Mark Your Calendar!

Come join us on May 18^th at 2:00p.m. for a return production of Voices, Voices of Economic Hardship from Generations Past and Present.  Lizann Basham at Front Porch Spirit wrote this amazing piece of reader’s theater in 2011 and it debuted that year.  Last year, she was gracious enough to allow Night Ministry to use the script for a fundraiser and supported the volunteers we had from our Open Cathedral congregation who performed it.  The show was well received and this year we’ll be performing it again as a thank you to the various congregations and organizations who so kindly provide the lunches we serve after Open Cathedral each week.  Once again, we’ll have parishioners from Open Cathedral as our performers.

In addition to the churches that support Open Cathedral, we’d like to invite you to join us.  Don’t miss your chance to hear  this amazing production.  We will take an offering at the end of the show, but there is no admission.    Come support our performers and allow yourself to be both moved and informed by this production.

St.Mark’s Lutheran has kindly donated the hall in their Urban Life Center at 1091 Franklin Street for the performance.   There is parking in the St. Mark’s parking lot at 1111 O’Farrell, with the entrance on Gough St.  A short reception will follow.  Please RSVP here so we know how many goodies to have.

Third Saturday Trainings on How To Do Urban Ministry Well

Do you wonder how military budget cuts and the high rate of homelessness and unemployment amongst veterans can affect your community?  Want to learn what resources you can refer veterans and homeless veterans to in San Francisco?  Or, perhaps you want to know how your congregation can support the work of the VA in supporting homeless veterans.

Come and learn about resources available to veterans in our community as well as have a chance to ask an expert any questions you may have on this topic.  Welcome Ministry continues its third Saturday series on doing urban ministry well on April 20^th with a visit from Chris Windle, an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer with the San Francisco VA.

The Welcome Ministry invites ushers, deacons, social ministry volunteers and anyone who is interested, to join us for our monthly trainings and support gatherings every 3rd Saturday from 1-3pm at St. Francis Lutheran Church (152 Church St).  The first hour we will learn, the second hour we will support each other and learn what is working at other San Francisco congregations.

If you would like to learn more or ensure that you get future updates about these trainings, please contact The Rev. Valerie McEntee at sfcares@welcomeministry.org.

Please RSVP to Valerie if you plan to come so we can be sure to have enough materials.  Please note, you will need to push "Conference Room" on the gate near the Memorial Terrace to be buzzed in when you arrive.

We look forward to seeing you on April 20^th.

What do we have to offer each other?

Desserts for the Hospitality Hour at St. Francis

Have you checked out the ‘Get Involved’ tab lately?  It’s right up there, two tabs over from the ‘Home’ tab where you’re reading.  That was easy to find, wasn’t it?  If you click on it you will find a list of opportunities to develop a heart for service, a list of volunteer positions available, and what kind of donations we’re looking for. 

I’m going to highlight a couple of service opportunities below because that is where we are most looking for help right now, but what I want to write about is the kind of different model SF CARES and our collaborators use. 

If you clicked over to the Get Involved tab, you saw that the first things on the list are the things we would like to offer you: a variety of worship experiences, opportunities to meditate, opportunities for self-reflection and learning and fun.  Everybody who serves with us and everyone we serve has something to teach and something to learn.  Everybody who serves and everyone who is served needs nourishment.  So many of our volunteers tell us they get more out of serving than the feel they are giving.  That may be so.  Either way a little extra to replenish one’s soul can only make it more true, can only leave one more ready to serve and be served.  So even if you aren’t ready or able to help with the specific needs below, come get you spirit fed at one or more of our programs soon.

Every Saturday:

• 9:30am-1:00, Hospitality Hour Preparation, (152 Church St) Food sorting and some prep work.  Come help us sort donated food and do some of the prep work for Sunday's meal. 

Every Wednesday

• 10a.m - 2p.m.Senior Program, (152 Church St), activities, lunch and hospitality for seniors are provided at St. Francis Lutheran Church.  We are looking for people to help serve the meal, to sit and visit with our guests, and to assist them as needed.  We can use kitchen help from 10a.m. until 1p.m.and folks to help clean up from 1p.m. until 2p.m. 

You can see the details of these projects here.  http://sfcares.blogspot.com/2013/02/our-newest-project.html

Every Thursday

• 5:30p.m. - 6:30p.m. Bring Food for 70 to Open Cathedral Mission (Mission and 16th St. BART station).  This can be a very simple meal - a sandwich and drink to take away is fine.

Every Night:  

• Crisis Line Counselors, at Night Ministry.  Our next Inquirers Evening is June 14^th at 6p.m.  There is more about what’s involved in this older post.  Only the training dates are out of date, everything else is the same. http://sfcares.blogspot.com/2011/08/font-definitions-font-face-font-family.html

You can contact us at 415-673-3572 ext. 105 or sfcares@welcomeministry.org to learn more about any of our opportunities.  And come back regularly and click the Get Involved tab to see what’s available to you as well as for you to do.