|
|
June 2004 Evening Prayers -- Wednesday, June 2 -- 7:00
- 7:40 pm Fair Trade Coffee Project
On Sunday, June 6, 2004, the Peace and Justice Committee of Old First
will launch its Fair Trade Coffee Project.
At the Peace and Justice Table the first Sunday of the month, you
will be able to purchase regular coffee as well as decaffeinated and
organic. In the coming months you will be hearing about the link between
faith and fair trade
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) co-sponsors this project with an
organization called Equal Exchange. This
organization purchases 100% of its coffee and teas upholding fair trade
standards. It was founded in 1986 and is committed to supporting
small-scale farmer cooperatives in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Jazz
Vespers -- 5
pm, Sunday, June 13 -- Paul Sheffert Trio General Assembly
The 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) meets
June 25- July 3, in Richmond, Virginia. You can follow the events of G.A.
online at www.pcusa.org. “Let the Good Times Roll” Games Night & Potluck
Supper June 26
Saturday, June 26, 6:30 pm, we’ll have a Games Night and potluck
supper at the church. Chris and Cindy Burt are planning a fun evening of
familiar board games with an unfamiliar twist — and games for the
children, too.
Supper will be non-messy finger food: sandwiches, cookies, chips
— but no dips. Signups to bring food will begin June 6. The
Congregational Care Committee will supply sodas. We do need to borrow a
few card tables. If you can bring one, let us know. Old First Will March in 2004 Pride Parade
Sunday, June 27, a contingent of Old First members and friends will
march in the San Francisco Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride
Parade in support of our dedication to inclusion and welcome to all people
who believe in Jesus Christ. This
year is the 34th anniversary of the San Francisco Pride Celebration and
Parade; it will be the second time Old First has registered with a
contingent.
At the worship service on June 20, there will be a dedication of
the marchers so the congregation may have the opportunity to publicly
recognize those members who are supporting our diverse community.
On June 27, the marchers will gather near the Embarcadero and join
one of the largest pride celebrations in the country by walking up Market
Street to Eighth.
The 2004 Pride Parade theme, "Out 4 Justice" theme gives
San Francisco a chance to recognize and honor those citizens of San
Francisco who work for social and economic justice in the greater human
community.
For more information or to volunteer as a parade monitor may call
Tom Culp or leave a message for him at the Church office. June Adult Classes on the Gospel of Luke
Steve Johnson will teach a four-part series on Luke June 6-27.
Topics will be: Infancy Narrative, Luke 1-4:13 - June 6; Galilee,
Luke 4:14-9:50 - June 13; Jerusalem (Journey), Luke 9:51-19:27 - June 20;
Jerusalem (Ministry), Luke 19:28- 24:53. Classes are held at 9:30 am,
Sundays, in the Munro Room. AIDSwalk is July 18
The 10 kilometer (6.2 miles) walk will begin and end at Sharon
Meadow in Golden Gate Park. Walkers will raise money for the San Francisco
AIDS Foundation.
If you want to sign up to be a walker, please consider joining Team
#1057, Presbyterians Fighting AIDS. As part of the team, you will enjoy
the convenience of a team table at the event and the companionship of
other Presbyterians dedicated to carrying on the battle against AIDS. Report from the Interim Pastor Nominating Committee
Interviews with potential interim pastors were completed on May 17.
The IPNC spent the following week checking references.
It is possible that the committee’s May 24 meeting will determine
that the IPNC should proceed to negotiations with whoever turns out to be
the consensus lead candidate.
The Session has authorized terms of the call up to certain maximum
limits, so the negotiations can proceed immediately.
The IPNC has prepared
a brief mission statement, a list of targeted strengths for an Interim
Pastor, and a position description. The combination of these has given an
idea to the Presbytery of the sort of candidate that would best meet our
needs and give the potential candidates an idea of who we are and what we
are looking for.
Once these materials were cleared by the Presbytery, the IPNC was
authorized to solicit candidates. They
approached a number of candidates suggested by members of the congregation
and others, requesting written submissions responding to questions posed
by the IPNC and scheduling interviews with those interested in applying.
