Holy NIght a Musical Fundraiser for the Night Ministry

A special thanks to everyone who performed, donated and joined us for our Night Ministry fundraiser tonight.  We raised $363 for the Night Ministry.  If you'd like to join in the giving, you can donate here.

If you missed it, you can watch the archived video hear:

Thank You from ELCA World Hunger Project

Lost month, members of Grace hosted a block party and bake sale to raise funds to provide pigs for families in need in countries around the world through the ELCA World Hunger Project.  We raised $420 dollars - enough for 14 pigs.

Below you will find our thank you letter from the ELCA (click on the image below to see a larger version of the letter).

Our new San Damiano Cross

This Sunday, Pastor Megan put up a San Damiano cross in our sanctuary during the Feast of St. Francis.  The cross will be hung in the sanctuary to remind us of our current call to fix up the church and to grow.  Learn more about the symbolism of the cross.

St. Francis' relationship with this cross is described
by Thomas of Celano:

With his heart already completely changed—soon his body was also to be changed—he was walking one day by the church of San Damiano, which was abandoned by everyone and almost in ruins.

Led by the Spirit he went in to pray and knelt down devoutly before the crucifix. He was shaken by unusual experiences and discovered that he was different from when he had entered.

As soon as he had this feeling, there occurred something unheard of in previous ages: with the lips of the painting, the image of Christ crucified spoke to him. ‘Francis,’ it said, calling him by name, ‘go rebuild My house; as you see, it is all being destroyed.’

Francis was more than a little stunned, trembling, and stuttering like a man out of his senses. He prepared himself to obey and pulled himself together to carry out the command. He felt this mysterious change in himself, but he could not describe it. So it is better for us to remain silent about it too.

From that time on, compassion for the Crucified was impressed into his holy soul. And we honestly believe the wounds of the sacred Passion were impressed deep in his heart, though not yet on his flesh.”

—Second Life, #10, Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume 2: The Founder, New City Press, p. 249


At Grace, we too feel like the life, death and resurrection of Jesus has shaped our lives.  Through baptism, we are intimately reconciled with God and working on accepting God's love for us.

Today, we recommit to transforming our lives in response to the cross and to rebuilding our church.

When our congregation is billowing with life, we will celebrate by taking down the cross and setting our hearts and minds on a new mission.  We will leave it to the expanded congregation to decide what our mission and faithful inspiration will be.

Until then, let's get to work!

Pastor Megan Honored By Dalai Lama

 

On Sunday February 23rd, Pastor Megan was received an honorable mention as an Unsung Hero of Compassion by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  His Holiness was present at the event and spoke about compassion and peace.  Video of the presentation can be found here.

Dick Grace, from the Grace Family Winery Foundation helped coordinate the event shared that he believed the real unsung heroes were the vulnerable individuals who were being cared for by those being honored. 

The Grace Family Winery Foundation provided Welcome with a grant that will cover the costs of a Health and Vision Event on the Big Island of Hawaii.  At this event Pastor Megan will partner with the congregants at The Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity in Kailua Kona.

The brochure for the event described why Pastor Megan was honored:

Mission

The life and mission of our church can not only be found on Sundays at our 10am service, but in all of the ways people live and work in our building.  We invite you to join in all the ways we express our faith and learn how to care for our neighbors and all of creation.

 RSVP for our Gala and 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Grace Infant Care Center

Gala and 30^th Anniversary Celebration of the Grace Infant Care Center

The Grace Infant Care Center was recently renovated after a flood and we are raising money to do some additional upgrade work to enable the center to have a washer and dryer. 

·        3-5pm Open House for the newly renovated center.

·        4-6pm Silent Auction

·        5-7pm Gala

Gala tickets are $50/person

or $300 for a table of eight.

You may buy additional tickets for those who are unable to afford a ticket, or donate without attending. 

Individuals may choose their own payment price if they are unable to afford the full price.  Simply send an email to Pastor Megan Rohrer (pastor@gracesf.com) to let us know the amount you would like to pay and you can pay at the door of the event.

Individuals may also contact Pastor Megan if they would like to volunteer and come to the event for free.

Help us reach our goal of raising $2,400, so we can receive $1,200 in matching funds from:

The San Francisco Chapter of Thrivent Financial

  RSVP for our Gala and 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Grace Infant Care Center

 

Grace Infant Care Center A non-profit, state-licensed caregiving facility providing care for infants from the ages of two months to thirty months.  Staffed by the founding Director and four full-time and three part-time caregivers. Provides care for a maximum of 15 infants.  For more info, see their web site at http://www.graceinfantcare.com

Grace Lutheran's Women's Circle Meets the second Thursday of the month in Brotherhood Hall at 1 pm.

Grace Lutheran's Bible Study Meets every Wednesday in Brotherhood Hall at 11 am.

Hope Presbyterian Church   (A Korean Congregation)
Everyday 6am - 7am; Tuesdays 7pm, Wednesdays 8 pm; Thursdays 7pm; Saturdays 8 pm - 10 pm; Sundays 1pm - 5 pm   For more info, see their web site at http://www.sfhope.org/

SFOP - LOC   The Local Organizing Committee of the San Francisco Organizing Project is on hiatus.  For more info on SFOP, see their web site at www.sfop.org

Cable Car Chorus  Meets every Wednesday in Fellowship Hall 7 pm

Daughters of Norway  Meets the second Sunday of every month in Fellowship Hall at 1:30 pm

S.P.E.A.K. (Sunset-Parkside Education and Action Committee)   Meets the third Monday of every month in Brotherhood Hall at 6 pm