Church
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Reverse Trick or Treating
During Shelter-in-Place, trick or treating is discouraged in San Francisco. Being in an urban area, we don’t have space like a parking lot or yard to be able to safely provide an alternative. This year, we are offering Reverse Trick or Treating, where we will be coming to the door instead to hand out candy.…
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Psalms: Worship Online
Like many faith communities who had to move from worshipping face to face to worshipping online, I struggled with how to transfer what we do liturgically into on online format. I struggled to find authentic ways to keep people connected while we were physically apart. I especially struggled with how to provide spiritual care in…
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Comeback Stories
This preaching series is on telling stories. Previously, BEGINNING, LOVE, ORIGIN, FOOD, UGLY, and WANDERING Stories were shared. The last stories shared are Comeback Stories. Scripture Reading: Acts 9:1-19 When invited, Pastor Theresa will hand out super hero capes and masks. Let’s think together who our heroes are and why. Think of a super power.…
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Wandering Stories
This preaching series is on telling stories. Previously, BEGINNING, LOVE, ORIGIN, FOOD, UGLY Stories were shared. Next is Wandering Stories. Laurence Gonzalez in his book “Deep Survival” says that “being lost is a universal human condition.” I would also add that it is a universal church condition. Every church has a moment in its history…
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Ugly Stories
This preaching series is on telling stories. Previously, BEGINNING, LOVE, ORIGIN, FOOD Stories were shared. Next is Ugly Stories. As important as it is to tell stories that bring people together and share fond memories, it is equally if not more important to also share the ugly stories in the church’s history. We must acknowledge…
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Food Stories
This preaching series is on telling stories. Previously, BEGINNING, LOVE, and ORIGIN Stories were shared. Next is Food Stories. Scripture Reading: I found this Readers’ Theatre of Mark 14:10-26. I changed and adapted it a little to fit my congregation, but I am attaching the original version. What I like about it is the extended…
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Origin Stories
This preaching series is on telling stories. Previously, BEGINNING and LOVE Stories were shared. Next is Origin Stories. The Call to Worship is a combination of the many I AM statements in the Bible. Call to Worship: one: God, we gather here because you call us by name. Yet we yearn to know your name.…
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Love Stories
This preaching series is on telling stories. We move onto LOVE Stories. For the Call to Worship, I was inspired by the song, “Let You Love Me” by Blake McGrath. I wrote a Call to Worship the weaves in scripture and verses from this song. Call to Worship: one: For God so loved the world;…
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Beginning Stories
This preaching series is on telling stories. We begin with BEGINNING Stories. On the cover of each bulletin, I inserted this drawing of St. John’s for people to color and doodle throughout worship. The Scripture for this Sunday wove two beginning stories together: Genesis 1 and John 1. This was done in the call to…
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What Is Your Story?
St. John’s is in the midst of pastoral transition. After 28 years of total ministry at St. John’s, my colleague who I pastored with for the past 16 of those 28 years retired. So this month, my call changes from co-pastor to solo pastor. Many pastors have been through the life of St. John’s for…
