The Weekly View

Sunday, September 8, 2019

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

This Sunday we hear from the prophet Jeremiah who reminds us of God as potter and us as clay. As clay, we are not just passive but respond to the touch of the hands that shape us and reform us when we shatter. We do shatter. We fall, we fall apart and we become susceptible to all of the ways that take us away from God and into false ways of being. Some of which is in our control, and some of which is not. But our God picks up the pieces, reshapes us, transforms us in conjunction with our willingness to listen. Our willingness to do the hard work of being in relationship with God is not passive but it is grace-filled. Thanks be to God. 

After worship please join us for this three week series with Rev Dr. Gregory Love, Sept 8th, 15th, and 22nd.

Change Towards Wholeness
Both the New Testament and psychology speak of a person’s change from brokenness toward wholeness.  But how does that change happen?  Do we just “set our mind to it, and make the changes”?  Or is it more difficult . . . and if so, why?  Further, what is God’s role in creating this change in us, and what is our role?

This three-week series looks at how we change, comparing and contrasting the views from neurobiology, psychology, and spirituality. It will look at two opposing views of how we change (theology and science that suggests only God can change us; versus theology and science that says we have capacities within us to change, they just need help); and a possible third way that transcends those two views.
 
For more about Greg Love-
Gregory Love is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at San Francisco Theological Seminary and The Graduate Theological Union.  A native of the Northwest, he graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a BA in Modern European History and Religion, and a minor in Sociology.  He received his M.Div. and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. His most recent book, Love, Violence and the Cross: How the Nonviolent God Saves Us through the Cross of Christ, investigates the relation between religion and violence. Dr. Love also brings neurology, evolutionary biology and psychology, and sociology into conversation with the world religions’ ancient wisdom traditions to investigate how change toward wholeness is possible for individuals.Dr. Love has a sixteen-year-old daughter, Claire.  He loves to backpack, travel to new countries, meet friends for coffee, and make his daughter laugh.

September 8th: Guest Musicians ~
Erich Miller has been performing professionally as a percussionist since 1975, the same year he became a member of the American Federation of Musicians. He has studied at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music, earned a Bachelor of Music in performance from North Texas State University, and a Master of Music degree in performance from Northern Illinois University. Spending most of his working career touring, recording, teaching and performing in Southern California, Erich has had a varied music career. Highlights include performing under the direction of Leonard Bernstein, playing on a #1 jazz album by the artist Peter White, providing music for television series such as Cheers and Northern Exposure and several national commercials, as well as being featured on soundtracks for many films, most notably Along Came Polly. Steel drums have been one of Erich’s main passions as a player, and he has been fortunate to perform in the birthplace of the steel pan, Trinidad and Tobago, competing with award-winning bands in the national music festival Panorama. Today he is performing on pans built by one of the instrument’s most influential creators, the late Cliff Alexis.

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

KIVA.ORG ~ St. Luke’s Women’s Association has supported KIVA for many years and they will be a Deacon’s Ministry in the Fall. KIVA is a San Francisco based non-profit that offers individuals or groups the opportunity to make a $25 or larger loan in many countries.

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, October 7th, Group B
The first Monday of each month Group A or Group B is assigned a meal item to provide (fruit, milk & bread, main, salad, vegetable, dessert). The volunteers bring a different food item every other month. Please contact Stacy Bischoff at for information.

6th Annual Pedal for Protein ~ September 22nd – 28th, Let's ride!
Supports food bank pantries & projects to help feed hungry people in Northern California. Organized by The Hunger Task Force of the Presbytery of the Redwoods, 100% of all donations go to food projects. PEDALFORPROTEIN.COM. for information.

