The Weekly View

Sunday, February 2, 2020

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

Are you tired of your pastor talking about love yet? It seems no matter what I read or how much I study, I return to love: love as a verb, as a noun and as the second person in the holy trinity. 

Apparently Paul, myself and countless others have this drawn conclusion:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13) 

Paul also recognized that in a world where power is measured by control over others in forms of status and wealth, love can appear on the surface to be a foolish choice. (1 Corinthians 1:25-31) 

A symbol of crucifixion and of resurrection might seem a foolish choice to some. To others, our sacrament of gathering around a table to eat bread may also appear like a foolish waste of time.

But as Matthew would remind us in The Beatitudes, (5:1-12) when life falls apart momentarily, when grief and weakness dominates everything you once counted on, and you feel there is nothing left for you, God enters in to hold you, to lift you up and to bring you home into being the blessing you are.

It’s an upside down philosophy Jesus gives us and yet it’s the only one that I can find that holds this eternal truth: we are born as love with one purpose, to love. The world will call this foolish. But no matter how I look at it, this is all I can find worth doing, all I can find worth being, and all I can find worth following. Just call me a fool for love.

See you Sunday,
Nicole 

PS - Yes, there’s an annual congregational meeting following worship in the Bayview Room. Light finger sandwiches will be provided.

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

St. Luke’s Winter Food Drive Barrel ~
This is the last week for Canned proteins/meats:  Beans, Peanut Butter, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Beef.

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, February 3rd, 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.

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, February 11th, 6:00 PM
Pizza and Theology - 3rd Tuesday, February 18th, 7:00 PM
St. Luke Women’s Bridge - 4th Tuesday, February 25th, 10:30 AM
Session Meeting - 4th Tuesday, February 25th, 7:00 PM

St. Luke’s mission:  To practice love by following Jesus. 
Learn more at www.stlukepres.org
Facebook ~ St. Luke Presbyterian San Rafael
Reverend Nicole Trotter ~
Office Admin., Joanne Trifoso ~
Office Phone: 415-454-2705, Office hours: M, W & Th: 10-1 & Tues: 1-4
Sexton, Carlos Araujo ~ Sunday 8:00 AM-Noon   

Sunday, January 26, 2020

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

This Sunday we welcome Reverend Dave Slorpe back into the pulpit. For those who may not know, Dave was my first and still favorite mentor, teaching me what unconditional love looked like as a church leader.

Dave will be preaching on Ephesians 4:1-6 and what it means to be the church together. 

Dave is a retired United Methodist Minister of many years, and he taught me first hand what being the church together looks like in practice. One of my favorite sayings of his was this; 

“If you do something as a leader that’s one feather in your cap, but if you get someone else to do it, it’s two feathers in your cap.”

Dave knew then what I know now. A successful church is one where everyone serves in ways that contributes to the life of the church. No service is too small. The church belongs to the people who frequent the church. (Ok, technically, it belongs to Jesus Christ, but you get the idea) As the body of the church with many moving parts, each bringing our unique ways of serving, we are stronger when we’re serving together as one body.

We do this by following the love of Christ, by being kind, by showing up and by trusting that we are there for one another, accepting and caring, doing justice and walking humbly, with one another and with God.

Enjoy Sunday,
Nicole

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

KIVA ~
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. Go to KIVA.org for information and to make a loan.

St. Luke’s Winter Food Drive Barrel ~
St. Luke is collecting canned proteins/meats:  Beans, Peanut Butter, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Beef. You may also donate using the green envelope with the notation FOOD DRIVE. $1 = 2 Meals!

Grateful Gatherings ~ Saturday, February 1st, 8:00 AM-12:30 PM
GG is kicking off 2020 by fully furnishing “new” apartments of two formerly homeless single moms. Read about the families at https://tinyurl.com/gratefulgatheringsmarin-feb1. Also, there is a list of furniture and household items needed and sign-ups for donations. Bring donations to St. Luke on Sat. February 1st between 8:30 am and 10:30 am. GG provides receipts for your tax-deductible donation. 

