March 2003

THE LENTEN JOURNEY AT OLD FIRST

by Fritz Zuhl

            What we call the beginning often the end

            And to make an end is to make a beginning

            The end is where we start from.

                                                            T.S. Eliot

A life in Christ is often a life with Christ — and our journey of faith as Christians can often parallel Christ's journey on Earth. Our yearly worship calendar helps us be mindful of important events in Christ’s time on Earth. 

March 5 marks the beginning of Lent. The Lenten season, observed in its fullness, often includes a recognition and a selective re-creation of the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness soon after his baptism. But  —  what is Lent, and what does Jesus’  forty days of fasting in the wilderness mean for us?  

Lent is usually observed as a time of restricting diets and practicing a more subdued style of worship; it is often marked by sober reflection, self-examination, and spiritual redirection. Christians are invited to struggle against everything that leads us away from the love of God and neighbor.  Some call Lent a kind of spiritual spring cleaning, preparing us for Easter.

Lent has always been a time for all Christians of quieting ourselves. In this quiet, we can better feel God’s presence.  It’s a time for separating ourselves from what separates us from God, and it is also a time we can feel temptation at its strongest.  It was at the end of Jesus' time in the wilderness that he was presented with temptation.

For the Western church, Lent always begins on Ash Wednesday, the seventh Wednesday before Easter. Count forty days from Ash Wednesday, skipping Sundays, and you will arrive at the Saturday before Easter.  Sundays are excluded from the forty days because they are little weekly Easters, a celebration of Christ’s return.

Although Lent is a deep tradition in the Roman Catholic and Episcopal Churches, it’s only within the last twenty or thirty years that many within the Reformed tradition have observed this time. Without a strong tradition of their own, congregations are observing Lent by selectively borrowing from the Roman Catholics. 

Today’s spiritual writers are re-discovering the way Lent was considered in very early period of the Christian church; with this change, many Protestants have been gradually incorporating Lent in their worship calendar.  Today’s writers emphasize the opportunity Lent brings for a yearly re-birth, or a “re-baptism” with ashes.  The theologian Peter Mazar writes:

            "Ash Wednesday is a kind of baptismal branding.  We are marked on our foreheads with the cross of Christ, which is a tree of life to beckon us back to the garden, a ship’s sextant to guide us to harbor, a bronze serpent to save us from dying in the desert."

With Lent, we let go so that we can receive.  We end to begin.  We let go of that part of our lives that binds us to a world without God, allowing God to enter our lives.  (Read Matthew 16:19 and 18:18).  It is both destructive and constructive.  By releasing ourselves from what ties us to the world, we free ourselves to the Spirit of God.

Lent is a journey from ashes to Easter. Without the dark journey, the destination of Easter would be of little meaning, for Easter celebrates the promise that we will be saved from the darkness in the wilderness.

Relevant Bible Passages

            Jesus in the wilderness: Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12,13 Luke 4:1-13 

            Moses' Forty Days: Exodus 24:18 and 34:28

            Elijah's Forty days: 1 Kings 18:8

            For putting ashes on ourselves, see 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1-3, Job 42:6 and Jeremiah 6:26. The Ash  Wednesday service at Old First will not include ripping our  clothes off and wailing through the city.

Mark Your Calendar

            Ash Wednesday: 5 March -- 7:00 pm,  Service with imposition of ashes (if desired)

            Palm Sunday: April 13

            Maundy Thursday: April 17 -- 6:15 pm, Service with (optional) footwashing, Communion and Agape meal

            Good Friday: April 18 -- Tenebrae service

            Easter: April 20 -- Early informal prayer service and “lilification”                         of the Sanctuary

            11:00 am - Festive worship service.

