St. John's Presbyterian Church: 2727 College Ave.

St. John's Presbyterian Church: 2727 College Ave. St. John's Presbyterian Church... Receive and reflect the Spirit of God in love and action. Come as you are, everyone is welcome. Sunday Worship is 10am.

Founded in 1907.

Communion … June 14, 2026 @ 10am Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.R E A D I N G S🔆 Genesis 18:...
06/12/2026

Communion … June 14, 2026 @ 10am
Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.

R E A D I N G S
🔆 Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7🔆 Romans 5:1-8

S E R M O N
🔆 “Grace and Toughness” – The Reverend Dr. Max Lynn

M U S I C
PRELUDE ... Suite No. 5: Prelude and Allemande, G.F. Handel (1685-1759)
HYMN ... All People That on Earth Do Dwell
ANTHEM … Fall to the Earth, Thurlow W**d (b. 1966)
HYMN … Seek Ye First
OFFERTORY ... Suite No. 5: Courante, G.F. Handel (1685-1759)
ANTHEM … Ecce Panis Angelorum (Behold the Bread of Angels), Portuguese melody, edited by James Dhonau (living)
HYMN ... Fight the Good Fight
POSTLUDE ... Suite No. 5: Air and Variations, G.F. Handel (1685-1759)

Join us for Coffee Hour immediately after the service.
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get the link.
Visit us on our website: https://stjohnsberkeley.org

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

The anthem this service is used by permission. The words are by Michael Hudson and are from Songs for the Cycle (copyright 2004, Church Publishing Inc) and the music is by Thurlow W**d (copyright 2015).

Congressional Meeting, June 14
Our next Congressional Meeting will be held on Sunday, June 14 immediately following the worship service in the Sanctuary for the purpose of receiving a report from the Nominations Committee nominating Deacons and Elders and electing them.

Summer Choir, June 21, July 5, July 26, August 16, and August 30
Summer is a great time to try out singing in the choir. There are no Wednesday evening rehearsals, just show up at 9:00 am on a Sunday when you would like to join the choir and rehearse a simple anthem. Then, stay for worship and sing! The dates for summer choir are June 21, July 5, July 26, August 16, and August 30. Questions? Ask Todd Jolly ([email protected]) or Evangeline Wolfe ([email protected]).

Fair Trade Coffee, Chocolates, Olive Oil sales, July 12
Since 2011, St. John’s members have purchased tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of organic, fair-trade coffee, tea, chocolate, & olive oil to support small-scale farmers across the world. This is not a fundraiser for the church; SJ offers these products at the lowest prices possible to the church community — the more frequently we choose these products, the greater our participation in a truly just economic system. On Sunday, July 12, during coffee hour on the patio, there will an assortment of products to select from — come take a look! - Bill Herwood

Ride for Palestine - all are welcome, July 19
Last day for registration is Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The Ride for Palestine is an annual fundraising project of the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA). MECA works to protect the lives, rights, and well-being of children in Palestine and refugee camps in Lebanon.
There are approximately 14 million Palestinians worldwide–roughly half reside in historic Palestine and the other half live in diaspora communities. Under international law, all refugees have a right to return to areas from which they have been displaced and uprooted, and to receive compensation for damages. The Right of Return for Palestinian refugees was affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 in 1948.
The Right of Return remains a central demand in the Palestinian struggle for justice and self determination. This year’s theme, The Ride of Return, symbolizes both the journey toward justice and the enduring claim to the Palestinian Right of Return.
All riders are committing to raise a minimum of $500. MECA will support your Peer-2-Peer fundraising with sample letters, many tips on fundraising, and we are available to help if you need coaching. Learn more at rideforpalestine.com.

QR Code for Giving Money to St. John’s
One can now donate via PayPal for weekly giving and special events, like Fair Trade Sunday. Simply scan the PayPal QR Code in our bulletin or church lobby. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your continued support.

