2: Friendship With The City

Christian spirituality that calls us to friendship with the CITY provides direction for a life of hope. We do not choose flight from a conjured darkness, rather choosing to live in the light of God’s love for the city. The pursuit of friendship challenges the propensity of religious hubris toward a sense of superiority or condescension. We are not called to sequester ourselves in a corner of the city or to transform it into our image. We do not stand over our city, we find our place as dwellers within it. We affirm that there is a great deal of spiritual wisdom in the city, and it is God’s invitation to us to walk in friendship with the city.

EVENTS:

CHINATOWN IMMERSION
Saturday, February 1 | 10 AM - 12 PM
Portsmouth Square meet at NE corner Kearny St. & Washington St.
Starting with the civic center of old San Francisco, Portsmouth Square, this two hour immersion led by Steve Hong (founder and director of Kingdom Rice) will explore the roots of Chinatown, Manilatown, and the long history of immigration in San Francisco. In order to see the city through a spiritual lens, we will spend the morning walking, hearing stories, and learning about the rich history and culture of this important part of the city.

SORRY THIS EVENT IS AT CAPACITY

If you would be interested in a future offering of the Chinatown Immersion please fill out this INTEREST FORM >

HOPE & FRIENDSHIP IN THE TENDERLOIN
Thursday, February 20 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | City Hope Community Center - 45 Olive St | Dinner provided.
What does it look like to pursue hope and friendship in the Tenderloin? Hear from the staff of the City Hope Community Center as they share about what they are learning from the city, the work of their center, and the reasons for their ever-deepening hope for the city.

TECH & MEANING IN THE CITY
Thursday March 5 | 6:30 - 8:30 | City Church Office - 1388 Sutter St Suite 412 | Dinner provided.
Tech & Meaning in the City, with Elizabeth Marshman and Justin Steele Technology has proved both a catalyst for innovation and a source of bewildering developments in the city. We’ll cover topics like navigating widely divergent forms of power, what it means to be human, and how to do good in a world marked by fast-paced change. Come hear from those who work in technology about their work, the kinds of challenges they face, and their hopes for what the future may bring.

RSVP HERE >

CITY LIGHTS BOOKSTORE
on your own or with friends | guided tour pdf download
City Lights Bookstore is a literary and historical landmark as well as a place of ongoing creative engagement with current affairs. It's a reminder that the city has long been a meeting place of diverse ideas. Use this guide to explore a key piece of SF and US history and learn about the wide array of resources available to us in the city for wise engagement with culture.

Videos:

Video 1. "The Gift of the City" - Peter Choi

Questions For Reflection & Discussion

Have you ever seen or experienced Christian negativity toward the city? What did it look like? What do you think were its sources? impact?
How does reading the whole of Genesis 4 change inherited interpretations (and popular misconceptions) of the Cain & Abel story?
Why do you think so many of us miss the twelve births in Genesis 4? How might we become more attentive readers of Scripture?

Video 2. "The Spirituality of Jonah" - Peter Choi

Questions For Reflection & Discussion

Jonah 1 is often used to present a theology of fear. Have you ever experienced a theology of fear in your own life? How might reading Jonah 1 in the way suggested above help us move out of a theology of fear?
Why do you think Jonah ran away from Nineveh?
How might Jonah’s "evangelistic" activity in Jonah 1 provide encouragement for Christian witness today?