Whatever things are
think on these things
Vol. 58, No. 4 February 19, 2009
In God’s Name
Lenten Series
The Lenten series based on the film In God’s
Name begins Thursday, March 5, in the Fire-
side Room from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. The film by
French filmmakers, Jules and Gedeon Naudet,
seeks answers to many of the troubling questions
of our time from twelve contemporary religious
leaders from around the world. The film is di-
vided into 18 intimate scenes allowing the viewer
a glimpse into the personal lives of these influen-
tial spiritual leaders. Each scene gives insights
into the ways these teachers have come to an un-
derstanding of the meaning of life and the human
condition.
The film lends itself nicely to discussion. Their
concerns mirror ours and the range of topics is
wide, but familiar. In just the first six scenes to be
viewed on March 5th the reflections move from
notions of spiritual warfare to the quest for God to
thoughts on vocation to reminiscences on child-
hood faith. Later scenes to be viewed on March
19 and April 2 include thoughts on love, freedom
and fear, sin, the search for truth, the meaning of
life, and unity in diversity. Come add your voice
to theirs. Each class will begin with a 30-minute
viewing of a portion of the film, followed by an
open discussion on whatever topics the film in-
spires among
the viewers.
Come to one
class or all
three; each class
will stand alone.
Barbara Strader Editor
Ash Wednesday Service
Lent is a journey to wholeness, to new beginnings
born out of the ashes of yesterday. We begin the
journey by remembering our humble beginnings as
helpless babes in arms and our common end in
death. We anoint ourselves with palm ashes, and
we witness the burning of the once green palms
from last year's Palm Sunday celebration as a re-
minder of the transient nature of earthly life. In
addition, we remember the promise of our baptism
and the continuous process of transformation of-
fered each of us through the grace of God with a
simple ritual of cleansing, growth and renewal us-
ing water, the source of life on earth.
The Ash Wednesday service takes place in the
Fireside Room at 7:30 p.m. on February 25. We
sit together in a circle, reflect in silence, sing sim-
ple chants, meditate on the Scriptures, and ponder
the meaning of our lives. It is a service of renewal
and hope, of letting go of the things that keep us
from being fully alive to God’s grace. It is the em-
barkation point for a Lenten journey that leads to
Jesus’ passion and death but ends in the promise of
new life at Easter.
In This Issue
Winter Shelter for the Homeless 2
Pacific Now Online 2
March Birthdays 2
Lent with Mark 4
Highlights of MOC Steering
Committee Meeting 5
Lenten Children’s Story during Worship 5
Triple C Gathers Wednesday, March 4 5
Calendar of Events 6
 Winter Shelter for Pacific Now Online
the Homeless The February issue of the Pacific, the Northern
California Nevada Conference newspaper, is now
As of February 15, the emergency winter shelter at on line at www.ncncucc.org/pacific.html. For
the Armory has closed because county funding has those of you who receive it free in the mail, it
run out. Twelve Marin churches have offered to should arrive next week. Remember: it's free to get
provide overnight shelter for homeless men and UC News and the Pacific in the mail; sign up at
women through March 31. The churches will serve www.ucc.org.
evening meals to those staying the night. In the
morning, they will be shuttled to St. Vincent’s Din- In this issue: info on Conference-wide Church Day
ing Room for breakfast. in Orinda March 21, and about Annual Gathering at
Asilomar in May. Stories and photos of Fall Youth
There is a need for people to help cook, deliver and event, minister's trip to Palestine and Israel, and
serve hot meals. Also needed: volunteers who can Ron Buford celebrates science at LaSelva Beach
be there alongside staff workers throughout the UCC. And much more!
night. People can sign up for two-to-four hour
shifts at a church that shelters either men or - Deborah Streeter
women. There is an ongoing need for sleeping bags pacific@ncncucc.org
and blankets.
The website for this new shelter program is: March Birthdays
www.ershelter.wordpress.com
Click on “Calendar” for a schedule showing which Happy Birthday to those of you celebrating
churches are providing shelter each night and who your special day in March!
is providing the dinners. Information on how to March 1 Jane Kloh
sign up as a volunteer is also on the website. March 3 Dora Ford
Matt Phillips
A “Comment” section features notes submitted by March 4 Camilla Burraston
people who have worked at the shelter or been March 11 John Schmiedel
served by it. Their words are very inspiring. March 18 Jack Bartlett
March 22 Genevieve Yancey
- Linda Xiques