Looking into the Lectionary: Third Sunday after Pentecost — June 14, 2026
By Rae Watson, The Presbyterian Outlook
Church membership is shrinking across mainline protestant denominations. Yet, research shows that while many are done with the institution of the church, they are not done with spirituality. Many believe in a higher power. Some are seeking ways to be grounded in something larger than themselves. In a world where so many are starving, where financial stability is increasingly hard to find, where gun violence and mass shootings are ever more frequent, where war rages around the world, and where political discourse is increasingly divisive, people remain hungry for good news.
It appears that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Jesus looked out on the crowds and saw a group of people who were tired and overwhelmed, harassed and helpless. They, too, faced a world where political violence was at a high, where people could be killed because they disagreed with the powers that be, where families struggled to put food on the table, where religious leaders seemed to champion rules over people, and the division between the haves and have-nots was increasingly great.
The people around Jesus yearned for good news. They hoped for the end of suffering from disease and physical impairment. They dreamed of a world that was just. They grasped at the hope that all could be fed. Jesus’s message was compelling, and so they crowded around him. As Jesus notes in Matthew 9:35-10:8, “The harvest is plentiful …” (v. 37).
To continue reading this article: https://pres-outlook.org/2026/06/third-sunday-after-pentecost-june-14-2026/?utm_source=Presbyterian+Outlook+Email+Updates&utm_campaign=be420fa086-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_05_31_11_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-be420fa086-514770559&mc_cid=be420fa086&mc_eid=c5b1c18a6b.

Come discover St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley! Join us in pursuing — or renewing — meaningful spirituality, to discover the healing power of forgiveness and grace, the relevance of faith in today’s world. Most of all, to experience the presence of a loving God. Together, we’ll seek understanding and wisdom in our commitment to justice for all people and for our planet.

Youth Worship … June 7, 2026 @ 10am Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.R E A D I N G S🔆Matthew 2...
06/05/2026

Youth Worship … June 7, 2026 @ 10am
Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.

R E A D I N G S
🔆Matthew 22:37-39🔆 Micah 6:8

S E R M O N
🔆” Discipleship and its Directions” – Church Youth

M U S I C
PRELUDE ... Polonaise, J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
HYMN ... Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun
MUSICAL RESPONSE ... BEACH SPRING, Sacred Harp, 1844
HYMN … Today We All Are Called to Be Disciples
OFFERTORY ... Rondeau, Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg (1718-1795)
HYMN ... Lord of All Good
BENEDICTION … Irish Blessing
POSTLUDE ... Cavatina, W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)

Join us for Coffee Hour immediately after the service.
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get the link.
Visit us on our website: https://stjohnsberkeley.org

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

Two Concerts in One!, June 9
Two back-to-back free concerts will be held at St. John’s on Tuesday, June 9: “A Treasury of Jewish and Arabic Music” from WAVE (Women’s Antique Vocal Ensemble) at 2pm and “Welcome to the Dance: Dance Songs from Medieval & Renaissance Europe & More” by Gallimaufry Chamber Chorus at 3pm. Immediately following the concerts will be a reception to honor Susan Swerdlow. No tickets are required, come as you are!

Congressional Meeting, June 14
Our next Congressional Meeting will be held on Sunday, June 14 immediately following the worship service in the Sanctuary for the purpose of receiving a report from the Nominations Committee nominating Deacons and Elders and electing them.

Summer Choir, June 21, July 5, July 26, August 16, and August 30
Summer is a great time to try out singing in the choir. There are no Wednesday evening rehearsals, just show up at 9:00 am on a Sunday when you would like to join the choir and rehearse a simple anthem. Then, stay for worship and sing! The dates for summer choir are June 21, July 5, July 26, August 16, and August 30. Questions? Ask Todd Jolly ([email protected]) or Evangeline Wolfe ([email protected]).