Bible Study - Wednesdays at 9:30 AM
St. Luke Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
Women's Spirituality Group - Thursdays at 9:00 AM
Deacons Meeting - 2nd Tuesday, September 10th, 6:00 PM
Pizza and Theology - 3rd Tuesday, September 17th, 7:00 PM
St. Luke Women’s Bridge - 4th Tuesday, September 24th, 10:30 AM
Session - 4th Tuesday, September 24th, 7:00 PM

St Luke’s Christmas Concert ~ December 8th, 4:00 PM
It’s not too early to start thinking about the holidays! Save the date for the first annual St. Luke Christmas Concert, featuring St. Luke members and friends as they share their gifts in song, music and a few surprises along the way. From classical to contemporary, there will be something for everyone in our decorated sanctuary. Following the concert there will be a complimentary reception with beverages and appetizers in the Bayview Room. Be sure to invite friends and family, and start the Christmas season with music and friendship. All proceeds will go to benefit St. Luke ministries and church.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

This is one of those Sunday’s where the scripture really speaks for itself. Jesus is instructing his followers on table manners and humility. (Luke 14: 1-14) 

I have a fun story to tell you this Sunday about a picture of some dinner plates I posted on Reddit (an anonymous social media site) that found a way to 6,500 people who upvoted it. (liked it) While I don’t want to give away the whole story, it became clear to me that they were liking the idea behind the post and not the picture itself. The idea is related to this Sunday’s text in some way that I’ll connect for you on Sunday, but suffice it to say it has to do with hospitality. Hospitality at the table or in the home, banquet, and world is more than the offer of something to drink when someone comes over. Radical hospitality, in the eyes of God, is a way of life. To move through the world with a spiritual welcome sign is to move through with humility, curiosity, warmth and yes, kindness. But not just towards your neighbor who waves to you from the driveway or towards the person who receives you into their home, but towards the people who are on the margins, the people in need, the people who are searching for someone to help them. 

Hospitality is not a subtle invitation to adore the lifestyle of the host, but the gift of a chance for the guest to find his own. - Henri Nouwen

See you Sunday,
Nicole

September 1st : Guest Musicians ~
Kelsey McIvor has just begun her senior year at San Marin High School. She is heavily involved with her school's music program, playing in the jazz band, jazz combo, jazz choir rhythm section, and rock band. She also is a member of the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra and regularly plays for her church's contemporary praise band. Kelsey hopes to study international relations at a four-year university next year with the hopes of working for the United Nations one day.

Courtney McIvor is a Sophomore at San Marin High School enrolled in the STEM program and is heavily involved in the music program. She has played French Horn for three years and has played with the Crescendo Orchestra and Marin Youth Symphony. This summer she toured with the Marin Youth Symphony where she visited Prague, Vienna, and Budapest and is looking forward to playing with them again this year.

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

KIVA.ORG ~ St. Luke’s Women’s Association has supported KIVA for many years and they will be a Deacon’s Ministry in the Fall. KIVA is a San Francisco based non-profit that offers individuals or groups the opportunity to make a $25 or larger loan in many countries.

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, September 9th, Group A
The first Monday of each month Group A or Group B is assigned a meal item to provide (fruit, milk & bread, main, salad, vegetable, dessert). The volunteers bring a different food item every other month. Please contact Stacy Bischoff at for information.

6th Annual Pedal for Protein ~ September 22nd – 28th, Let's ride!
Supports food bank pantries & projects to help feed hungry people in Northern California. Organized by The Hunger Task Force of the Presbytery of the Redwoods, 100% of all donations go to food projects. PEDALFORPROTEIN.COM. for information.

Bible Study - Wednesday, September 4th, 9:30 AM
Deacons - 2nd Tuesday, September 10th, 6:00 PM
St. Luke Choir Rehearsal - Wednesday, September 11th, 7:00 PM
Morning Women's Spirituality Group - Thursday, September 12th, 9:00 AM
Pizza and Theology - 3rd Tuesday, September 17th, 7:00 PM
St. Luke Women’s Bridge - 4th Tuesday, September 24th, 10:30 AM
Session - 4th Tuesday, September 24th, 7:00 PM

