The Weekly View

The Weekly View - January 13, 2022

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In This Issue

• Weekly Message
• Announcements & Upcoming Events
• Outreach Opportunities & Updates

Weekly message

Dear St. Luke family,

This Sunday we welcome Rev. Linda S. Powers to St. Luke. Linda will be preaching from Ephesians 1:3-14 and John 1:1-18, and her sermon is entitled "What a Difference a Relationship Makes."

Linda was born and raised in the Bay Area and retired in 1998 after a 30-year career with Pacific Bell. Immediately after, she began discovering she had a call to ministry stimulated by mission trips to Lithuania, Belize, and Alaska. She graduated from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 2006 and was ordained in 2008 as the Chaplain/Wellness Coordinator at V.O.I.C.E.S., the emancipated foster youth center in Napa. She eventually became the Program Director for all the Homeless Shelter Services in Napa County, where she ministered to over 700 homeless souls each year.

In 2016, she was blessed to acquire a ministry partner, Beta. Beta is a trained therapy dog that serves with Linda every day in what the Presbytery of the Redwoods deemed as a six-legged ministry. When Beta became a part of Linda’s ministry, they extended their work to the canine reading program at the library and weekly visits to Juvenile Probation youth.  Linda recently completed serving two years as the Transitional Pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Napa. COVID has changed some of their work, but Beta and Linda are returning to serve those people that Jesus named “the least of us.”

This Sunday we will also hold an election for our elders and deacons following worship.  We hope you can stay for the vote.

We hope to see you on Sunday!

The Weekly View - December 24, 2021

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In This Issue

• Weekly Message from Rev. Joanne Whitt
• Weekly Facebook Video
• Announcements & Upcoming Events
• Outreach Opportunities & Updates

Dear St. Luke family,

Throughout Advent we focused on “Prepare the Way.”  The theme was poignant not only for Advent, for waiting for Christ’s coming and the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises, but also for St. Luke, on the threshold of a new era, a new pastor.  On the third Sunday in Advent, the pastor nominating committee announced they had made a selection from among the many qualified candidates they’d interviewed.  The candidate, Andrew P. Quick, will give his candidating sermon in worship on January 9th.  At a congregational meeting following worship, the congregation will decide whether to affirm the PNC’s choice by electing Andrew Quick as your new pastor. 

You will hear more about Andrew in the coming days.  The PNC, in cooperation with communications director Beth Potillo-Miller, is putting together an announcement that will be sent via email and regular mail.  After you see Andrew in action in worship on the 9th, the congregation will celebrate with a special coffee hour in the BayView Room.

 But before all that, it’s Christmas Eve!  Tonight!  We’ll celebrate Christmas Eve with a Service of Lessons and Carols at 5:00 p.m. tonight.  As in years past, we will pass the light of our candles from one person to another, symbolizing the way the light of Christ spreads through the world.  It’s one of my favorite services of the church year, and I’m grateful to all the readers, musicians, greeters, folks who decorated the sanctuary and everyone who works behind the scenes to make it a lovely experience.  Don’t forget to wear a mask. 

 We’ll add the baby Jesus to our nativity scene tonight, and then on Sunday, the 26th, we’ll add the magi.  Sunday’s worship service includes a time for “carols by request,” so start thinking of the carols you haven’t yet had a chance to sing this season.  We’ll explore what the familiar words of the Christmas story mean.

 Shortly after New Year’s, I’ll be saying goodbye to St. Luke.  On Sunday, January 2, I’ll leave you each with a Star Word, a word to inspire and challenge you in the new year.

 I will be on vacation December 27th - 31st – a trip I had planned some time ago to Southern California where our daughters live.  While I’m away, I’m very grateful that Pastor Emeritus Dan White will cover pastoral emergencies. Dan will also cover pastoral care during January after my last Sunday.

 I hope to see you tonight!
Merry Christmas!
Joanne Whitt
Interim Pastor

The Weekly View - December 17, 2021

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In This Issue

• Weekly Message from Rev. Joanne Whitt
• Weekly Facebook Video
• Announcements & Upcoming Events
• Outreach Opportunities & Updates

Dear St. Luke family:

Just in time for Christmas, a reinstatement of the state-wide mask mandate!  Session was already leaning towards requiring masks at our potentially crowded Christmas Eve service.  With the new Omicron variant, and COVID cases once again on the rise, we didn’t want to be responsible for being a “super-spreader” event.  Now, that decision has been made for us. 
 
The State has allowed Marin to re-instate its previous mask mandate, and Marin has done so.  Marin’s previous masking rules allowed an exception for worship leaders during religious services, including clergy, readers, and choirs.  This means the choir members do not need to wear masks while performing this coming Sunday, and the liturgist and I may remove our masks while we’re speaking.  As we did previously, we’ll keep unmasked leaders at least 12 feet away from the folks in the pews.
 
Mask or no mask, I’m excited about the worship service this Sunday, with special Christmas music from the choir and guest musicians.  I’m also excited about our Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols at 5:00 p.m. on the 24^th.  Our greeters will hand out masks to those who may have forgotten one, as well as bulletins and candles.  Masks certainly won’t diminish the magic of that beautiful candlelight service.  There will be special music that night from the choir, Erich Miller, Cassandra Mech, Becky Viebrock, and Beth Potillo-Miller.  My friend and colleague Nick Morris, executive director of the Marin Street Chaplaincy, will be one of our worship leaders. 
 
Please wear your masks this coming Sunday, and each time we gather through mid-January.  Unfortunately, this means that in worship on January 9, you’ll meet your new pastor, Andrew P. Quick, while you are masked.  During coffee hour following the congregational meeting after worship, however, everyone may eat and drink without masks, and Andrew will be able to see your faces!  
 
Looking ahead to my last Sunday with you, January 2, we’ll celebrate the New Year and a new future for St. Luke with Epiphany “star words.”  Each worshiper will receive a star with a word that is intended to inspire and perhaps challenge us in the new Year.  One pastor who has adopted this practice writes, “Instead of making a resolution that I’ll feel guilty about a week later, I take a star word as a gift and keep my eyes open. The stars have allowed me to see God in unexpected ways and places. They’ve been challenging, life-giving and transformative.”
 
I look forward to seeing you in worship on Sunday!

Grace and peace,
Joanne Whitt
Interim Pastor