Dear Grace Family,
These announcements and prayer requests are being sent out every Thursday to inform us of what is happening in and the needs of our church. If you have an announcement or prayer request that you want to be included in next week’s email, please send it to office@gfccsf.org by Tuesday night.
Grace and peace, The Session and Staff of GFCC
Announcements for the week of 10/14/24
Join Us for Sunday Worship, October 20 at 10:00 AM
We welcome Bill Clark who will be preaching from Matthew 5:13-16. “Be Salty and Let Your Light Shine”
Bill Clark — Peace Catalyst International
Notes from Last Week’s Sermon by Pastor Al (I Am the Lord of Justice: Plagues, Politics and the Power of God)
What is Biblical Justice?
Righting Wrongs: A Theology of Plagues (Judgment)
Freeing Captives: A Theology of Liberation
Knowing God: A Theology of Worship
How do we practice justice?
Worship
Formation
Action
If you want to re-listen to Pastor Al’s sermon (and any other previous sermons), you can do so on our church’s website.
Sermons | GFCC (gfccsf.org)
This Is Us Document Is Now Completed
Thank you to Karen Andrews, Randy Chang, Irene Fong, Matt McDonell, and Michelle McDonell for their hard work in writing this document. We invite everyone to read and savor the words that are about -
Why Are We Here?
Who Are We?
What Values Do We Live By?
As Pastor Al mentioned last week, this is a living document that reflects who we are and who we are becoming.
Come Join Us for an Evening with Bill Clark, Saturday, October 19,
5:30PM - 8:00PM at Church
Bill Clark is the U.S. Northwest Program Director for Peace Catalyst International.
Bill will be preaching on Sunday, October 20. On the day before, Saturday, October 19, we will have the chance to hear more about his ministry with the Uyghurs who have been displaced. We will also get to meet some Uyghur families from the Bay Area.
As dinner will be served, we ask that if you plan to come on Saturday evening that you sign up by Thursday, October 17.
Joint Love Feast with The First Mennonite Church of San Francisco, Sunday, October 27
Stay for lunch and get to know our neighbor, The First Mennonite Church of San Francisco.
Reimagining Spiritual Formation
Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 30 at 7 PM. We will continue to explore what spiritual formation is and how we can create a rich, brave space for its flourishing in us. This in-person biweekly series will combine teaching, dialogue and breakout spaces for engaging how God is at work and how we participate in God’s life. Important themes include formation as a journey, restoration, vulnerability, authenticity, listening and companionship.
October 30
November 13
Ekklesia SF Regional Gathering, Saturday, November 2
The escalating signs of climate collapse can provoke a range of responses in us. Denial. Numbness. Dread. Anxiety. Anger. But what if we could begin to reckon with the collapse of the world we have known in the company of God’s people? What if we could find gospel partnership and learn steps of hopeful repentance, love, and action?
The first ever Ekklesia SF Regional Gathering will engage with the reality of climate collapse through the lens of grief and congregational practices grounded in hope. The gathering will be held in the church building.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Cost: $25
DETAILS & REGISTRATION: https://www.ekklesiaproject.org/gathering/sf-regional-gathering-2024
If you have any questions, contact Joel Balzer, Shane Chao or Kim Towsley
Advent Retreat at the Mercy Center, December 6-7, 2024
Join us for a retreat at The Mercy Center in Burlingame, titled "Curiosity, Doubt and Hope: An Advent Journey"
Loops of Love - Collection of Stuffed Animals
Stuffed animals were a big hit with the residents at one of our visits to Laguna Honda. So we're collecting stuffed animals for our next visit. We would like them cuddly and soft. For safety concerns, Laguna Honda does not allow beanie babies (because of the bead stuffing), anything that can be easily detached from the stuffed animal (bows, scarves, hats, toys), and no large stuffed animals (bigger than 14 inches). Please drop off your donation in the "Loops of Love" basket in the sanctuary.
If you have any questions, please contact Linda Kay.
We Are Thankful That Becky Zahrte (Director of Cumberland Presbyterian Church Ministry with Women) and Kristi Lounsbury (Director of Congregational Ministries) Were With Us Last Sunday
They left brochures and publications that are available to us. You can find them on the table outside of the sanctuary.
Becky Zahrte publishes a quarterly newsletter, Beautifully Broken. See the link:
Beautifully Broken
This is Us Quilt
Another set of words that have been stitched on the crumbs:
Delighted In
Curiosity
Anointed
Thankful
The Holy Spirit is Eternal Light
Gracias Senor por todo lo bueno que que tengo
Liberation
Music
Pride
Hopeful
Peace, Connected, Strength, Purpose, His Presence
Understanding
Found
Cherished
Shalom/Thayu
Ministry Partners Update
New College Berkeley (2 Events)
The Communal Practice of Theological Discernment, Saturday, October 19
“Over the past decade, Covid, war, climate catastrophe, political upheaval, and anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy, have produced radical social and political transformations. At the same time, we have experienced a “browning" of the U.S. and global church, in which the global pendulum of Christianity has shifted to Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and among immigrant churches in the United States….”
Register / Regístrese – Teología en Conjunto: The Communal Practice of Theological Discernment - Dr. Robert Chao Romero – Berkeley Covenant Church (tickettailor.com)
Fostering Harmony with Land & Neighbor, Thursday, October 24 at Oakland City Church
Extremes. Opposing poles. Ideological trenches. Echo chambers. What, in the midst of the current winds, is the role of the church? Does it have anything to propose? Can it offer any alternative or does it simply rubber stamp the unjust status quo? Out of her experience as part of Casa Adobe, a small intentional Christian community in Costa Rica, Ruth will offer some hints regarding what a communal embodiment of the good news can look like.
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/newcollegeberkeley/1379480?
Rise University Preparatory Gala, October 26, 6PM -9PM
The Rise Prep Gala is on Saturday, October 26 from 6-9 at the San Francisco Design Center. It's a very fun event and helps to support Rise. Tickets are normally $250 each, but because we are a partner church, we have just been offered 50% off. Go to the link below to register and use promo code FRIENDOFRISE50. Brian Chinn will be keeping track of who is going. Please contact him after registering so that we can seat everyone at the same tables. If you've already registered and want to sit at a GFCC table, please let Brian know.
https://support.riseprep.org/event/road-to-rise-gala-2024/e614194