Fair Trade Coffee, Chocolates, Olive Oil sales, July 12
Since 2011, St. John’s members have purchased tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of organic, fair-trade coffee, tea, chocolate, & olive oil to support small-scale farmers across the world. This is not a fundraiser for the church; SJ offers these products at the lowest prices possible to the church community — the more frequently we choose these products, the greater our participation in a truly just economic system. On Sunday, July 12, during coffee hour on the patio, there will an assortment of products to select from — come take a look! - Bill Herwood

Ride for Palestine - all are welcome, July 19
Last day for registration is Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The Ride for Palestine is an annual fundraising project of the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA). MECA works to protect the lives, rights, and well-being of children in Palestine and refugee camps in Lebanon.
There are approximately 14 million Palestinians worldwide–roughly half reside in historic Palestine and the other half live in diaspora communities. Under international law, all refugees have a right to return to areas from which they have been displaced and uprooted, and to receive compensation for damages. The Right of Return for Palestinian refugees was affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 in 1948.
The Right of Return remains a central demand in the Palestinian struggle for justice and self determination. This year’s theme, The Ride of Return, symbolizes both the journey toward justice and the enduring claim to the Palestinian Right of Return.
All riders are committing to raise a minimum of $500. MECA will support your Peer-2-Peer fundraising with sample letters, many tips on fundraising, and we are available to help if you need coaching. Learn more at rideforpalestine.com.

QR Code for Giving Money to St. John’s
One can now donate via PayPal for weekly giving and special events, like Fair Trade Sunday. Simply scan the PayPal QR Code in our bulletin or church lobby. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your continued support.

Experts stepping up efforts to train faith communities in gun violence prevention
By Rev. Dr. Jer Swigart and Dr. Marvia Jones, Presbyterian News Service
As the nation grieves another shooting at a house of worship and learning — most recently at a San Diego mosque — the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship invites faith leaders and congregations not to succumb to the narrative that all we can do in response is offer “thoughts and prayers.” Instead, you are invited to the James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage, taking place September 15–18 at Heartland Retreat Center near Kansas City, Missouri.
“This is the time for hope, not despair. There is so much that congregations can do to make our communities safer from gun violence,” said the Rev. Harry Eberts, the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship’s new interim executive director and co-founder of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence.
To continue reading this article: https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2026/5/27/experts-stepping-efforts-train-faith-communities-gun-violence-prevention.

Come discover St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley! Join us in pursuing — or renewing — meaningful spirituality, to discover the healing power of forgiveness and grace, the relevance of faith in today’s world. Most of all, to experience the presence of a loving God. Together, we’ll seek understanding and wisdom in our commitment to justice for all people and for our planet.

Trinity Sunday … May 31, 2026 @ 10am Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.R E A D I N G S🔆2 Corint...
05/28/2026

Trinity Sunday … May 31, 2026 @ 10am
Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.

R E A D I N G S
🔆2 Corinthians 13:11-13 🔆 Matthew 28:16-20

S E R M O N
🔆”The Second Story of Creation” - The Rev. Dr. Max Lynn

M U S I C
PRELUDE ... Wir glauben all’ an einen Gott, Vater, Sohn und Heiliger Geist, Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713-1780)
CALL TO WORSHIP … Genesis 1/For the Beauty of the Earth, Todd Jolly (b. 1961), John Rutter (b. 1945)
HYMN ... I Sing the Mighty Power of God
ANTHEM ... How Excellent Is Thy Name, Eugene Butler (1935-2024)
OFFERTORY ... Adagietto, Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897)
HYMN ... Lord, Our Lord, Thy Glorious Name
POSTLUDE ... Prelude in G Major, J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Join us for Coffee Hour immediately after the service.
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get the link.
Visit us on our website: https://stjohnsberkeley.org

A N N O U N C E M E N T S
Upcoming St. John’s Sunday Forum
Take a break after worship for 5-10 minutes, then come back for a conversation:
May 31 – AI & Humans. How Will We Relate? Spend an hour with Dr. Braden Molhoek, Director, Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS), and Ian G. Barbour, Assistant Professor of Theology, Science, Ethics, and Technology at the Graduate Theological Union. AI is changing our relationships (including humanity’s relationship with God and with the rest of creation). How we think theologically about AI inspires new questions of ethics, virtue, and creation. For example, is AI made in the
image of God or of humans? What would its designers say? What do we say? What implications does the answer to this question have for our future and our relationship to AI? Come learn more in an engaging and timely Education session.