A NIGHT OF MUSIC AND POETRY

PERFORMED BY OUR HOMELESS AND HUNGRY FRIENDS

On March 1st at 7:30 pm at Old First, our homeless friends would like to perform for you.  Some of our seasoned volunteers may join in on the act too!  Did you know that many of our homeless friends and neighbors are musicians and poets?  Many of our guests do not have instruments of their own, but have been practicing at the Welcome Ministry.   The suggested donation price for tickets is $10 in advance and $15 at the door.  For more information contact Katrina Markov at k5princess@yahoo.com

WEDNESDAY EVENING WORSHIP -- 7:00 - 7:40 pm 

    Mar 5 - Ash Wednesday Service

    Mar 12 - Service of Healing and Wholeness

    Mar 19 - Guided Meditation

    Mar 26 - Taizé Service

ALL-CHURCH RETREAT -- MARCH 14-16

Westminster Woods

“Modernity and World Religions: Friend or Foe?”

Rev. Larry Golemon, leader

POLLY DAY’S RECITAL MARCH 22

Polly Day will present a piano recital of American music on Saturday, March 22, at 3 pm. Among the composers whose works will be heard are Reinagle, Macdowell, Copland, Joplin, Brubeck and Kern.

A reception will immediately follow the recital; all are cordially invited to attend. As in past years, the recital is given as a benefit for Old First Concerts. Any donation you care to make will be gratefully received.

CHOIR CONCERT MARCH 28

The Old First Choir, under the musical direction of Kenneth Matthews, will perform two mid-20th century choral works. Britten's festival cantata Rejoice in the Lamb is one of the best-loved choral classics of the 20th century. Accompanying the performance will be one of the Bay Area's finest organists, Charles Rus. The program also includes Jean Langlais's 1952 Messe en style ancien (Mass in Ancient Style). Concert is at 8 pm.

INTRODUCING BILL BOWLES, NEW DIRECTOR OF OLD FIRST CONCERTS

Bill Bowles became Director of Old First Concerts on January 6. Until last May he was with the San Francisco Opera as the Marketing and Sales Manager for the Opera Centre.

Bill grew up in Oregon and obtained his BA from Oregon University. During college he was the percussionist for the local Opera and Ballet companies, and later worked as a musician with these companies and with country and western bands.

He later worked in the support and arts administration side with the Eugene Opera and Ballet companies. In 1991 he moved to San Francisco to work for San Francisco Opera Centre as their Touring Manager. Bill became Sales Manager of the Opera Centre in 1996.

Bill brings much experience in arts administration, volunteers and concert production. He has brought on Ellen Geroux, a local Stanford grad as his assistant. We welcome them to Old First Concerts.

ALL NEWSLETTER PROBLEMS TO BE RESOLVED

Old Firsters complain every month that the "Shared Life" deadline is too early and that delivery (by bulk mail)  is too slow. If we set later deadlines, that would mean the newsletter would have to be printed later in the month and delivery would be even later. In the past, the only way we could see to get it to you earlier in the month would be to set deadlines even earlier. It appeared to be a classic no-win situation.

Now, thanks to the popularity of e-mail, we can solve both problems at once, and save a few dollars (and a few trees) in the process. Deadlines can be set later in the month, and the newsletter can be produced later. If you have e-mail, your newsletter will be delivered, untouched by human hands, directly into your computer.  If you don’t have e-mail, you will benefit from the change, too;  your newsletter can be sent to you first-class mail  in a day or two after printing, not in a week or two (or three, or more).

The changes will be effective with the May 2003 issue. Look for complete details in the April issue. In the meantime, please be sure that the church office has your correct e-mail address.  You will not receive unwanted e-mailings from the church, and your privacy will be protected.

PASTOR'S PONDERINGS

Dear Friends,

The first thing I want to do is thank the "mystery person" who left flowers by my study door a week or so ago. Barbara and I have been enjoying them very much.

OK, enough of that joyful stuff, now let's talk about the Confession of Sin. Before I go any further though, I have to say something about what Sin is and is not. "Sin" has been a very misused and often damaging word. So damaging in fact, that you could make a very strong case for expunging the word from our minds entirely and starting over with a different word. But for now, let me try describe Sin in a way that does not damage. I begin with the assumption that Sin is not, repeat not, "the bad things people do." In a broad sense it is the "human condition." The "bad things people do" - lying, adultery, murder and so on - are reflective of a deeper condition, a deeper distortion that comes because we are alienated or disconnected from God. It is as though that alienation defines us and binds us, so that we are not free to act as the loving and loved beings God created us to be.