Phil Pollock is moderator of the IPNC, which consists of our
Personnel Committee (George Becker, Cindy Burt, Jonathan Lee, Steve Taber,
Lori Yamauchi, Roger Lindahl) plus
Carol Carter, Barry Clagett and Emmy Clausing. June
6 — A Day of Celebration, Hope, and Expectation Dear
Friends,
The issue of Sunday, June 6, is like New Year's Day —
it is “good bye” to the past with a sense of thanks; it is
“hello” to the future with hope and expectation.
The point of the day lies not in my last sermon of this interim
before the interim, not in the joint departure of Leslie and me, but in
celebration of God’s leading in the past and expectation of God’s
leading in the future.
For all of us, the day has significance in different ways:
This Trinity Sunday brings us to another weekend in which we
remember D-Day and celebrate those who truly gave their lives that we
could have the kind of freedom most of us have enjoyed in our own lives.
This Trinity Sunday brings us to the eve of the 55th anniversary of
my own ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament.
This Trinity Sunday brings us to the end of the beginning, as our
time together has been — the beginning of recovery and the setting of
sights for a new vision of this church in the future.
This Trinity Sunday allow us to celebrate the one God known in
three ways as we move into the future with hope and expectation of the
promises of Scripture.
On this Sunday, I am taking as a text the words of Isaiah as he
hears God say, “whom will I send and who will go for us?”
The response, “Here am I Lord, send me,” was given to me by
Willard Brown Thorp, my pastor at the First Congregational Church when I
became part of that church on confession of faith at the age of twelve.
It has been my mantra all my life.
On this Sunday, it would mean a great deal if the young people of
our families would join in the hour of worship.
They are part of the hope of the future.
The one thing uppermost in my mind as age takes its way with some
of us is this: who will take up the torch that some of us must hand on to
others?
Let us join together that day, June 6, for prayer, for celebration
of the past, and for dedication of ourselves, whatever our ages, to that
future in which God calls us, Christ calls us, the Holy Spirit leads us.
For all you have meant to Migs and me these past months, and it is
much, and for all that you mean to others as we look to the future, I
express Migs and my thanks and our prayers. In
faith, James
G. Emerson, Jr. Preachers for the Month of June
June 6 - Jim Emerson
June 13 - Megan Rohrer
June 20 - Erwin Barron
June 27 - Joyce Mercer Peace Notes
The Peace and Justice Committee of Old First awarded $200
of the peace offering money to First Book San Francisco.
This organization is committed to providing books to pre-school
children living in poverty.
It has been established that the younger a child is exposed to
reading the more important it is for brain development.
It has also been established that the earlier a child is exposed to
reading, the more successful they are able to function in the school
system. Middle-class families
have books in the home for the children to read, but families living in
poverty often do not. In
addition, here in California, many families do not have English as their
first language. This gift of the Old First Peace Offering gives children
living in poverty a chance to prosper in their lives. Pat
Devine, Peace & Justice Committee Our
Peace and Justice Committee consists of Pat Devine, moderator; Ted Chiao,
Mary Lou Geppinger, Robert Wood. Welcome Ministry Evening Outreach Program
2nd
Thursday evenings of each month, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm -
Effective May 13
In our work with the homeless and hungry, we have discovered a
number of services our homeless guests need that the Welcome Ministry is
in a unique position to offer because of its focus on spiritual and
individual care. Activities include: access to a nurse, upper body massage, arts and crafts,
music, bible study, a listening corner, open space for sleeping, haircuts,
reiki, counseling, referrals, toiletries, and other skills our volunteers
bring. Activities will only
be offered as there are volunteers to provide the services.
We hope that with the Evening Outreach Program we will not only be
able to offer new services to our guests, but also be able to provide new
volunteer opportunities to people who can’t help out during the day on
Tuesdays and Thursdays. In the future we would like to be able to offer
the evening outreach programs every Thursday of the month, but that
additional Thursdays would be hosted at other churches.
Volunteers should come to Old First between 6:30 and 7 pm.
We invite people with all kinds of skills to join us and share
their gifts with our homeless and hungry friends. Please contact Megan
Rohrer at megan@oldfirst.org for more information about this new program.