Sunday School Youth Mission Trip - all are welcome, May 31
Join us for a half a day of service, fellowship and faith in action as we reach out to our community on Sunday, May 31. We are visiting Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP) to help prepare and serve lunch. GRIP’s mission is to support families on their journey to self-sufficiency; They provide safe shelter, meals, case management, and long-term resources at no cost to those in need. We are departing from St. John's at 8:30am and expected to return around 2pm. If you would like to participate with us, please contact Manju Noone for more details at [email protected].

Congressional Meeting, June 14
Our next Congressional Meeting will be held on Sunday, June 14 immediately following the worship service in the Sanctuary for the purpose of receiving a report from the Nominations Committee nominating Deacons and Elders and electing them.

Ride for Palestine - all are welcome, July 19
Last day for registration is Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The Ride for Palestine is an annual fundraising project of the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA). MECA works to protect the lives, rights, and well-being of children in Palestine and refugee camps in Lebanon.
There are approximately 14 million Palestinians worldwide–roughly half reside in historic Palestine and the other half live in diaspora communities. Under international law, all refugees have a right to return to areas from which they have been displaced and uprooted, and to receive compensation for damages. The Right of Return for Palestinian refugees was affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 in 1948.
The Right of Return remains a central demand in the Palestinian struggle for justice and self determination. This year’s theme, The Ride of Return, symbolizes both the journey toward justice and the enduring claim to the Palestinian Right of Return.
All riders are committing to raise a minimum of $500. MECA will support your Peer-2-Peer fundraising with sample letters, many tips on fundraising, and we are available to help if you need coaching. Learn more at rideforpalestine.com.

QR Code for Giving Money to St. John’s
One can now donate via PayPal for weekly giving and special events, like Fair Trade Sunday. Simply scan the PayPal QR Code in our bulletin or church lobby. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your continued support.

Submit Comments by June 1 to Stop ICE in Dublin!
From Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
The Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity is part of the ICE Out of Dublin coalition, a growing alliance pushing back against efforts to repurpose the former FCI Dublin prison into an immigration detention center. Submit a public comment by June 1 to stop a new ICE detention facility from opening in our backyard. Follow instructions in toolkit: http://tinyurl.com/IOD-EA-Toolkit.
FCI Dublin, a federal women’s prison in the East Bay, was permanently shut down in 2024 after years of horrific staff sexual abuse, retaliation, and unsafe conditions exposed by courageous survivors and advocates. The prison became a national symbol of abuse and systemic failure.
Now, despite this painful history, the site is one step closer to reopening — this time as an ICE detention facility.
Last year, the Federal Bureau of Prisons announced plans to transfer the FCI Dublin property to the General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency responsible for managing government property. At the same time, GSA has been actively scouting locations for ICE, while ICE continues searching for expanded detention space in Northern California.
Once the property is transferred, GSA could hand the site over to ICE or another agency, allowing detention operations to resume at FCI Dublin.
Our communities cannot allow a place marked by abuse and trauma to become another detention center that separates families and harms immigrants.
On Friday, May 1, the BOP published an environmental assessment, a necessary step in the property transfer process. The assessment shows what FCI Dublin survivors have been saying for years: the FCI Dublin facility is unsafe and uninhabitable, and would cost tens of millions of dollars to repair.
The public now has until June 1, to provide feedback on BOP’s plan. The ICE Out of Dublin Coalition is asking our community to submit public comments and tell the BOP: keep FCI Dublin closed, and keep ICE out of Dublin!
Learn more: http://tinyurl.com/IOD-EA-Toolkit

Come discover St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley! Join us in pursuing — or renewing — meaningful spirituality, to discover the healing power of forgiveness and grace, the relevance of faith in today’s world. Most of all, to experience the presence of a loving God. Together, we’ll seek understanding and wisdom in our commitment to justice for all people and for our planet.

