St. Francis Times. Ordinary Time

Transcription

1 St. Francis Times Evangelical Lutheran Church in America July 2014 Ordinary Time We have entered ordinary me. The name comes from the word ordinal (meaning numbered ). This means the annual cycle of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter has been completed, and now our Sundays have no longer special names and tles, but instead are simply numbered. And instead of calling us to observe feasts and seasons, ordinary Sundays simply invite us to renewal and quiet growth. During ordinary me we hear about the teachings of Jesus, some of which come in the form of parables and can be rather puzzling. For example this one: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. (Ma hew 13:31 32) Really? Since when is the mustard seed the smallest of all seeds? I am no botanist, but I have seen mustard seeds, and I have seen seeds smaller than that. And never have I seen a mustard shrub become a tree! What I do see, however, is the amazing ability of mustard plants to grow just about anywhere. Plus, they come in so many varie es and have so many uses: not only is mustard cul vated for the wonderful condiment without which a bratwurst would just not be complete, and not only is it grown to provide those lovely nutri ous greens, but in many parts of the world it is also treasured for its medicinal values. When I was a child, my mother applied mustard poul ces to relieve chest colds and other ailments. And then there are mustard varie es which are planted as cover crops to reduce erosion and improve the soil. They are par cularly popular in the vineyards of our region where they are beloved for their bright yellow blossoms and the stunning vistas they provides in early spring. And as an addi onal benefit to vineyards they even helps suppress nematode popula ons (microscopic worms) which can damage vines. But even without plan ng, wild mustard can pop up on in all kinds of places, such as ditches, open spaces, and neglected urban lots. You probably walk or drive by mustard plants frequently and don't even no ce them! No wonder that some farmers, rather than looking at it as a desirable cover crop, consider it a weed and an invasive species. What's more, the mustard seed is very resilient: some seeds can stay dormant in the soil for years un l a drop of moisture allows them to spout. For all these reasons, I love the image of the mustard seed. It gives me hope and confidence in the mysterious ways of God's kingdom. It reminds me that something wonderful and amazing has been planted in the world, something tender, yet strong, something beau ful and healing, something tenacious and persistent, something easy to overlook, and yet it is everywhere. May you have a blessed summer with many blessed ordinary moments! Pastor Bea Chun Inside: Bon Voyage Party Pg. 2 Pride Parade Pg. 5 The Two Marys Pg. 7

2 PAGE 2 Bon Voyage To Some At St. Francis ST. FRANCIS TIMES St. Francis said Bon Voyage to a few of our close family, who are moving out of the state. We gathered together on July 6 with a potluck lunch, and sent them off in Love Boat style. Peter and Susan Kools showing off their new fashion sunglasses. Nancy Burns and Deb Cote with the traveling provisions. The special guests at the Captain s Table.

3 ST. FRANCIS TIMES PAGE 3 There was no shortage of good food under the management of the Cruise Head Chef. In most cases, a picture says a thousand words. In this case, only two were needed!

4 PAGE 4 ST. FRANCIS TIMES The Captain, Bea Chun, read from the Passenger Manifest. Special a en on was given to the special guest s table se ngs. Everyone gathered on the Promenade Deck.

5 ST. FRANCIS TIMES PAGE 5 Lutherans Join in the Pride Parade Pastor Bea and her spouse. Paul Johnson and Pr. Bea at the ReconcilingWorks booth.

