December 2001

EXPRESSIONS OF HOPE

It has been a traumatic fall. How are we to look at the world now? How are we to understand and relate to God in these disturbing months?

The prophets of the Old Testament may give us a clue. Each one of them lived in traumatic times. Their nation was crumbling around them. They looked hard into the face of that reality though, never flinching. Yet each one of them saw some-thing else, something else beyond the judgement, beyond the trauma, beyond the confusion. They each had a vision of hope.

For Ezekiel it was the vision of a valley where dried up, dead bones begin to come back to life. For Jeremiah it was a new covenant engraved on the hearts of people, but no one has given us more in the way of these visions  than the prophet Isaiah.

During Advent Sam will be preaching about Isaiah’s visions of hope, while some in our congregation will have time in the service to express some of their own hopes. Come worship with us.

Click here to see the Advent and Christmas schedule of events at Old First.

PASTOR'S PONDERINGS

Whew! I am having more fun than I have had in some time. (Of course last year I spent my time reading books like “The Gift of Death” by Derrida, so there was really no place to go but up!?) Getting to know you all has been every bit as satisfying and intriguing as I hoped it would be. I am beginning to get a sense of the way you all work around here; it feels healthy. I have a few  things to let you know about, but before I do let me say this:

Both Barbara and I appreciate the warm welcome we have received. Now that we’re beginning to settle in,  we would like to invite you to a Christmas party at our home on December 15. The party starts at 4:00 and goes until whenever. We live in San Anselmo, about a half an hour from the church. Directions are easy and will be plentiful. If transportation is a problem for you, we’re going to arrange to pick people up at church, so please plan on coming sometime during that day!

News Flash: Carol Youngbird-Holt has agreed to be the director of our Senior Center Ministry. Carol is a Methodist pastor, currently working on her Ph.D. She brings experience working with Seniors ministries at her former church and an inviting spirit. I’m glad she is with us. Carol is also the wife of John Youngbird-Holt, our Homeless Ministry Director.

Mmmmm . . . Just occasionally I have heard this statement over the last two weeks. “You’re real busy now, so I don’t want to bother you.” Not true. Listening to and caring for all of you comes first in this call. Administrative work, important as it is, comes second. Really, I will make myself available to you if you have even a minimally pressing pastoral need.

We are living in troubled times, times where visions of hope seem to be covered by a cloud of dust. That is why, during this time of Advent, we are intentionally clearing the dust before our imaginative eyes and describing the hope we see. This is what the prophets of the Old Testament did. They looked at the world around them. They saw the trouble you and I see. They had visions of hope because they knew God. Join us every week and see if your eyes don’t look at the world differently. As a good friend of mine likes to say, “Be joyful, though you’ve concidered the facts.” God is good, all the time.

                                                                        Grace and peace,  Sam

O Christmas Tree,  O Christmas Tree ....

THE EDGEWOOD CENTER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

by Linda Reyder

It’s time again for the annual Christmas tree gift-giving in support of Edgewood Center, one of Old First’s mission partners. Betsy Chiao and I will be in the Fellowship Hall, by the tree, on three Sundays : Nov 25, Dec 2 and 9. As in past years, ornaments on the tree will have the name and Christmas wishes of Edgewood children. We take an ornament and play Santa, purchasing the desired gift for a special child. Wrapped gifts should be brought to the church by December 9 so we can make delivery and do any needed last-minute shopping. If you saw  last year’s thank-you notes from the children at our Mission Fair, you know  how very much this Santa-playing is appreciated.

Edgewood was founded in 1851 as a refuge for Gold Rush orphans; its mission has changed over the years. It now offers residential programs and a range of support services that includ abuse prevention, early intervention and intensive treatment needs. Along with helping troubled and at-risk children, the Center also supports senior citizens functioning as extended family caregivers.

An Edgewood staff member has written to us, “..... the 48 boys and girls who live at Edgewood have been abused by the adults in their lives. When they receive kindness from adults in the greater community, they learn there is an extended family in the world that cares deeply about them.”

This Christmas, please continue to give a gift of kindness to others .... or, as they say at Edgewood, “Be a Hero this Holiday!”

OLD FIRST ALL CHURCH RETREAT

Our 2002 All Church Retreat will be held at

Westminster Woods

March 15, 16, 17, 2002

All are welcome!

Join Us for Fun, Fellowship and Bible Study

A wonderful chance to get out of the city and spend some quality time

socializing and solidifying your faith.

All deluxe housing is reserved.

"BLESSING THE FUTURE" 

Please get your pledges in for the 2002 pledge campaign if you have not done so. Save your Stewardship Committee a phone call.

Let's make this campaign a huge success! We need to start off Sam Alexander's life with us with a bang!

LECTIONARY

Dec 2 - 1st Sunday of Advent

               Isa. 2:1-5;  Ps. 122; Rom. 13:11-14;  Matt. 24:36-44

Dec 9 - 2nd Sunday of Advent

               Isa. 11:1-10; Ps. 72:1-7, 18-19; Rom. 15:4-13; Matt. 3:1-12

Dec 16 - 3rd Sunday of Advent

                 Isa. 35:1-10; Ps. 146:5-10 or Luke 1:47-55; James 5:7-10;

                 Matt. 11:2-11

Dec 23 - 4th Sunday of Advent

                 Isa. 7:10-16; Ps. 80:1-7, 17-19; Rom. 1:1-7; Matt. 1:18-25

Dec 24 - Christmas Eve

                 Isa. 9:2-7; Ps. 96; Titus 2:11-14;  Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

Dec 25 - Christmas Day

                 Isa. 62:6-12; Ps. 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20

              Isa. 52:7-10; Ps. 98; Heb. 1:1-4 (5-12); John 1:1-14

Dec 30 - 1st Sunday after Christmas

                 Isa. 63:7-9; Ps. 148; Heb. 2:10-18; Matt. 2:13-23

Jan 6 - Epiphany

               Isa. 60:1-6; Ps. 72:1-7, 10-14; Eph. 3:1-12; Matt. 2:1-12

THE HOME OF HOSPITALITY

            At Covenant Network’s Pasadena gathering early in November, the Rev. Jeanne Kim shared her vision of hospitality in the church. 