The Community Church of Mill Valley

United Church of Christ
An Open & Affirming Congregation
8 Olive Street, Mill Valley , CA 94941
Phone 415/388-5540
Fax 415/388-1678
e-mail CCMVUCC@comcast.net
www.millvalleyucc.org
Pastor: Pam Shortridge Sunday Morning:
Minister Emeritus: Jack Bartlett 9:00 a.m. “The Unexpected Word” Class, Foster Room
Parish Associate of Mission: Dora Ford 10:00 a.m. Worship Service, Sanctuary
Minister in Covenant: Jacquie Hoffman Nursery Care for Infants & Toddlers, Nursery
Seminarian In-Care: Arn Lou Mutia Program for Children in Preschool through Third
Seminarian In-Care: James Christie Grade, Children gather in the Chapel
Director of Music: Esther Archer 11:15 a.m. Coffee Hour in the Tamalpais Hall
Executive Editor: Barbara Strader
Facility Operations Manager: Aaron Young Of Good Report is published on the second and fourth Monday of each
month. Deadline for submissions is the previous Monday at noon.
2
2

Lent with Mark
In an article written for a collection entitled Incar-
nation: Contemporary Writers on the New Testa-
ment, Mary Gordon writes: “We did not read the
Bible; we were Catholics. . . We rarely looked at
it. We didn’t need to; we were encouraged not to.
We heard the truth and the truth would set us free.
The truth was not for reading.” In her introduction
to her discussion of “The Gospel according to
Mark” she continues: “Did I draw distinctions
among the four evangelists? . . . Did I have any
sense that certain stories were told in different
ways, that one writer included events that another
left out, that some embellished on a simple incident
and some condensed? Of course not, I stood and I
heard.”
For almost two hundred years Biblical scholars
have acknowledged that the voices heard in Mat-
thew, Mark, Luke, and John can be distinguished
from one another. Even the first three, called the
Synoptics (“seen together”), have both notable
similarities and differences. Now we recognize
that each gospel was written for a different audi-
ence facing different realities, and that each gospel
writer painted a vision of what human life would be
like if lived in light of God’s salvation revealed in
Jesus of Nazareth. “Each of the four Evangelists is
a powerful and original theologian in his own
right . . .” (Stephen Neill).
During Lent this year, instead of following the lec-
tionary which follows texts from both Mark and
John, we will read from the Gospel of Mark only.
This will allow us to hear some texts that are sel-
dom read in worship.
Before we begin this exploration of Mark, it may
be helpful to read just a few comments about this
Gospel from current scholarship. “It [Mark] is a
reformulation of the already formulated good news
of Jesus Christ.” It features the extraordinary ca-
reer of Jesus the Jew “from Nazareth in Galilee”
whose unparalleled activity establishes once and
for all a new road into life.” According to Herman
C. Waetjen, Mark understands Jesus as God’s vice-
regent, the New Human Being, whose commission
is to establish God’s rule through the “reordering of
power.” David Rhoads and Donald Michie suggest
that “when we enter the story world of the Gospel
3
of Mark, we enter a world of conflict and suspense,
a world of surprising reversals and strange ironies,
a world of riddles and hidden meanings. The hero
of the story . . . is most surprising of all.” Accord-
ing to Rhoads, “The goal in Mark’s narrative world
is that people be liberated from self-centeredness so
as to be willing to lose their lives, their status and
their power in the service of the good news.” Al-
though scholars differ as to Mark’s original audi-
ence, most agree that Mark was written during “a
worsening and darkening political situation” (C.S.
Mann) at or near the time of the fall of Jerusalem to
the Romans in 70 A.D.
Each Sunday during Lent we will read a passage
from Mark and a more contemporary reading that
addresses a theme raised by the Gospel. If you
would like to follow along, the readings are listed
below. Even better, take the time to read Mark dur-
ing Lent. It is only 16 chapters long. Read it in its
entirety, then go back and read it slowly. Read
from a less familiar translation, so you won’t just
skip over the “familiar” parts. Become absorbed in
the story. Imagine you are hearing the good news
for the first time.
Ash Wednesday, February 25: Mark 1:9-15
First Sunday of Lent: March 1: Mark 2:13-22
Second Sunday in Lent, March 8: Mark 2:23-3:6
Third Sunday in Lent, March 15: Mark 3:19b-35
Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 22: Mark 8:31-38
Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 29: Mark 14:1-9
Palm/Passion Sunday, April 5: Mark 11:1-11
and Readings from Mark 14-15
Sunday Class on Gospel of Mark
9 a.m., Foster Room
The Gospel of Mark is at once challenging and dis-
concerting. If you would like to explore the Gospel
in greater depth, a 9 a.m. Sunday morning discus-
sion group will take a more leisurely look at the
readings each Sunday. We will begin each class
with an ancient spiritual exercise, Lectio Divina,
using multiple readings to allow the passage to sink
in and ponder its implications for our lives. Then
we will discuss our individual reactions to the text.
Finally, we will pose questions regarding the text
and consider some answers. Coffee and tea are
available just before class begins at 9 a.m. The
class concludes by 9:50.