Pentecost Celebration … May 24, 2026 @ 10am Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.R E A D I N G S🔆P...
05/21/2026

Pentecost Celebration … May 24, 2026 @ 10am
Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.

R E A D I N G S
🔆Psalm 104 🔆1 Peter 2:9-102 🔆John 20:19-23 🔆1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 Acts 2:1-21

S E R M O N
🔆“The Spirit Expands the Church” - The Rev. Jacques Beugre

M U S I C
PRELUDE ... Komm, Gott, Schöpfer, heiliger Geist, J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
INTROIT … Gracious Spirit, Dwell With Me, Welsh melody, ARFON, arr. Austin C. Lovelace (1919-2010)
HYMN ... Bless the Lord, My Soul and Being
MUSIC … EFANA Worship Team
ANTHEM ... I Will Sing with the Spirit, John Rutter (b. 1945)
OFFERTORY ... EFANA Worship Team
MUSIC ... Po’o ua e mautofi i le malo nei
POSTLUDE ... EFANA Worship Team
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Join us for Coffee Hour immediately after the service.
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get the link.
Visit us on our website: https://stjohnsberkeley.org
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Come discover St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley! Join us in pursuing — or renewing — meaningful spirituality, to discover the healing power of forgiveness and grace, the relevance of faith in today’s world. Most of all, to experience the presence of a loving God. Together, we’ll seek understanding and wisdom in our commitment to justice for all people and for our planet.
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A N N O U N C E M E N T S - - - - - -

Upcoming St. John’s Sunday Forum
Take a break after worship for 5-10 minutes, then come back for a conversation:
May 31 – AI & Humans. How Will We Relate? Spend an hour with Dr. Braden Molhoek, Director, Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS), and Ian G. Barbour, Assistant Professor of Theology, Science, Ethics, and Technology at the Graduate Theological Union.
AI is changing our relationships (including humanity’s relationship with God and with the rest of creation). How we think theologically about AI inspires new questions of ethics, virtue, and creation. For example, is AI made in the image of God or of humans? What would its designers say? What do we say? What implications does the answer to this question have for our future and our relationship to AI? Come learn more in an engaging and timely Education session.
Fair Trade Coffee, Chocolates, Olive Oil sales, May 24
Since 2011, St. John’s members have purchased tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of organic, fair-trade coffee, tea, chocolate, & olive oil to support small-scale farmers across the world. This is not a fundraiser for the church; SJ offers these products at the lowest prices possible to the church community — the more frequently we choose these products, the greater our participation in a truly just economic system. On Pentecost Sunday, May 24, during coffee hour on the patio (or in the narthex if it’s raining), there will an assortment of products to select from — come take a look! - Bill Herwood

Sunday, May 24: Pentecost Celebration, and Party after worship �with food, music and bounce house�Come celebrate the birthday of the Church and the Spirit's movement through many cultures. Église Franco Africaine de la Nouvelle Alliance church, will be joining us. This is a powerful worship service with input from many cultures and languages.
The Celebration Party after worship on May 24, from 11:30am to 1pm, will have a bounce house, a band, and pot-luck coffee hour. If you feel so moved, bring something yummy to share. Invite neighbors and friends. For more information on Pentecost, please read the Presbyterian website article.

Sunday School Youth Mission Trip - all are welcome, May 31
Join us for a half a day of service, fellowship and faith in action as we reach out to our community on Sunday, May 31. We are visiting Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP) to help prepare and serve lunch. GRIP’s mission is to support families on their journey to self-sufficiency; They provide safe shelter, meals, case management, and long-term resources at no cost to those in need. We are departing from St. John's at 8:30am and expected to return around 2pm. If you would like to participate with us, please contact Manju Noone for more details at [email protected].