6 PAGE 6 Saying yes to God ST. FRANCIS TIMES By Megan Rohrer Paul Brenner, a pastor, was not afraid to die. In 2013, Paul passed away with the support of home hospice care at age 73 and received the same care he helped to create 34 years earlier. In 1979, Paul founded the Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, one of the first hospices in the United States. In the years following, he ministered to countless people who were depar ng this life and comforted those who mourned. Despite all his me lingering so close to death, Paul was one of the most op mis c people I have ever met. Inspired by his near death encounters, Paul believed that every day was a new opportunity to experience the abundant grace of God. When I presided over his internment at St. Francis Lutheran Church, an ELCA congrega on in San Francisco, on All Saints Day, I wore Paul s red chasuble (the vestment some mes worn when a pastor presides over communion). The red fabric is filled with yes wri en in white, yellow and blue. With tears in his eyes, his son immediately recognized the robe and told me that he used to wear it when he was li le to pretend he was a pastor. With every fiber of his body, Paul believed the words embedded on those threads. Yes, God was able to transform the deepest darkness into light. Yes, all people deserved the ability to die with dignity, surrounded by loved ones. Yes, something be er would always transform out of our deepest wounds. Yes, the Lutheran church could grow, despite all the naysayers. This past February, I was called as the pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Francisco. It was a unanimous vote of 16 faithful people who were determined to resuscitate their dying congrega on. A er selling their parsonage in order to support a full me minister, my call was the equivalent of a Hail Mary pass at the end of the fourth quarter. Unlike tales I ve heard about dwindling congrega ons who stubbornly resist change at all costs, the people at Grace seem to always say yes. Yes, we want to grow. Yes, you can dig up the front yard and build a succulent labyrinth for Lent. Yes, you can make changes to help our worship service feel more welcoming to newcomers. Yes, you can create new art for the sanctuary. Yes, we want you to be exactly who you are and we will love you. Within two months, others began to say yes to Grace as well. Past members started visi ng again, and long me friends and new visitors began to join us. Within four months, our membership grew 34 percent and the congrega on had given more in offering than they had the en re previous year. Each Sunday, we hear story a er story about what happened when our ancestors in faith said yes to God and the Holy Spirit. O en in the Old Testament, saying yes brings abundance and freedom, while saying no brings hardship and death. Outside the pages of the Bible, we know that death is not always fair and bad things s ll happen to good people. Saying yes might not save every congrega on. Recently, Jim Hytjan, interim director of evangelical ministry for the ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod, encouraged congrega ons to keep their red banners up beyond the Day of Pentecost to remind us to dwell in the whispering wind of the Holy Spirit. Inspired by his words, Grace is keeping our red banners up through all 23 Sundays in the season of Pentecost. Sunday a er Sunday, I will put Paul s red chasuble over my green stole and worship with the people of Grace, remembering that we are unafraid of death and wai ng for the next opportunity to say yes to God. From Living Lutheran ( Lutheran). Megan Rohrer is pastor of Grace Lutheran Evangelical Church, in San Francisco and the execu ve director of Welcome, a communal response to poverty.

7 ST. FRANCIS TIMES The Two Marys You have read the pastor's column on page 1, right? (of course, you have!) and now you know all about ordinary me, or at least as much as can be gleaned from that li le write up. But here is the thing: ordinary me can get punctuated by fes vals and commemora ons. So far we have scheduled two fes vals, each dedicated to the memory of an extraordinary woman by the name of Mary: On July 20 we will observe the feast of Mary Magdalene, first witness of the resurrec on, and on August 20 th we will observe the feast of Mary Mother of Jesus. And what be er way to kick of this mini series of on the Marys than with a preacher by the name of Mary! Mary Stein Webber who is a beloved guest pastor will be there to make it happen! Contact Us Pastor Bea Chun Pastorchun@sflcsf.org Dave Walda Senior Parish Administrator dave.walda@sflcsf.org Dr. David Schofield Music Director david.schofield@sflcsf.org Beverly Hines Senior Program Director beverly.hines@sflcsf.org PAGE 7 Pr. Bea Chun 152 Church Street (at Market) San Francisco, CA Phone: stfrancis@sflcsf.org We re on the web! sflcsf.org St. Francis is a Reconciling in Christ Congregation, where all are welcome.

8 Church Barbecue & POTLUCK AUGUST 23 RD AT ST. FRANCIS MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW ST. FRANCIS LUTHERAN CHURCH 152 Church Street San Francisco, CA Evangelical Lutheran Church in America