The Weekly View

Sunday September 23, 2018

This Sunday 

Dear St Luke Community,

Yesterday I attended Yom Kippur services with my dear friends the Epsteins. One of my favorite pieces of the Jewish tradition is the willingness to recognize death as a part of life.

But some people fear death, some think it’s depressing to talk about and some would rather avoid the subject altogether. I imagine that’s how the disciple’s felt in this Sunday’s scripture. (Mark 9:30-37) Jesus is talking about his plans again, the ones that include his own death and resurrection. Scripture tells us the disciples didn’t understand.

Then scripture jumps to the disciple’s arguing about who was the greatest. The jump leaves room for the imagination. What happened? How did the disciple's go from not understanding to arguing about who was the greatest? Can you imagine, these disciples, who have given up everything for Jesus being told that he’s going to be killed? And then rise again? Not only does it not make any sense but it’s just not what you sign up for when you change your life in order to follow a prophet, a savior, a Messiah who you believe will justly restore you homeland to its rightful place. They’ve seen Jesus perform miracles and healings. His words about death and resurrection make no sense. So they start talking about how it should go down. And that leads them into an argument.

Those words, should and shouldn’t get us into all kinds of trouble when it comes to plans. I suppose that’s why you hear people say so often, God has a plan. Well in the case of Jesus and this scripture, God/Jesus does have a plan. It includes death and resurrection. But then again, our own life includes those as well. So rather than ignore it, let’s talk about it, and in the process, embrace life.

See you Sunday,
Nicole 

PS-We will honor and say goodbye to Edith and Hal this Sunday before their move to Hawaii. And we will also celebrate with the sacrament of baptism for Rich, Gabbie and Frankie. It should be a grand Sunday. And after worship, please consider sticking around for Dr. Greg Loves second Sunday with us. 

Opportunity to serve our Greater Community

Dear St. Luke Community,

We are partnering with Grateful Gatherings once again. Please see the information below.

On Saturday, October 6th, Grateful Gatherings Marin, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, will once again be providing new or gently used furniture and household goods to two families transitioning out of homelessness and poverty.

To see the list of items needed, read about the families and sign up for donations, click on https://tinyurl.com/y764tuo7.

Donations are to be brought to St. Luke Presbyterian Church on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6th, between 8:30 am and 10:30 am.

Cash donations through the website https://gratefulgatherings.org for new mattresses and other needed items are always welcomed. (Please indicate “Marin GG” in the drop-down menu on website donation page.)

Your donations are tax deductible; we provide tax receipts. 

For questions email:

With gratitude,
The Grateful Gatherings Marin Team

Sunday September 16, 2018

This Sunday - Acoustic Sunday

Dear St Luke Community,

After Morgan was born, John and I began attending First United Methodist Church in Portland Oregon. Most of our time at that church is a bit of a blur to me now, with the exception of one meeting. I brought Morgan with me to the Pastor’s office and Morgan wiggled around on my lap as I said something like; “I’ve always been comfortable with God and Spirit, but I’ve never really gotten Jesus.” At that point in my life, Jesus was a name spoken by people who pounded their fists on pulpits, warning people to be saved. The name came with a kind of warning label that didn’t fit my experience of an all loving God, so I had never been able to reconcile the two. The Pastor suggested one thing. Just one thing.  He said; “Ask for Jesus to reveal Himself to you and He’ll do the rest. All you have to do is ask.”

It wasn’t immediate and certainly, my experience of Jesus has grown far beyond that day in the Pastors’ office. But what wonderful place to start. Just ask.

Jesus, in Marks Gospel, reading this Sunday, (Mark 8:27-28) also asks a question. Who do you say that I am? It’s about as good as any question gets. Our theology, how we relate to God shapes our lives. So how we answer this questions lives itself out in everything we do, every way we think, and all the ways we show up in our relationships, both personal and worldly.

Maybe the best way to answer the question is to ask one in return. Just ask for Him to reveal Himself to you, and He’ll do the rest.

After worship, Dr. Gregory Love from SFTS, who is as good as any Professor gets, will speak about the many ways people have answered that question; Who do you say that I am? Some say mystic, others prophet, some say, zealot, some messiah. Who was this historical man and who is he to us today?

Eric Rowe, Beth Potillo-Miller and Erich Miller and I have lots of special music planned as well. 

See you Sunday,
Nicole