The Weekly View

Sunday, July 28, 2019

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

This Sunday will be a theologically controversial Sunday. We continue our Sermon Series “Upon Request.” The requested scripture is from John’s gospel. 14:1-6. Those who are in bible study on a regular basis have heard my take on this scripture, but I’ve been asked to extrapolate, particularly on verse 6; Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  

This verse has been used over the centuries to hurt a lot of people. This verse, when understood as excluding every other religion as wrong in the eyes of God continues to hurt others but also Christianity itself. If you believe that what is written in the bible has to be taken at face value, end of story, then please consider other verses from the bible that have also done great harm throughout history; “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:22) “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel.” (1 Peter 2:18) 

If we read bible verses out of context without examining them we are checking our God-given brains at the door. Understanding their historical context doesn’t make the biblical experience less true, nor does historical inaccuracy diminish the power of Jesus Christ today. 

I look forward to unpacking how I understand this verse of Jesus in context of when it was written, why it was written and what Jesus might have meant in context of the rest of his life, teachings and actions.

See you Sunday,
Nicole

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

Grateful Gatherings ~ Saturday, July 27th 8:00 AM-12: 30 PM
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. Information about this month’s families is on the GG website gratefulgatherings.org. Bring donations to St. Luke 8:30-10:30. Use the green pew envelope (write GG) to donate today.

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, August 5th, 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.

Street Chaplaincy ~  August 20th
This is our first call for volunteers to help serve on the evening. John Lenser will be leading the charge and be the go-to on the evening. Once John has finalized his menu, another email will go out with food needs for the evening. If you’re interested in serving, please EMAIL Michael B. at

KIVA.ORG ~ St. Luke’s Women’s Association has supported KIVA for many years. 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. KIVA will be a St Luke Deacon’s Cause in the Fall.  

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. Fundraising Goal: $60,000 YTD raised is $1500. “Gal. 6:9 Let us not become weary from doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” PEDALFORPROTEIN.COM. for information.

Grateful Gatherings ~ Saturday, October 26th, 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
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. Information about this month’s families is on the GG website gratefulgatherings.org. Bring donations to St. Luke 8:30-10:30. 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 

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.

St Luke’s Annual Fundraiser Dinner & Auction ~ October 6th

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

Summer Music Series ~ Guest Musicians
July 28~ Christopher Pilcher, Bass Baritone
August 4~ Ann Davis Nilsson, Piano
August 11~ Hymn Sing
August 18~ Acoustic Sunday
August 25~ Diane Yermack, Mezzo Soprano
September 1~ Courtney and Kelsey McGiver, Horn/Stringed Bass
September 8~ Erich Miller, Percussion
September 15~ Acoustic Sunday

Sunday, July 21, 2019

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

Acoustic Sunday this Sunday as we welcome talented musicians and incorporate traditional hymns with secular contemporary and Christian songs. 

This Sunday we also begin our Summer Sermon Series, “Upon Request” where I take requests from you on scripture and/or topic you’d like to hear more about. 

This week in worship, I’ll respond to this request from Laura Hislop. “I’d like a sermon on worrying and why we shouldn’t.”

I’m sure I’ve preached on it before, but because I consider myself a professional worrier, I’m more than grateful to preach on it again. The entire worship will be built around this theme as each song is introduced with accompanying scripture and reflection.

I hope you can make it to worship and invite your friends.

Next Sunday, the 28th we look at Mary Dill’s request on John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That’s a scripture many of us struggle with and I look forward to wrestling with God on that one.

There’s one more slot available so if you have a topic and/or scripture that you’d like to hear more about, please email me.

See you Sunday,
Nicole

outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

St. Vincent’s Call for Assistance ~ On July 2nd Kathleen M. received a call from Raphael at St Vincent’s whom she had met at a Grateful Gatherings event. He told her a story of a family of 5 with 3 kids: Lilly 2, Byron 5 & Karen 9. They had one bed in their home but GG couldn’t help so St Luke put out an email and sure enough, Mike Hislop said he saw it and knew this was something he could do right now for those kids.  Moved by Mike’s generosity, Joanne T. provided new sheets & blankets, Kathleen and Michael B. provided 4 new fluffy pillows. The smile on the children’s face when Kathleen and Michael delivered the bunkbed & bedding on July 11th was priceless.  We can’t help every time but we were able to help this time! It was awesome.

Grateful Gatherings ~ Saturday, July 27th 8:00 AM-12: 30 PM
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. Information about this month’s families is on the GG website gratefulgatherings.org. Bring donations to St. Luke 8:30-10:30. Use the green pew envelope (write GG) to donate today.

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, August 5th, 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.

Street Chaplaincy ~  August 20th
This is our first call for volunteers to help serve on the evening. John Lenser will be leading the charge and be the go-to on the evening. Once John has finalized his menu, another email will go out with food needs for the evening. If you’re interested in serving, please EMAIL Michael B. at

KIVA.ORG ~ St. Luke’s Women’s Association has supported KIVA for many years. 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. KIVA will be a St Luke Deacon’s Cause in the Fall.  

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. Fundraising Goal: $60,000 YTD raised is $1500. “Gal. 6:9 Let us not become weary from doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” PEDALFORPROTEIN.COM. for information.

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 

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.

St Luke’s Annual Fundraiser Dinner & Auction ~ October 6th

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

Summer Music Series ~ Guest Musicians
July 28~ Christopher Pilcher, Bass Baritone
August 4~ Ann Davis Nilsson, Piano
August 11~ Hymn Sing
August 18~ Acoustic Sunday
August 25~ Diane Yermack, Mezzo Soprano
September 1~ Courtney and Kelsey McGiver, Horn/Stringed Bass
September 8~ Erich Miller, Percussion
September 15~ Acoustic Sunday

Sunday, July 14th, 2019

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. (Luke 10:3-7)

Those are some big words. Read them again. That’s Jesus speaking to his followers whom he is sending out ahead of him. That charge to us today hasn’t changed. As followers, we’ve been called to spread the Gospel. One would think, as long as we’re spreading love, nothing could go wrong. We can think we are doing and saying all the right things when it comes to loving God and others. But at the end of the day, there will be those who disagree, who resent you, who fight with you and even accuse you of heresy.

That’s why I love this line….if someone does not share in your peace, it will return to you. (vs6) Which means not only is your intention still intact but so is the peace with which you came. We do that sometimes. We think that we’ve wasted our time, wasted our energy when we discover our intentions have been unwelcome at best, despised at worst. But according to Jesus, peace returns to you. Perhaps that’s because that “peace” that wholeness, doesn’t really belong to us. God’s peace, which we all have in us, is meant to be given away. It’s meant to change the world by being expressed in what we do, how we live. No one, no matter how vehemently they deny or disagree, can take that away.

Peace be with you,
Nicole

Deacon Ministry

6th Annual Pedal for Protein ~ September 22nd – 28th, Let's ride!
A ride for a cause! Supports food bank pantries & projects to help feed hungry people in Northern California.  100% of all donations go to food projects. The ride is organized by The Hunger Task Force of the Presbytery of the Redwoods. For information and to donate go to pedalforprotein.com  or imathlete.com/donate/PedalforProtein5.

KIVA.ORG ~ St Luke’s Women’s Association has supported KIVA for many years. 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. KIVA will be a St Luke Deacon’s Cause in the Fall.  

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 

Upcoming Acoustic Sundays ~ July 21st, August 18th,  September 15th

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.

St Luke’s Annual Fundraiser Dinner & Auction ~ October 6th

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