Highlights of MOC
Steering Committee
Meeting
Representatives of a dozen Marin Organizing Com-
mittee (MOC) institutions participated in the Febru-
ary 12th meeting held at San Francisco Theological
Seminary (SFTS). As always, the meeting was
stimulating because it involved bright, thoughtful
people respectfully discussing issues of importance.
The meeting was also rewarding because it in-
volved representatives from several different faiths
as well as those from unions and local non-profits
who share a mutual concern for community well-
being.
The main focus of the meeting was a discussion of
MOC activities leading up to an Economic Summit
on Sunday, May 17th as well as the MOC Conven-
tion tentatively set for Sunday, October 25th. Mak-
ing the presentation and leading the discussion was
Anna Eng, Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) lead
organizer for Marin County. Already confirmed as
resource leaders for the Economic Summit are: Dr.
Dowell Myers, Professor of Urban Planning and
Demography at USC; Dr. Paul Osterman, Dean,
Sloan School of Management, MIT; Stephen Levy,
Director, Center of Continuing Study of the Cali-
fornia Economy; and Scott Graves, Senior Policy
Analyst, California Budget Project. With the assis-
tance of these distinguished individuals and other
resource experts attendees will: (1) learn about cur-
rent economic shifts, (2) share how these shifts are
affecting our community, (3) reflect on what our
traditions have to say about the economy, and (4)
plan how we can act together effectively during
these challenging times. Joining with the MOC will
be representatives from IAF-trained organizations
from the Bay Area Organizing Committee (San
Francisco), the North Bay Sponsoring Committee
(Sonoma and Napa Counties), Communities Organ-
ized for Relational Power in Action (Monterey and
Santa Cruz Counties), and Sacramento Valley Or-
ganizing Committee (Sacramento and Yolo Coun-
ties). The mainstays of each of these regions are
local congregations like our own. Hopefully, many
of you will choose to attend what promises to be a
stimulating educational experience.
4
Details of the October 25th Convention have yet to
be worked out. This gathering will also involve rep-
resentatives of institutions from the geographical
areas identified above. The goal of the Convention
will be more than 1,000 attendees whose presence
will say to elected and public officials: If you think
we were organized and knowledgeable on May 8th,
look at us now!” To be able to do this, it will take
dedicated efforts from each member of MOC. Many
of you will be asked to help shoulder the load.
- Jack Bartlett
Lenten Children’s
Story Time
during Worship
During Lent (March 1 through April 5) a special
story just for children will be included at the begin-
ning of worship whenever children are present. Fol-
lowing the story, young children may stay in wor-
ship and work on a project suggested by Pam in
their Activity Books, or they may go to the Nursery.
- Pam Shortridge
Triple C Gathers
Wednesday, March 4
Did you mark your calendar for the Triple C
Luncheon and program ? You are also welcome to
invite a friend to join the Triple C group
(Community Church Club) on March 4 in Tamal-
pais Hall at noon for lunch ($6), and/or at 1p.m. for
Our Country, Images from the Edges to the Heart-
land, a program by artist and raconteur, John
Norall.
Give yourself a treat, bring a friend and join the
gathering. Call Harriet Kostic now (383-6369) to
ask for a lunch reservation and/or carpooling ar-
rangements.
- Betsy Bikle
The Community Church of Mill Valley NONPROFIT ORG.
United Church of Christ U. S. POSTAGE
8 Olive Street PAID
Mill Valley, CA 94941 Permit # 24
Mill Valley, CA
Return Service Requested

Upcoming Church Events

Sunday
8:30 a.m. Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary
9:00 a.m. No Class Today
10:00 a.m. Worship with Guest Preacher, Evelyn Vigil
Child care in the Nursery
11:15 a.m. Coffee and Conversation, Tamalpais Hall
All are invited.

This Week
Tue., Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m. Board of Directors, Chapel
Wed., Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service, Fireside Room

Coming
Sun., Mar. 1, First Sunday in Lent
11:30 a.m. Second Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary
Mon., Mar. 2, 12 noon Of Good Report Newsletter Deadline
Tue., Mar. 3, 7:30 p.m. Christian Life Team, Foster Room
Wed., Mar. 4, 12 Noon Triple C Lunch & Program with John Norall
Please call Harriet Kostic (383-6369) to make
reservations or request a ride.
Thu., Mar. 5, 11:30 a.m. Lunch for Homeless People, Westminster Presbyterian
7:30 p.m. First Lenten Film Discussion on In God’s Name,