Weekly News from St. Francis Lutheran Church for July 25, 2010

NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

View the full Worship Participant Schedule here.

You can view the worship particpant schedule on-line for the upcoming months. See who has signed up for future Sundays, and check your calendar from home.

Readings for today

Genesis 18:20-32
Colossians 2:6-19
Luke 11:1-13
Psalm 138

WE REMEMBER IN PRAYER:

To improve our ministry to those members of the congregation remembered in prayer, we are indicating those who would be open to a visit (v) phone call (p) and/or card (c). Contact the church office for further information.

BIG SUNDAY FOR ST. FRANCIS

Two special events take place this Sunday, July 25. First, following worship and lunch, there will be the advertised Congregation Meeting to vote on the following Resolution:

Resolved, that St. Francis Lutheran Church joyfully desires to be restored to membership in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and accepts the invitation of the Sierra Pacific Synod to begin the process.

Second, at 4 PM at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church three of our past and current ELM pastors will be received formally into the Roster of ELCA Clergy. Several bishops will be present. ELM pastors were ordained extraordinarily because of the ELCA’s prior ban of LGBT clergy in committed relationships. The ELCA has changed its stance and is welcoming our ELM clergy into the ELCA Roster.

FESTIVAL EUCHARIST
RITE OF RECEPTION

WELCOME FUNDRAISER

After the historic Rite of Reception, join Welcome at an after party fundraiser with dancing, a silent auction, appetizers and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). This fundraiser will help Welcome match a $15,000 gift received from St. Paulus Lutheran Church as a challenge grant.

In order to make the event accessible to as many people as possible, we’ve made tickets available for $25 (covering the cost of hosting the event). The success of our fundraiser will depend on individuals who are able to attend at the $50+ level and through our silent auction.

If you are unable to join us and would like to send a donation or pay for one of Welcome’s guests to participate please send us a check to Welcome, 1751 Sacramento St, San Francisco Ca 94109, or donate online at www.sfwelcome.org.

There is also an online Silent Auction at www.32auctions.com/view_auction?id=exwelcome&pwd=sps7rite+.

NOTICE #10

July 20, 2010

OK, the Walk has come and gone, and I think we did pretty well. I know I am glad its over, and we all survived the 25,000 strong party in the park. By my calculations, 14 Lutheran and 19 Geographers joined me in the park, raising $7645 through the Lutherans and $5885 through the Geographers. My own tally on Sunday was $7,146 for a total of $20,676. In addition, 6 Geographers not at the park raised $2,005 and 4 Lutherans not at the park raised $1,815.. All this added together totals $24, 496. I know more will come in. We have until August 13th. 30 Lutherans are on our team but have received nothing online. I hope you come through again.

Special thanks to Dave Walda for sending emails and for risking life and limb to take down and return the placards in the church attic. Thanks also to Carl Tebell for preparing the food, for arriving with me in the park at 7:30 AM, and for helping cart everything back to our car at 2 PM; to Clifton King for making coffee; to Chuck Hancock for helping to make the sandwiches with Carl on Saturday; to Timur Muhrlin and Lawrence Mortensen for driving our supplies to the park at 7 AM, and to my spouse, Gabriel for keeping me upright and especially for schlepping stuff all over the city on Monday.

Finally there are my heroes who walked in the park: Chris Buchanan, Grant Burger, Jim DeLange, Bev Hines, Marilyn Jackson, Bruce Jervis, Paul Johnson, Hans-Christian Kasper, Steve Lawson, Michael Mallory, Carol Moilan, Gabriel Proo, and Carl Tebell.
THANK YOU ALL! Little Maxie

Photo from Monday, July 19's San Francisco Chronicle

From the San Francisco Chronicle, July 19

A group from St. Francis Lutheran Church in the Castro carried memorial signs with photos of fallen churchgoers. Max Kirkeberg's sign showed Jim Sherman, his partner of 26 years, who organized the first church delegation to the walk in 1996 and died two weeks later at age 52. "We've lost about 50 members to AIDS," said Kirkeberg, 77, a retired San Francisco State University geography professor who spoke tearfully of Sherman.

The church's retired pastor, James DeLange, held a sign commemorating Brian Christianson, a nurse who died of AIDS in 1999. "The last funeral I did," he said. In 1981, early in the epidemic, DeLange recalled, a church member would show his first symptoms on a Monday and be dead by Friday. The pastor credited fundraising events like the AIDS Walk, along with government programs, for developing medications that keep people alive for decades.

Gesturing at the procession of walkers, DeLange said, "It says a lot about our city, the whole Bay Area, our commitment to helping people in need."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/19/BARF1EGA13.DTL#ixzz0uLolL3NV

NEW NEIGHBORS ON BELCHER

Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC) members will be moving into the parsonage on Belcher St., in effective August 1st. They will be living there for 13 months, with the possibility of an extension for a new group of volunteers the following year. The Corps members, from all over the country, serve community service groups in San Francisco for one year with modest stipend. There will be 5 of them in the 3 bedroom house.

The Property Committee has been busy getting the parsonage in shape for their move-in, including a major plumbing project at that property (see article at right).

Recently, the LVC folks had a party at St Francis and went over to Belcher St to see the apartment. Diane DeLange gave them the tour, and they were excited about moving in.

Since the volunteers to be living in the parsonage bring very little, we are asked to help furnish the house. A complete listing has been posted on the notice board in the Parish Hall for a number of weeks. If you can help put your name by the item(s). Persons donating items will be contacted after arrangements have been made with LVC.

We will also be providing a simple warm meal on their first day upon arrival in San Francisco.

NEW PLUMBING AT BELCHER ST PROPERTY

The parsonage and church building on Belcher Street was just upgraded with new water lines throughout the premises. As a result of old rusted galvanized pipes, the water pressure had been very low, almost non-existent at times when a washing machine or dishwasher was in use. The Property Committee was concerned about the effect of having 5 persons living in the Parsonage and the increased demand for water. The committee decided that new pipes were necessary.

Through the careful coordination of Diane DeLange, and Dave Walda with the tenants and the plumbers, new water lines were installed throughout the building over several weeks. The project was helped by the fact that there had been some plumbing improvements done within the last 10 plus years which saved some extra work for the plumbers.

Both Diane and Dave were pleased to work with these plumbers, San Francisco Plumbing Company, and impressed with their professionalism and patience to insure this project was completed satisfactorily, especially with the special schedules and needs of the tenants.

Lectionary for next Sunday