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 … Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (O God, What You Ordain is Right), Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
INTROIT … Do Not Be Vexed, RISING SUN, arr. John Bell (b. 1949)
HYMN … Our God, Our Help in Ages Past
ANTHEM … Harvest Song, Norse Air, set by Austin C. Lovelace (1919-2010)
HYMN … A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
OFFERTORY … Ein feste Burg (A Mighty Fortress is Our God), Dieterich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
HYMN … O God, What You Ordain Is Right
POSTLUDE … Postlude in F, Christian Cappelen (1845-1916)
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 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 15, 22 & 29 – 30 minutes before and after church and Wednesday, November 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.
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 at 5:30pm on zoom and “Diversities of the Human Brain” on December 7 at 6:30pm in person and on zoom. 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.
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.
Troop 6 Annual Holiday Wreath Fundraiser, November 29 and December 6
Troop 6 is grateful to the St. John’s community for your years of support and for hosting our troop! We are excited to launch our annual holiday fundraiser. Order a fresh holiday wreath for $30—100% of profits directly fund Scout campouts, gear, leadership training, and service projects. Come meet our Scouts before & after worship service on November 29 and December 6 to purchase a wreath. You can also order online: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxVpkkepwfbCEwfpLWy_XndCV_guh_X_yhc0He852Yx4KKdA/viewform?pli=1&authuser=0
Fair Trade Coffee, Chocolates, Olive Oil sales, December 6
Since 2011, St. John’s members have purchased tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of organic, fair-trade coffee, tea, chocolate, & olive oil to support small-scale farmers across the world. This is not a fundraiser for the church; SJ offers these products at the lowest prices possible to the church community — the more frequently we choose these products, the greater our participation in a truly just economic system. On Sunday, December 6, during coffee hour on the patio, there will an assortment of products to select from — come take a look! Payments can be paid using cash, checks (made out to St. John’s Presbyterian Church), and now Paypal. – Bill Herwood
Special Worship Service, December 20
Since ancient times, humans have come together to hope for the return of the sun. Join us for an “alternative” worship service Sunday, December 20 at 10am. On the eve of the longest night of the year, we will say goodbye to the darkness and welcome the light of the new season. There will be a fire pit after the service where we celebrate with coffee and fellowship. – Elizabeth Conway
Please share your St. John’s photos!
If you have any photos from activities and events at St. John’s this year or plan to take any photos from now until the end of the year (Haunted House, Christmas Pageant, Easter Services, Pet Blessing, Día de los Muertos, etc), please share them with our office to help create the annual report. You can email photos to katie@stjohnsberkeley.org. Thank you in advance!
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!
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.
“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 the four Gospels: Mark’s message as a narrative of Jesus, Matthew’s critical cover of Mark, Luke’s attempt to finesse the disagreement between Mark and Matthew, and John’s prescinding from their narrative template in favor of the words and few deeds of a (Pauline) Jesus.
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.