If you are a pastor in San Francisco then you make it a habit of keeping track of all the festivals, marathons, and events happening on Sunday because in San Francisco, everything happens on Sunday. Every third Sunday is Bay to Breakers. It isn’t your usual marathon. Sure, you have the serious runners, but does your marathon have a pink Gorilla? Didn’t think so. The path of Bay to Breakers greatly affects the ability to go to my church given its location. So it was no surprise that my son was the only one in Sunday School today. If my baby girl didn’t insist on staying with her brother, he would have been all alone.

Depending on the location of your church, you are able to see all the people trotting to and from the event. Compared to the location of my last church, jogging super heroes and clowns are a lot easier to explain than the buttless chaps you see at the Folsom Street Fair. If you are unfamiliar with the Folsom Street Fair, just Google it. Not to say there aren’t any bare butts at Bay to Breakers, especially when the sun is out today. But when they are standing in the midst of other costumed people, it’s easier to redirect my kids attention by saying – “Look, it’s a pink gorilla!”