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, February 3rd, 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.

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, February 11th, 6:00 PM
Pizza and Theology (canceled Dec.) - 3rd Tuesday, February 18th, 7:00 PM
St. Luke Women’s Bridge - 4th Tuesday, January 27th, 10:30 AM
Session Meeting - 4th Tuesday, January 27th, 7:00 PM

St. Luke’s mission:  To practice love by following Jesus. 
Learn more at www.stlukepres.org
Facebook ~ St. Luke Presbyterian San Rafael
Reverend Nicole Trotter ~
Office Admin., Joanne Trifoso ~
Office Phone: 415-454-2705, Office hours: M, W & Th: 10-1 & Tues: 1-4
Sexton, Carlos Araujo ~ Sunday 8:00 AM-Noon   

Sunday, January 19, 2020

This Sunday

Dear St. Luke Community, 

This Sunday is Acoustic Sunday. In John’s Gospel reading for this Sunday, Jesus asks two disciples what they’re looking for and the disciples answer with another question; “Where are you staying?” Jesus answers, “Come and see.” ( John 1:29-39)

Jesus could have answered any number of ways; I’m staying at a friends on the corner of 3rd and Main. Maybe he gave them a tour of the place once they got there. Or maybe, because this is John’s Gospel, none of this is to be interpreted literally, but instead with a spiritual bent. 

If someone asked me where I live, spiritually, I might be inclined to answer very intimately with words but no wordy explanation would capture the essence of what I was trying to say. And if instead, I invited them to come and see by living with me, I’m still not sure that would do the trick. After a few hours they would get tired of my making sure they were comfortable and fed. 

When it comes to seeing where Christ lives, wee see through experiencing, not by someone giving us an address and following a GPS. We don’t see or live with Christ by being given a doctrine or a set of beliefs, but rather by experiencing what it means to live with Him, in Him, and as much as we can, like Him.We experience Him by asking Him to show himself to us, by paying attention to the big and small manifestations of Him as we go about our beautiful and mundane lives. 

It’s a beautiful journey. It’s a difficult journey. Someone may point the way for us, and we may point the way for others, but at the end of the day, it’s God who says most intimately; come and see for yourself.

See you Sunday,
Nicole

Outreach and Deacon Ministry

All are welcome to attend 

KIVA ~
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. Go to KIVA.org for information and to make a loan.

St. Luke’s Winter Food Drive Barrel ~
St. Luke is collecting canned proteins/meats:  Beans, Peanut Butter, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Beef. You may also donate using the green envelope with the notation FOOD DRIVE. $1 = 2 Meals!

Grateful Gatherings ~ Saturday, February 1st, 8:00 AM-12:30 PM
GG is kicking off 2020 by fully furnishing “new” apartments of two formerly homeless single moms. Read about the families at https://tinyurl.com/gratefulgatheringsmarin-feb1. Also, there is a list of furniture and household items needed and sign-ups for donations. Bring donations to St. Luke on Sat. February 1st between 8:30 am and 10:30 am. GG provides receipts for your tax-deductible donation. 

Mill Street Meal Providers ~  Monday, February 3rd, 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.

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, February 11th, 6:00 PM
Pizza and Theology (canceled Dec.) - 3rd Tuesday, January 21st, 7:00 PM
St. Luke Women’s Bridge - 4th Tuesday, January 27th, 10:30 AM
Session Meeting - 4th Tuesday, January 27th, 7:00 PM

St. Luke’s mission:  To practice love by following Jesus. 
Learn more at www.stlukepres.org
Facebook ~ St. Luke Presbyterian San Rafael
Reverend Nicole Trotter ~
Office Admin., Joanne Trifoso ~
Office Phone: 415-454-2705, Office hours: M, W & Th: 10-1 & Tues: 1-4
Sexton, Carlos Araujo ~ Sunday 8:00 AM-Noon