St Luke’s Christmas Concert ~ December 8th, 4:00 PM
It’s not too early to start thinking about the holidays! Save the date for the first annual St. Luke Christmas Concert, featuring St. Luke members and friends as they share their gifts in song, music and a few surprises along the way. From classical to contemporary, there will be something for everyone in our decorated sanctuary. Following the concert there will be a complimentary reception with beverages and appetizers in the Bayview Room. Be sure to invite friends and family, and start the Christmas season with music and friendship. All proceeds will go to benefit St. Luke ministries and church.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

This Sunday Jesus calls the people in front of him hypocrites again. That happened in our scripture last Sunday too. Jesus is on a roll, calling it as he sees it, in an attempt to wake up those who are criticizing him for healing on the Sabbath. (Luke 13:10-17) Who did Jesus heal? A bent-over woman. That’s all we know about her, except for what Jesus adds; that she is a daughter of Abraham, which places her in the holiest of families. He heals on the sabbath, the holiest of days. He heals in the synagogue, the holiest of places. What better time and place for Jesus to free this woman from bondage? But for the people who protested, it was wrong based on their cultural and religious traditions deeply embedded in their identity. Jesus calls them hypocrites for it, and it would be very easy for us, as readers, to join sides with Jesus and say, “See? Jesus is right again and the synagogue leaders were wrong. End of story.” How good it feels to be right. But as Rev Dr. Elizabeth Palmer points out,

“Yeah! You tell ’em, Jesus!” easily slips into “Yeah! Let’s see ’em suffer!” People we disagree with become enemies to be vanquished. Our vindication requires the punishment of those we deem to be wrong about God, or about how we worship, or about politics. If the elevation of the losers requires the demotion of the winners, we find ourselves on a constantly shifting seesaw of glory and shame. We seek always to be on the side that is rising, with our enemies relegated to the sinking side. This roots relationships in judgment rather than grace.”

Perhaps this story has another lesson for us and it lives with this nameless woman who can see the world now. I imagine she saw the beauty, but she also saw what’s broken. I imagine she saw others in need of the same kind of healing she just so freely received. After being bound she is free and praises God for it. Perhaps if we all stood up straight, we would see that the world around us is in need of more grace than judgment and our job is to find ways to heal and repair rather than condemn and demonize those who disagree. I’m not saying we shouldn’t stand up and speak for what we understand to be just and true. I’m saying that sometimes we get so fixated on having to make enemies out of those who disagree, we forget we are called to love them too. And that becomes a kind of bondage of our own.

See you Sunday,
Nicole

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

KIVA.ORG ~ St. Luke’s Women’s Association has supported KIVA for many years and they will be a Deacon’s Ministry in the Fall. KIVA is a San Francisco based non-profit that offers individuals or groups the opportunity to make a $25 or larger loan in many countries.

Fall Speaker Series ~ September 8th, 15th, 22nd after worship
Professor Greg Love returns for a Fall Speaker series on ‘The Change Towards Wholeness.” Looking at opposing views of how we change.

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, September 9th, Group A
The first Monday of each month Group A or Group B is assigned a meal item to provide (fruit, milk & bread, main, salad, vegetable, dessert). The volunteers bring a different food item every other month. Please contact Stacy Bischoff at for information.

6th Annual Pedal for Protein ~ September 22nd – 28th, Let's ride!
Supports food bank pantries & projects to help feed hungry people in Northern California. Organized by The Hunger Task Force of the Presbytery of the Redwoods, 100% of all donations go to food projects. PEDALFORPROTEIN.COM. for information.

Grateful Gatherings ~ Date to be Announced
GG Mission: To bring hope to families in need. We help furnish homes when a family transitions from homelessness or crisis into a new home. Use the green pew envelope (write GG) to donate today.

St. Luke Groups ~ The following ongoing groups will resume in September: Bible Study, St Luke Choir Rehearsal, St. Luke Women’s Bridge, Morning Women's Spirituality Group, Pizza and Theology, Session and Deacons. 

Save The Date

All are welcome to attend 

St Luke’s Christmas Concert ~ December 8th, 4:00 PM
St Luke’s Christmas Concert followed by a reception in the Bayview room.