebrate communion for all and to walk with us. Join us and walk proud. |
ELCA News Service
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), issued a statement in response to the May 31 murder of Dr. George Tiller at Reformation Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Wichita, Kansas.
Tiller was serving as an usher for Sunday morning worship when he was shot and killed. A suspect was arrested later in connection with the killing.
"Dr. George Tiller and his wife, Jeanne, were gathering with the people of Reformation Lutheran Church to worship and to celebrate Pentecost -- the coming of the Holy Spirit to God's people," Hanson said. "In the wake of his death we pray that the Holy Spirit will comfort his family and all who mourn." "We pray for the courage to be peacemakers, rejecting violence as a means of resolving differences."
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
Ezekiel 17:22-24
2 Corinthians 5:6-17
Mark 4:26-34
Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday
General Email: St.FrancisSF - at - sbcglobal.net
The Rev. Robert Goldstein: RevRGoldstein-at-sbcglobal.net
The Rev. Dawn Roginski RevDRoginski-at-sbcglobal.net
Dr. David Schofield StFrancischoir-at-sbcglobal.net
David Walda, Senior Parish Administrator: St.FrancisSF-at-sbcglobal.net
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