Megan is now selling prayer books during Coffee Hour for $5 to $18
(sliding scale). It’s a booklet that’s great for individual, family
and small group devotions. Learn how to pray in new and exciting ways,
including Lectio Divina, embodied prayer, praying the Psalms, and
meditation. The book also has a great collection of prayers and poems
written by the homeless and many of our volunteers. It’s a great way to
support the Welcome Ministry and to enrich your spiritual life. Staff Notes
Ken Matthews is now
in France for his usual month of continuing education, taking
classes from great organists and playing on great cathedral organs.
Jay Pierson will direct the choir in Ken’s absence. Presiding at
the console on Sunday mornings will be Assistant Organist George Becker
and Bill Visscher, who actually re-built the organ.
Tom Kearney recently spent several weeks in Connecticut, before and
after his mother’s death. In Tom’s absence, Rod MacDonald pitched in
and, as he puts it, “spent 100% of my time doing 20% of Tom’s work.” Coffee Hour Sponsors Needed
At press time we have only two sponsors for Coffee Hour in all of
June and July. What?! No donuts?
Of course there will be donuts, but on any Sunday when there
isn’t a sponsor, the $50 cost comes out of the church’s
already-stretched-very-thin budget.
If you want to honor a special person or celebrate a special
occasion and do something useful for the church at the same time -- there
it is! The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in the back hall. Remember the eScrip Program?
This is a new and painless way to get merchants give money to Old
First on your behalf. All you have to do is sign up to participate in it.
You have to shop at participating stores and use a credit card to
shop for groceries, supplies, clothing, etc.
There are a large group of participating merchants such as:
Safeway, Andronico’s, Coldwater Creek, Eddie Bauer, and Tower
Market, to name just a few. When
you list your credit card and/or Safeway club card with eScrip,
participating merchants will give a percentage of each purchase you make
in their store to Old First. The
accounting work is done by eScrip staff. You don't have to do a thing —
just do your shopping as usual.
A special thanks goes out to the Old First members and friends who
have signed onto eScrip: Cindy
Burt, Pam Byers, Ted & Betsy Chiao, Barry & Tracy Clagett, Emmy
Clausing, Tom Culp, Bill Feister, Kristi Hoerauf, Jeanne Kirkwood, Leila
Macdonald, Ken Matthews, Bryan Nichols, Jean Olson, AnnieScott Rogers, Jay
Pierson, John & Pam Sebastian, Becca Smith, Kalli VanMaaren, and Betty
& Steve Voris.
The eScrip program has been around for years, mostly raising money
for schools. There is a long
track record of trustworthiness and security with your credit card
information. Nothing is divulged to any third party.
You can go on line and sign up or check the program out.
Go to www.eScrip.com.
Our group is called Old First Presbyterian Church.
Our group identification number is 154010385.
If you don't have a computer, see Cindy.
By the way...you may be able to convince friends to sign up on
behalf of Old First. Why not? It's
for a great cause, and, it doesn't cost a thing to sign on. So, why don't
you sign up now, or see Cindy Burt at Old First for more information. Remember the Building Use Policy?
Our temporary supply pastor was surprised that Old First doesn’t
seem to have a building use policy, and maybe even more surprised to learn
that we do have one but people just don’t abide by it.
Of course, you remember
what the policy is. It might
help, though, if you remind others about scheduling their meetings on the
main church calendar and filling out a room request form for anything that
isn’t a regular meeting.
You shouldn’t have to remind them of the common courtesy of
leaving things the way they find them when they leave after their meeting
– chairs and tables in the same arrangement, the same lights off, the
same doors locked. A Heartfelt Thank You
It’s hard to believe that my time with Old First has drawn to a
close. We have been through a lot during these last nine months, and I
have gained invaluable experience working with you all. I deeply
appreciate your willingness to take me in and help me grow as a
pastor-in-training.
Thank you for sharing yourselves with me. Thank you for teaching me
through the example of Christ’s love made incarnate in a community of
believers. And thank you for giving me support and encouragement to grow
in faith and in service to God in your midst.
Old First has a great history in this city. I know that God has
great plans for you to continue that work in the future. I pray that God
will richly bless your community. May you find an interim pastor who will
help you to grow in your understanding of God’s call. And may you be
open to hearing God’s call in new and different ways.
