Come as you are! Everyone welcome … In-person or on Zoom.
R E A D I N G S
🔆 Amos 5:18-24 🔆 Matthew 25:1-13
S E R M O N
🔆 “Wisdom and Justice: The Way and the Goal” – The Reverend Dr. Max Lynn
M U S I C
PRELUDE … Adagio, W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)
INTROIT … Laudate Dominum (Praise the Lord), (Gustav Holst/La Folie/Taizé)
HYMN … O Word of God Incarnate
ANTHEM … Laudate Dominum, W. A. Mozart
HYMN … My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
OFFERTORY … Chorale Prelude on Christum wir sollen loben schon (Christ We Shall Praise Splendidly), Healey Willan (1880-1968)
HYMN … Rejoice! Rejoice, Believers POSTLUDE … Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers, Wake), J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
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 Church Directory Photos in November, November 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 29
Note corrected dates. Mark Coplan will be taking photos of St John’s members/families throughout November for a photo directory that we want to create in the next few months. Here is the schedule: Sundays, November 8, 15, 22 & 29 – 30 minutes before and after church and Wednesdays, November 11 and 18 – 6:30-7pm (just before choir practice). Mark will take individual and family portraits and provide you with digital copies. Please email Mark to let him know when your family will be available: markcoplanpio@gmail.com.
Requesting retired cell phone and laptops for Honduras delegation, deadline December 12
A delegation traveling to Honduras in December is looking for recently retired cell phones (Android or iPhone) and laptops to gift to Hondurans who can use them for wifi and for delegation members to use while in country to avoid their devices being confiscated by U.S. Customs. Please provide the password to all donated devices so they can be wiped clean and returned to factory settings before the trip. Items can be dropped off at St. John’s office or to Mark Coplan directly.
Financial donations to support this trip can be sent through the SHARE Foundation (put Mark Coplan’s name in the comments) or to Mark directly. Mark and the delegation are hoping to bring some financial support to the organizations and communities they will visit on this trip. Thank you for your support!
Decorate for Advent and Christmas, November 29
Here is your official invitation to spend a short-while after the service on November 29 to decorate for the season! All are welcome to remain in the Sanctuary and set out the lights, tree, animals, shiny ornaments, and other elements that make this always-beautiful space even more amazing during Advent and Christmas. – Worship, Music & Arts team.
Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner, November 14
The St. John’s community is invited to this year’s Interfaith Thanksgiving dinner, hosted by Congregation Beth El at 1301 Oxford Street in Berkeley. Learn more and RSVP.
An evening with Standing Together’s Sally Abed and Nadav Shofet, November 15
St. John’s is sponsoring this event on November 15 from 5-7pm that will discuss this critical moment in Israel-Palestine and how Standing Together is organizing for peace, equality, and a shared future. Reserve tickets.
Maybeck High School Community Education Nights, November 18 and December 7
Maybeck High School is inviting the St. John’s community to attend any of their upcoming Community Education Nights: “Gender Identity and Extended Family” on November 18 and “Diversities of the Human Brain” on December 7. Learn more and RSVP to these free events.
2026 Love Over Fear Concert, November 19
Celebrate Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity’s 25th anniversary with their fourth annual 2026 Love Over Fear Benefit Concert, an inspiring evening of music and storytelling. Learn more and purchase tickets.
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.
“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) will explore The Book of Romans and how Bob makes sense of it.
“Seeing Paul in the Four Gospels,” November 22
Led by Robert Coote. This forum (the third of three sessions) will explore how Paul’s views play out in each of the four Gospels, starting with how Mark incorporates his message into a narrative of Jesus, Matthew’s critical cover of Mark, Luke’s attempt to finesse the disagreement between Mark and Matthew, and finally John’s prescinding from their narrative template in favor of the words and few deeds of a (Pauline) Jesus who is a cosmic demigod embodying the creative, life-giving, revealing discourse (logos) of God that begins with “let there be light”—the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome/grasped (katelabon) 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.