QR Code for Giving Money to St. John’s
One can now donate via PayPal for weekly giving and special events, like Fair Trade Sunday. Simply scan the PayPal QR Code in our bulletin or church lobby. All donations are tax-
deductible. Thank you for your continued support.

Register now for Camp Elmwood; Session starts in July
Camp Elmwood is a community service program of St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley, emphasizing creativity, values, and concern for the environment and others, since 1993. Under the Redwoods at St. John's, you will find a place of peace and acceptance, where we value the abilities and interests of each camper and all are welcome. Scholarships are available.
There is a plethora of information on Camp Elmwood’s two divisions on our website, including on-site activities and field trips:
• 2-week Teen Leadership Camp, for ages 14 through 17�(starts July 20 - July 31, 2026)
• 1-week Camp for ages 6 through 13�(starts July 27 - July 31, 2026)
Camper registrations are being taken now – there is limited Camp enrollment. Click on the Camp Elmwood link on the St. John’s website for more information, or ask Manju Noone.

7th Sunday of Easter … May 17, 2026 @ 10am - Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.R E A D I N G S🔆...
05/13/2026

7th Sunday of Easter … May 17, 2026 @ 10am -
Come as you are! Everyone welcome ... In-person or on Zoom.

R E A D I N G S
🔆Psalm 68 🔆1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 🔆John 17:1-11

S E R M O N
🔆“The Pluses & Minuses of Eschatological Hope” - The Rev. Dr. Max Lynn

M U S I C
PRELUDE ... Voluntary No. 7, G. F. Handel (1685-1759)
INTROIT … Brethren, We Have Met to Worship, George Askins (d. 1816), arr. Randolph Currie (b. 1943)
HYMN ... All Creatures of Our God and King
ANTHEM ... Praise the Lord, G. F. Handel (1685-1759), arr. Hal Hopson (1933-2025)
HYMN ... JGod of Grace and God of Glory
OFFERTORY ... 2nd Prelude, Edward Bairstow (1874-1946)
HYMN ... Our God, Our Help in Ages Past
POSTLUDE ... Toccata in G Major, Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707)

Join us for Coffee Hour immediately after the service.
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get the link.
Visit us on our website: https://stjohnsberkeley.org

Come discover St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley! Join us in pursuing — or renewing — meaningful spirituality, to discover the healing power of forgiveness and grace, the relevance of faith in today’s world. Most of all, to experience the presence of a loving God. Together, we’ll seek understanding and wisdom in our commitment to justice for all people and for our planet.

A N N O U N C E M E N T S - - - - - - -
Upcoming St. John’s Sunday Forum
Take a break after worship for 5-10 minutes, then come back for a conversation:
May 31 – AI & Humans. How Will We Relate? Spend an hour with Dr. Braden Molhoek, Director, Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS), and Ian G. Barbour, Assistant Professor of Theology, Science, Ethics, and Technology at the Graduate Theological Union. AI is changing our relationships (including humanity’s relationship with God and with the rest of creation). How we think theologically about AI inspires new questions of ethics, virtue, and creation. For example, is AI made in the image of God or of humans? What would its designers say? What do we say? What implications does the answer to this question have for our future and our relationship to AI? Come learn more in an engaging and timely Education session.

Piano Restoration & Workshop Visit, May 23
Currently, our cherished Bösendorfer piano is in the shop. Fortunately, the beautiful loaner we are using is also a Bösendorfer. Callahan Piano Service, which has taken care of St. John’s pianos for decades, is restoring our instrument. This is necessary every three or four decades. The felts compress, the strings begin to break, accidents leave marks and gouges on the case, and it is necessary to have extensive work done to bring a piano back up to its potential.
John Callahan has invited SJ members and friends to tour his workshop in Alameda to see pianos being refurbished, including ours. On Saturday, May 23 at 10am, we will have the opportunity to visit and ask questions. Please let Todd Jolly know if you are interested in joining the group, and if you would like a ride. The Callahan piano workshop address is 1800 Ferry Point, Building 14, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501. Detailed driving directions are available at callahanpiano.com/contact