 "I was sent out to the whole nation by the Hunger Program of the PC(USA) to motivate Presbyterians to do something to end homelessness. I have spoken to 300 groups in 27 states so far. During my speaking tour I have observed three models of the church in our society.

 "The first is a country club model that is very exclusive, discriminative, other-worldly, self-serving, self-righteous, focusing on spirituality, personal salvation and blessings, and protective of buildings and carpets, keeping the church locked up to keep the poor, homeless unclean guests away. I have seen many churches that drove Jesus out of the church and lost him.

"The second is a send-a-check model that does what the country club model does but sends checks to charity programs. Although we need money to do good programs, these churches still exclude many needy people from their sanctuary.

"The third is Christ's model. It is entirely opposite from the country club model. They are open, inclusive, welcoming, accepting and hosting the poor, homeless, despised and unclean guests into their sanctuaries.

"This reminds me of the Old First Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. When Larry Boyce, a gay artist, knocked on the Old First Presbyterian Church for a place to stay, it was the 12th church he had visited after being denied by 11 other churches. It is quite a moving story that this church welcomed him and hosted him for nine months until his death. Larry Boyce left gorgeous artwork on the ceiling of the church. With his piece of art, Larry Boyce is living in that church forever because it was his last home on earth that welcomed homeless Jesus."

WOMEN AND GIVING

As women we talk to each other about our joys, our sorrows, our discoveries, and our plans for the future. At  some point we recognize the common thread that connects us all — our passion for giving, caring and loving others.

Giving is an integral part of a woman's life. We give to our families, our communities, and our churches. We give without reservation because giving is so central to our lives. Our faith reinforces our values, by teaching us the deeper meaning of giving:  Giving has spiritual significance and is fundamental to our journey with Jesus Christ.

We give to Old First with our time and energies and love. And we are also called to give of the gifts we have received through God's goodness in the form of financial support of the church. Some of us aspire to make a significant charitable gift, yet believe it is possible only for those who have more wealth — that such gifts are beyond us. This is not true. Backed by the knowledge of how to establish various types of gifts, we can take joy in making gifts that reflect our own interest and commitment. We, too, can become agents of change, to make this world a better place for others.

Charitable giving can be divided into two general categories: a current gift or deferred gift. Our Stewardship drive provides a chance to make a current gift. A deferred gift will be given to support your charitable beneficiary after your lifetime; these are commonly referred to as planned gifts. It is also possible to make a deferred gift which allows you to receive income during your lifetime;  these are called life income plans.

Women are givers, and we often want to make a difference in the lives of others. With proper planning, our dreams can come true.

PEACE ON EARTH

by Rosemary Bledsoe

Christmas again, the same as always, in a world grown suddenly, shockingly strange, removed by much more than time from that brash, silly, innocent December of 2000. Most of us are coping, managing, finding ways to deal with things. My own strategy involves paying more attention to other people — to people I love, which is easy and comforting; to people I don't know at all, which falls under the heading of "staying alert"; and to people in general, which is where I'm getting into real trouble.

I haven't lost my sense of personal security; I never had much to begin with, having grown up fearing polio, Communists, The Bomb, and anyone whose skin was darker than mine.  What I've lost is my familiar concept of humanity. Who knew people could be so evil? Who knew people could be so brave and generous and compassionate? 

I look at everyone with a new awareness of human life: so fragile, powerful, vulnerable, noble, corruptible, patient, frightening, loving, vengeful, complex ........ oh, way too complex. At one end of the spectrum we have suicide hijackers and at the other end we have firefighters just doing their jobs, but, in some dimension I can’t imagine,  both ends twist into the same knot of willing self-sacrifice and faith in God. I don't even know where to take hold of that to think about it.

It makes me wonder about too many things. Have I ever, could I ever measure the boundaries of my own nature? When individuals on one side of the country are injured by attacks on individuals on the other side, are they really separate "individuals"? Do we all have an essential connection we are usually unaware of, something more basic than nationality or ethnicity? Maybe just simple humanity?  If so, then it isn't simple at all.  When shared tragedy uncovers the deeper levels of our being, who and what do we find there?

Looking at it from another angle: festering hatred anywhere in the world is dangerous; ignored injustice anywhere in the world is dangerous. Nobody is safe unless everybody is safe. Put that on your list  of New Year's  resolutions!  "1) Lose weight.  2) Pay off credit card.  3) Fix planet."  I don't know; it hurts my head.

We know so little about ourselves, and even less about God. How  can anyone dare to say  "This is what God wants! God wants to run the world my way!"  God's name is too holy to pronounce, and God's ways are too far from our own to comprehend. God is too big a stick to beat each other with. The world is too small, too imperiled, too imperfectly understood to beat anybody with anything; you can't throw a rock without hitting yourself.

My wish for us all at this wounded, confused, sorrowful, desperately-needed Christmastide: Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with each one of us, here and now.  Let us be kinder to each other than we ever thought possible.  Let us take the Incarnation very, very seriously and look for traces of holiness in the human face. That's a task for a lifetime, without presuming to invoke God's name and God's will.  It's more than I can begin to deal with. It's quite enough.