As the Apostle Paul says, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate . . . wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death?"  (OK, so he's a little dramatic.)  Worse still, alienated and untrusting, it's as though we shield ourselves from the love of God, the very power that can release us and allow us to grow into all we are created to be.

Confession is about dropping that shield. It's that important.  Way, way too often — and I mean so way, way too often that I can hardly believe it because it is so anti-Christian — God is portrayed in churches as judging and wrathful, a God just itching to let us burn in hell if we break a rule. No wonder we shield ourselves from such a God. But this is not what God is like. God takes a much different approach.

Anne Lamott puts it this way, "All I know is that even when I try my best I could screw up right and left and I'm still forgiven. 'I love you this way,' God says. 'But I think it would be less painful for you if you were slightly different, so we might want to work on that.'" This is the God we look to for healing; this is the God we confess to.

Martin Luther once said that he was sure a person could be forgiven by God, simply by praying privately, but that he, himself, could not possibly feel forgiven without hearing it from someone else. Many of us had Roman Catholic friends growing up (come to think of it, many of us were Roman Catholic when we were growing up) and so we are familiar with the practice of confessing sin to a Priest. By and large the Protestant church has dropped this practice. In some ways this is good. Except that now, confession gets such short shrift, we have lost touch with the power this spiritual discipline has to transform our lives.

Let me reassure you. I'm not suggesting every one come to me and confess their sin. But as several of us got together to plan our worship for Lent, we felt it would be good to invite anyone who wants to seek out a confessor - a trusted friend, minister, counselor, someone who will not judge when your painful moments are exposed, someone in or out of the congregation. We will spend some time during Lent helping prepare for that moment, and encouraging confession as part of our spiritual journey during Holy Week. We will do that during our Calls to Confession, and in our "Lenten Soup" series on Thursday Evenings, (6:00 to 7:00 PM). In this informal study time we will look at the Biblical basis for confession, the psychological basis for confession, the history of the confessional in the church, how  to prepare a good confession, and how to hear one from another.

My question for you this month, (and it is not a rhetorical question), is this: Is God calling you to take this journey towards confession and forgiveness during Lent?

                                                                        Grace and peace,                   

                                                                        Rev. Sam Alexander

LECTIONARY

Mar. 2 -- 2 Kings 2:1-12; Ps. 50:1-6; 2 Cor. 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9

Mar. 5 -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isa. 58:1-12; Ps. 51:1-17;
                        2 Cor. 5:20b-6:10; Matt. 6:1-6, 16-21

Mar. 7 -- Gen. 9:8-17; Ps. 25:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15

Mar. 16 -- Gen. 17:1-7, 15-16; Ps. 22:23-31; Rom. 4:13-25;
                        Mark 8:31-38

Mar. 23 -- Exod. 20:1-17; Ps. 19; 1 Cor. 1:18-25; John 2:13-22

Mar. 30 -- Num. 21:4-9; Ps. 107:1-3, 17-22; Eph. 2:1-10; John 3:14-21

Apr. 6 -- Jer. 31:31-34;  Ps. 51:1-12 or Ps. 119:9-16; Heb. 5:5-10;                         John 12:20-33

WHAT’S NEW AT THE SENIOR CENTER

by Judith Dancer, Senior Center Director           

In response to the needs and preferences expressed by the seniors in a survey conducted in October 2002, we’ve initiated several new activities at the Senior Center.  I’m sure you’ve already heard about the trips we have been taking.  Our first trip was arranged by Buddy Tate Choy, Seniors Advisory Committee member, to Chinatown.  We started off with a tour of Cameron House, one of our Presbyterian Missions, a visit to a Buddhist temple, and a special lunch at Hang Ah Restaurant, the oldest tea house in San Francisco. 19 seniors, 2 volunteers and 1 staff member went on this trip, a huge success.  In January, 11 seniors, 3 volunteers and 1 staff member went to the Legion of Honor for a docent tour of the Winslow Homer Watercolor Show.  In February, 11 seniors, 2 volunteers and 1 staff member attended an Old First concert featuring pianist Joan Nagano and violinist Kay Stern.  We will go to a lecture on Paris and Art in the Wattis Collection at the SF Museum of Modern Art on March 28th. 