Fair Trade Coffee, Chocolates, Olive Oil sales, May 24
Since 2011, St. John’s members have purchased tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of organic, fair-trade coffee, tea, chocolate, & olive oil to support small-scale farmers across the world. This is not a fundraiser for the church; SJ offers these products at the lowest prices possible to the church community — the more frequently we choose these products, the greater our participation in a truly just economic system. On Pentecost Sunday, May 24, during coffee hour on the patio (or in the narthex if it’s raining), there will an assortment of products to select from — come take a look! - Bill Herwood

Sunday, May 24: Pentecost Celebration,
and Party after worship �with food, music and bounce house�Come celebrate the birthday of the Church and the Spirit's movement through many cultures. Église Franco Africaine de la Nouvelle Alliance church, made up mostly of folks from the Ivory Coast and Cameroon will be joining us. If your family originates from somewhere other than California, you may want to wear clothing from that culture. Or you can just wear something Red – the liturgical color of the Holy Spirit's fire. This is a powerful worship service with input from many cultures and languages.
The Celebration Party after worship on May 24, from 11:30am to 1pm, will have a bounce house, a band, and pot-luck coffee hour. If you feel so moved, bring something yummy to share. Invite neighbors and friends. For more information on Pentecost, please read the Presbyterian website article.

Sunday School Youth Mission Trip - all are welcome, May 31
Join us for a half a day of service, fellowship and faith in action as we reach out to our community on Sunday, May 31. We are visiting Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP) to help prepare and serve lunch. GRIP’s mission is to support families on their journey to self-sufficiency; They provide safe shelter, meals, case management, and long-term resources at no cost to those in need. We are departing from St. John's at 8:30am and expected to return around 2pm. If you would like to participate with us, please contact Manju Noone for more details at [email protected].


QR Code for Giving Money to St. John’s
One can now donate via PayPal for weekly giving and special events, like Fair Trade Sunday. Simply scan the PayPal QR Code in our bulletin or church lobby. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your continued support.

PC(USA) to consider policy rejecting White Christian nationalism”
By John A Bolt, Presbyterian Outlook Magazine
When commissioners gather for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)’s 277th General Assembly this summer, they will consider a recommendation from the denomination’s Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) to “repudiate the ideology and practices of white Christian nationalism in all its forms.” The recommendation, COM-033, responds to the 226th General Assembly’s (2024) directive to “develop a new policy and study guide about white Christian nationalism, given (its) powerful and pervasive distortion of Christian faith and its urgent threat to values and freedoms in the United States in the twenty-first century.”
“It is important to distinguish between patriotism and nationalism,” ACSWP says. “Patriotism, which offers appreciation and support for the United States and [commitment] to its ideals, is appropriate for the believer.
By contrast, the belief that the nation has a unique relation to God that should grant Christians special power in the nation — or that the United States has been selected by God for supremacy over other nations because of its inherent goodness — is not [appropriate for the believer].”
The issue of Christian nationalism, particularly White Christian nationalism, has been addressed by the PC(USA) previously, “but not in a way that we have policy, clearly stated in something that the Office of Public Witness could specifically use as they were talking with legislators,” said ACSWP member Rick Nutt, a retired professor of religion and associate provost at Muskingham University, a Presbyterian-related university in New Concord, Ohio.
One of the specific reasons for asking for a full-blown policy statement two years ago was “the increasing manifestations of racism, particularly around the issue of voting rights, and voting restrictions” present in the wake of January 6, 2021, and the rhetoric of the 2024 presidential election, said Nutt, who led the ACSWP writing team. The proposal is a result of 2024’s recommendation.
To continue reading this article, click for Presbyterian Outlook magazine.

Address

2727 College Avenue
Berkeley, CA
94705

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 9:30pm
Thursday 8am - 9:30pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 3pm

Telephone

+15108456830

Website

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