This summer has been a season of prayer, dreaming, and planning with our staff and leaders as we lean into our vision of being a Jesus-centered community, attuned to the activity of the Holy Spirit, so that we might courageously participate in the work of God’s transformative love throughout San Francisco. What's emerged has me genuinely excited about the creative collaboration ahead, and I want to invite you into that anticipation with me.
Celebrations
Queer Faith in Action. This 3-part speaker series, made possible by the Changemakers Grant, created space for queer Christian activists in the Bay Area to share how their faith and identity inspired them to make a tangible impact on our city and the broader church.
Public Witness Action. With guidance from Open Door Legal, we participated in our first-ever direct action events alongside theologically diverse churches. Together, we advocated for those Jesus called "the least of these" and called on city leadership to care for those experiencing poverty.
Community Nights. Our Men’s Community Nights and Ladies Social Club gatherings have grown tremendously since they started in January, bringing together City Churchers from across the Bay Area and diverse experiences, into one another’s homes for connection, joy, and friendship.
General Updates
Deacon Board. You may know that the Deacon Board makes up 1/3 of ourconsistory, the body that governs the life of the church. Due to impacts related to COVID and, followed by staffing transitions, we’ve been in a season of rebuilding. In spite of all these setbacks, we may have been delayed, but have not been denied! This fall, nominations for the City Church Deacon Board will open. I, along with your elders, and other key leaders, are developing training to seed a network of spiritual care and mutual aid in our community. Stay tuned for details!
Serving our City. Our Public Witness team will meet again to discern how we might show up authentically in efforts of advocacy and change. to identify where the Spirit is calling us to invest our attention and energy in San Francisco's civic life. Amelia Hamiter, our Pastoral Resident, is coordinating service and learning opportunities, including supporting our partners at City Hope as we celebrate 10 years of radical hospitality in the Tenderloin!. Want to get involved? Reach out to Amelia.
Learning and Connecting, Reimagined. This fall, we are taking a slightly different approach in how we gather to learn and connect. One of these is through “spiritual salons,” which are inspired by the historic salons where people would meet to exchange ideas, art, and imagination. Think post-sermon conversations, reflections on the theology of food, and other low-commitment but meaningful ways to connect after worship.
All-Church Retreat (Feb 13-16, 2026) at Mission Springs in Santa Cruz! Mark your calendars and plan to join in on a weekend of recreation, spiritual refreshment, and good company.
Holy Listening with Children. Barbara Lyon has been training in spiritual accompaniment with children this past year. She's now offering "Holy Listening" sessions where children are heard and supported as they recognize and respond to God's movement in their lives. Learn more here.
Staffing
Kaylee and Amelia have settled into their new roles and have already added so much to our team. This month welcoming two more folks:
- Nigel Tan as Ministry Intern from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary
- Colleen Howell as Worship Associate
Finances
I want to share where we landed financially for 2024-25. On a recent Sunday, I asked you to help us finish strong by raising a final $20,000. Your response brought in $12,653—thank you to everyone who gave faithfully throughout the year and to those who stepped up to help close the gap! As of August 31st, our total income for 2024-25 came to $1,689,000. While we fell short of our original goal, we ended in a healthy place due to underspending (we didn't hire an associate pastor) and our staff's careful stewardship. We're actually able to add a modest amount back to our reserves, which we'd drawn from in recent years.
Looking ahead to this new fiscal year: our budgeted expenses remain at $1.7M, but this time we anticipate running closer to budget as we plan to hire an associate pastor next spring (more details coming!). So far, we’ve received 37 pledges totaling $468,318.00. If you haven't made your financial commitment for this year, you can do so here—it genuinely helps us plan and dream with confidence.
Looking Forward
The Psalms invite us to “taste and see that the Lord is good” – a reminder that God's presence isn't just intellectual but embodied and experienced.. This year, as we nurture a culture of kinship at City Church, I believe that we will all get a taste and a glimpse of God’s goodness in our conversations, our shared life, and our efforts to courageously participate in God's transformative work throughout San Francisco. There's so much ahead, and I'm grateful you are part of it.
Faithfully,
Pastor Emily