I will always remember with great fondness the time that I have
spent working with this church to do God’s work in the world. This
opportunity has been a true gift from God. Peace, Leslie
Veen Lectionary June
6 - Trinity
Sunday
Prov. 8:1-4, 22-31; Ps. 8; Rom. 5:1-5; John
16:12-15 June
13 - 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a; Ps. 5:1-8; Gal. 2:15-21;
Luke 7:36-8:3 June
20 - 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a; Ps. 42 and 43; Gal. 3:23-29;
Luke 8:26-39 June
27 - 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Ps.
77:1-2, 11-20; Gal. 5:1, 13-25;
Luke 9:51-62 July
4 - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
2 Kings 5:1-14; Ps.
30; Gal. 6:(1-6) 7-16: Luke
10:1-11, 16-20
I am very happy to let my friends know that I am one of 80
international theology students who have been selected to attend the
three-week WARC Global Institute on Theology in Ghana this July. I believe
I will be participating in the class on Intercultural Theology.
I am hoping some local congregations will participate with me in
the Bible Study described below. Jeannie
Choy Tate "That
all may have life in fullness" (John 10:10) A Call to Bible Study in Preparation for Upcoming GA,
Once every seven or eight years, representatives of Presbyterian
and Reformed churches from around the world come together for the General
Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. It is our closest
equivalent to a worldwide Presbyterian
"Vatican Council." This year is one of those years.
Representatives from 217 member churches in over 100 countries,
having a combined membership of over 75 million Christians, will gather in
July for the Twenty-Fourth General Council. The setting will be Accra,
Ghana, home to two of the largest Presbyterian denominations in the world.
The theme will be Jesus' wonderful promise in John 10:10 that he has come
so "that all may have life in fullness."
Over the holidays I found my spirit enriched as I worked my way
through Crossing Ten Seas, the Bible study for the General Council. The
title is attributed to John Calvin, who once exclaimed that he would cross
ten seas to promote the unity of the church.
It is a moving account of both God's promises in Scripture and the
reality of the fullness of life in Christ being experienced by so many
Presbyterian Christians in diverse parts of the world. They include:
The theme and Bible study of the General Council are also the theme
and Bible study for the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
(USA), which will take place in Richmond, Virginia, in June. It will
hopefully serve to remind us that we are part of a much larger family of
Presbyterian and Reformed Christians with whom we share the common promise
of fullness of life in Christ.
I invite you to use this Bible study in your congregations this
year. It is an excellent way to share in the common witness of Reformed
Christians to Jesus Christ around the world. It is also a very good way to
prepare the hearts and minds of our church to be open to receive the
fullness of life in Christ as we move to our General Assembly in June.
The Bible study is available through the Presbyterian Distribution
Service at 800-524-2612. Ask for OGA 04-080 for the English version. The
cost is $2 per copy. The study is also available online at www.warc.ch/24gc/index.html.
Most of all, I pray
that the fullness of life in Jesus Christ will be God's gift to you in
deep and wonderful ways! Baptized on May
23rd- Branch
Elias Bender, son of Art Bender and Jan Hammock Dear
Friends,
I have a story I’d like to share with you from the “Oh Happy
Day” show of gospel music that the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus put on in April.
Several members and friends of Old First came to the concert,
including Erwin Barron. Erwin was a major force behind the founding of the Shower of
Stoles project, which now consists of hundred of stoles from gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender persons
from twenty-three denominations in five countries. In part of the
show we wore some of these stoles.
When one of stories attached to the stoles was read – by pure
chance, it happened that it was Erwin's story, and he was in the audience
that night to hear it. God
works in mysterious ways. Dan
Joraanstad
|
Access
our news archives: May 2004, April 2004,
March 2004,
February 2004, January 2004,
December 2003, November 2003, October 2003, September 2003, July/August 2003, June 2003, May 2003, April 2003, March 2003, February 2003, January 2003 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, December 2000, November 2000,October 2000, September 2000, July/August 2000, May/June 2000,April 2000, March 2000, February 2000 |
Home About Us Calendar News Worship Education History