Social services have been added once a month:  a Social Worker at 11:00 a.m. on the first Monday of the month, a Nurse and a Podiatrist  the last Monday of the month.  Discussion groups are being held on growing up, remembering past Christmases, and what we are thankful for.  We will begin a discussion group on spirituality in the near future. 

Crafts projects are very popular and hold the interest of a variety of people.  We have made a new sign for the Senior Center, Halloween masks, decorated tablecloths for Thanksgiving, wreaths for Christmas (which we donated to Central Gardens) and lanterns for Chinese New Year.  We’ve had distinguished artists lecture about their work: Eileen Goldenberg, Ceramic Artist and Doug Sneed, Chinese Brush Painter — both lectures very well attended. 

Entertainment has been a priority,  such as yours truly dancing on stilts at the Christmas party, Yumi Thomas singing jazz standards and opera arias at Thanksgiving and for Valentine’s Day, and Am Vongthongsri singing traditional Thai folk songs in February.  Future entertainment includes the Rhythm Tappers, a group of senior women who tap dance at senior centers throughout the Bay Area, and a group of 45 children from Spring Valley School for Chinese New Year. 

Brent Nettle, Executive Director of Eldergivers, came to visit the participants in January with the possibility of creating an intergenerational program.  They seemed receptive to the idea and are in the process of contemplating how often they would like to interact with children, what age they would like the children to be and what everyone would do during the children’s visit.  Areas we are developing because of interest by the respondents to the survey are health information lectures, travel slide shows, more entertainment, and classes at the Computer Center.

You are all invited to come and check us out, either as our guest, a volunteer or participant.  Our theory is “The more the merrier” —  and we are a merry bunch!

BEYOND THE MYTH

by Megan Rohrer

For the past couple of months I have heard the following myth: “I cannot help out with the Welcome Ministry because I work during the day”.  I would to take this moment to shout this message from the roof tops: While it is true that the Welcome Center is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2 pm - 4pm, there are also many other ways to get involved with the ministry of the Welcome Ministry.

One great way to get involved is to volunteer at a community dinner. Community dinners are the Second Saturday of every month. The Community Dinner is different from the regular Welcome Center meals, because we try to serve restaurant-quality meals. Our homeless guests are served at their table and our volunteers enjoy dinner with our guests.  Often times, we have musicians play at the dinner.  However, the location varies from church to church so make sure you check with Megan (megan@oldfirst.org) to find out where it will be, or look up the location on our website: http://www.oldfirst.org/welcomeministry/news

Community Dinner Schedule:

            March: @ Old First; sponsored by The Church of Christ, Scientist

            April: @ Old First; sponsored by The Old First Jazz Vespers

            May: @ Old First; sponsored by Pacific Lutheran Theological                               Seminary

Does your organization, business, work, committee or group want to sponsor a community dinner?  Contact Megan for more information.  Many friends of the Welcome Ministry have created an office volunteer day at the Welcome Ministry.  How does this work?  Get 8-15 members of your office to volunteer with you at a community dinner.  Sponsoring a dinner helps the Welcome Ministry increase its contact list and has also been a way for the Welcome Ministry to get community grant money from corporations.

If you are looking for other creative ways to get involved, contact Megan, because the Welcome Ministry is looking into adding more programs in the future that our guests have requested.  Stay tuned for more information about new and exciting opportunities to get involved.

December 2002,  November 2002, October 2002, September 2002, July/August 2002, June 2002, May 2002, April 2002, March 2002, February 2002, January 2002

December 2001, Nov 2001, October 2001,  September 2001, July/August 2001, June 2001,  May 2001,  April 2001, March 2001, 
February 2001, January 2001 

December 2000, November 2000,October 2000, September 2000, July/August 2000, May/June 2000,April 2000, March 2000, February 2000