Weekly News from St. Francis Lutheran Church for August 16, 2009

FESTIVAL OF MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS

Sunday's Readings

• Isaiah 61:7-11
• Galatians 4:4-7
• Luke 1:46-55
• Psalm 34:9-14

WE REMEMBER IN PRAYER:

• Richard Copperud
• Jack Kling
• Glenda Lisk
• Susan Tucceri
• Bill Hunter
• Bob Douglas
• Les, father of Richard Peterson
• The father of Rob Zampetti
• Sylvia Beckerley, stepmother of Scott Beckerley,
• Larry, uncle of Steve Lawson
• Sophie Barron, mother of James Barron
• Mary, cousin of Michael Petrelis
• Eileen, the mother of a friend of Ken Hedrick
• Debby Schert, friend of Paster Paul
• our shut-ins
• 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.
  

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  ELCA VOTING MEMBERS GATHER IN MINNEAPOLIS

  Pastors Robert , Dawn and Megan are preparing to leave for Minneapolis, MN, to attend the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) during the week of August 16th through the 23rd.

  At these Assemblies voting members, selected from 65 synods in the USA and Caribbean, gather to make decisions on a national level for the whole ELCA.

  The most significant and controversial actions to be presented to the Assembly have to do with sexual minority rights and inclusion in the ELCA. St. Francis is what it is because of that struggle for inclusion. It was the ELCA that put St. Francis on trial for calling Pastors Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart and subsequently removed St. Francis from the roster of ELCA congregations.

  Goodsoil, the umbrella organization for inclusion of sexual minority persons into the ELCA, will be there. Our pastors will be working with Goodsoil to persuade voting members of the Assembly to support voting in favor of the new Social Statement on Sexuality, which officially opens the ELCA to recognizing the validity of sexual minority couples. t is not a perfect document, but it enables “facts on the ground” to take place and furthers justice significantly.

  Related to that Social Statement is the Report and Recommendations for Ministry Policies which addresses specifically allowing the ELCA to call sexual minority clergy in committed relationships to ordained and lay ministry. Indications, so far, are that a majority will affirm such a recommendation. But there are very organized opposition groups to this.

  Goodsoil, will sponsor an Educational Event on Tuesday evening for voting members and visitors. A panel of families impacted by the ELCA’s present policies barring partnered LGBT people from rostered ministry will make a presentation.

  Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM), the organization devoted to finding Calls for pastors who cannot serve in ELCA congregations, will hold a Worship service in the middle of the Assembly schedule at Central Lutheran Church. Bishop David Brauer-Rieke of the Oregon Synod will preside and the Rev. Barbara Lundblad will preach. Over a 1000 people are expected..

  Other issues at the Assembly to be voted on are:

  • Full communion with the United Methodist Church
  • Social Statement on Justice for Women
  • Funding on an HIV and AIDS strategy
  • Lutheran Malaria Initiative

  Pastor Megan Rohrer will live on the streets of Minneapolis to draw attention to poverty issues. Her goal is to raise $5,000 for her ministry. Her blog: www.mystreetretreat.blogspot.com.

  Pastor Dawn will keep a blog of happenings and photos of the Assembly at: http://revdawnchurchwide.blogspot.com/. There is also a link to her blog on the St Francis website.

  Additional links to keep abreast of the Churchwide Assembly (including Twitter and Facebook) are at the ELCA website.

  While Pastors Robert and Dawn are in Minneapolis, Pastor Paul Brenner will be on call.

  
  

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  KLINGS' ART SALE TODAY

  

  Today at 1 PM is the art gallery sale at the residence of Jack and Barbara Kling, 51 Wanda Street (off Ocean Avenue). Stop by and see Jack’s beautiful art which the Klings are selling in preparation for their relocation. 10% of sales will go toward the St. Francis Thanksgiving Dinner.

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  MODERN DAY FEEDING OF 5,000 NEEDS YOUR HELP

  Did you know that the Welcome Ministry changed it's name to WELCOME - a communal response to poverty, after we helped more than 155 chronically homeless guests move indoors? Now we are no longer a homeless ministry. We continue to work with the same individuals to continue to help them to improve their quality of life. But, the demand for food has increased this year and we cannot afford to feed everyone. Help us feed an additional 5,000 this year. In additional to financial support we also need: toiletries, men's clothing, socks, gardening tools and produce seeds. If you want to clean out your house you can donate items to Community Thrift (623 Valencia St) in the name of the Welcome Ministry and we'll receive cash when your stuff sells. We also receive cash for recycling your used printer/toner cartridges, mp3 players and cell phones (bring to our office). Donations can be mailed or dropped off at WELCOME: 1751 Sacramento St, San Francisco CA 94109 866-999-3596 megan@welcomeministry.org.

  
  
  

  National Equality March Washington DC October 11, 2009

  From the Facebook Page: "We must do everything in our power to enlist our straight allies, family members, co-workers to march side by side with us on October 11 for the National Equality March on Washington." If you are Straight, if you are LGBT, COME OUT to March on Washington this October, to demand equal protection under the law for EVERYONE!
  
  See their website: www.nationalequalitymarch.com which includes a blog and the Facebook page for more information.

  
  

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  The St. Francis and Friends team will be hosting coffee hour on August 30th. Donations will be accepted that day. There will also be a raffle to help with the fund raising.

  The race will be held on Sunday, September 27. To register online go to www.komensf.org and join our team---St. Francis and Friends. See Barbara Kling for info details.

  
  
  
  

  NEXT TO-LAST RESULTS

  The latest team total as of August 3rd is $27,255.

  My apologies to the Lutherans on the AIDS walk team who received an email titled, “Dear Geographer AIDS walker, it should have gone only to the geographers—Little Maxie.

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  PETRELIS DEFENDS MILK AWARD

  KTVU News

  President Obama awarded posthumously the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Harvey Milk. A spokesperson for a conservative online organization declared that the award was a mistake because Milk was a sexual predator. Michael Petrelis turned up and spoke against this declaration that only reinforced homophobia. The entire videoreport is at http://www.ktvu.com/video/20231693/index.html.

  
  
  

  USHER TEAMS Click here

  
  
  

  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!

  
  
  
  
  

  • August 16 Jim Kowalski
  • August 18 Patrick Brown, Jr.
  • August 18 Ben Sloan
  • August 20 Jane Moyer
  
  
  

  Lectionary for next Sunday

  • Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18
  • Ephesians 6:10-20
  • John 6:56-69
  • Psalm 34:15-22

  
  

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  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

  Contact us:

  Directions to St. Francis: Ext 21
  Worship Service schedule: Ext 20
  Pr. Robert Goldstein: Ext 11
  Pr. Dawn Roginksi Ext 12
  Senior Center Coordinator: Ext 12
  Dave Walda, Senior Parish Administrator: Ext 10
  Clifton King, Sexton
  Susan Tucceri, Congregation President
  Janet Thuesen, Treasurer

  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

  Deadline for Times material is Wednesday at 2 p.m. Every effort will be made to accommodate all submissions according to space availability.
   

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  Last updated Aug 14 2009 by DW