Come as you are! Everyone welcome … In-person or on Zoom.
R E A D I N G S
🔆 Exodus 33:12-23 🔆 Matthew 22:15-22
S E R M O N
🔆 “Faces of gods, and taxes” – The Reverend Dr. Max Lynn
M U S I C
PRELUDE … Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
INTROIT … Sing and Give Praise, Todd Jolly (b. 1961)
HYMN … Earth and All Stars
ANTHEM … Lay Not Up for Yourselves, John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876)
HYMN … Holy, Holy, Holy
OFFERTORY … Short Prelude No. 4, Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)
HYMN … God Be with You Till We Meet Again
POSTLUDE … Toccata in E Minor, Johannes Pachelbel (1653-1706)
Join us for Coffee Hour immediately after the service.
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A N N O U N C E M E N T S
St. John’s Haunted House and Halloween Party, October 24
It’s that spooky time of year again! Come and enjoy a fun and spooky experience by our community. Bring your friends and family to St. John’s annual Haunted House and Halloween Party on Saturday, October 24, 6:30-8pm. Volunteers needed: decorating and set up, 1-5pm; acting and guiding guests, refreshments/hospitality, and clean-up, 5-9pm. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Manju Noone. Thank you!
Día de los Muertos, November 1
In the Latin American tradition, we celebrate All Saints and Day of the Dead, in which we commemorate and remember the lives and pray for the resurrection of our loved ones. Bring photos or mementos of those loved ones who have died to our regular worship service on November 1.
Calling all participants for the SJ Christmas Pageant, beginning November 1
It’s the time of the year where we come together and celebrate Christmas, and what is more fun than our pageant of the season! Rehearsals are November 1, 8, 15, and 22, and Dress Rehearsal is on December 6 in the Sanctuary, in which we will prepare our hearts (and lines!) to celebrate the joy of Christmas together. Everyone is welcome! For more details, contact Manju Noone at church or through email.
Bonfire at Ocean Beach, Saturday, November 7, 3-6:30pm
Come enjoy the beauty and fun at the beach. We will have hot dogs and marshmallows cooked on the fire (accompanied by some healthier food).
Getting there: You can drive yourself or catch a ride with someone else. Let Pastor Max or Manju know if you want a ride. We will meet at the North end of Ocean Beach in San Francisco, just South of the Beach Chalet restaurant. (You can put the Beach Chalet into Google maps to get there, but pull into the beach parking lot and go a hundred yards or so South of the Restaurant.) The stairs down to the beach are numbered: we will be somewhere between Stair # 17 and 20. You can see the fire pits in this area.
What to bring: Heavy sweat shirt, sun lotion, extra clothes. blanket or chair, towel, balls, frisbee, sand castle building tools, drinks, and any food you would like to contribute. Bringing food is not a necessity (there will be enough).
Upcoming SJ Sunday Forums
Take a break after worship for 10-15 minutes, then come back for learning and conversation, led by the speakers listed below. Fall Forum Schedule available.
“Consciousness, Free Will, and God,” October 18
Led by Changin Sohn (Chan). This forum will cover consciousness and metacognition (how do we know ourselves), free will (are we really free?), and where God is in all of this.
Changin Sohn (Chan) is a doctoral candidate at the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS) at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) and a visiting Ph.D. student at the Tsao lab at the University of California, Berkeley, where his research stands at the intersection of theological anthropology, neuroscience, and philosophy of mind.
“Is there a Lawyer in the House? Creating collaborative opportunities to improve health through public policy and the law,” October 25
Led by Madlyn Morreale. For the past 18 years, Madlyn led Legal Aid of North Carolina’s statewide Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) Program, working with health professionals to integrate access to “legal remedies” into team-based efforts to address social drivers of health. Prior, Madlyn co-founded the Center for Adolescent Health & the Law, served on the faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, was Professional Staff for the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families in the U.S. House of Representatives, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala.
“Paul and the Family-led Cult of Jesus,” November 8
Led led by Robert Coote. This forum (the first of three sessions over three weeks) will explore the early, family-led cult of Jesus and the awkward, at first marginal place of Paul and his thought (his message, his euangelion) in it.
“Making Sense of the Book of Romans,” November 15
Led by Robert Coote. This forum (the second of three sessions over three weeks) will explore The Book of Romans and how Bob makes sense of it.
Robert B. Coote is internationally renowned for his work on the Bible and the ancient Near East and has written several seminal texts of Biblical scholarship. His work expands across disciplines and is particularly known for the ways in which he brings context across texts through the examination of biblical composition, literary structure, and content. Bob is professor emeritus of Old Testament at San Francisco Theological Seminary.
QR Code for Giving Money to St. John’s
One can now donate via PayPal for weekly giving and special events. Simply scan the PayPal QR Code in our bulletin or church lobby. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your continued support.