Labor Day weekend always feels like the end of summer to me, officially or otherwise. September marks the beginning of a new season for many as we adjust from the varied rhythms of summer to the more established routines of fall. Here at City Church is no different, and as we begin a new ministry year, we have much to look forward to.

This Sunday, for example, we’ll be ordaining and installing our new elders and deacons. These offices are made up of elected members from the congregation and they are dedicated to helping our community be who we want to be. Your soon-to-be deacons and I have spent the summer dreaming and planning about what our diaconate could look like. What kind of spiritual, practical, and communal needs exist in our congregation and how can we nurture a culture of care to share our needs and our abundance with one another? If this is something you’re interested in shaping, I’d love to speak with you. I’ll be sharing more about our plans for the year ahead at our Congregational Gathering this Sunday, so please RSVP and join usafter service to hear more.

It is our hope that through practicing how to care for one another, we are also better able to care for our city. I’m very grateful for the good work Amelia Hamiter has been doing in leading our Service and Justice initiatives this past year and for the opportunity now to build on this, together with all of you. If you’d like to be a part of doing justice and caring for San Francisco, you can sign up for our monthly Serving the City newsletter here.

We are fortunate to have many hands at City Church that do many different things in the work of embodying God’s transformative love for the world. Join us this Sunday (in person or online) as we make promises to one another in committing to this work and begin again.

With hope,
Pastor Amanda