Weekly Reflection - 11/18/24
St. Mary's Reflection: Barbara Bernard, Vestry Member
.“We will either learn to live together as brothers and sisters or we will perish together as fools.” - -Bishop Michael Curry, A Case for Love
This was my favorite quote from A Case for Love, a film documentary inspired by the teachings of Bishop Michael Curry, that was recently shown at St. Mary’s.
Bishop Curry advocates for a life rooted in unselfish love, emphasizing that we are placed on this earth not merely to exist but to make the world better through small yet meaningful acts. In serving others, we become instruments of God’s love, addressing the needs of our neighbors.
I am proud to be part of St. Mary’s, a community that fully embodies this message of selfless love through our community and ministry outreach work. Serving on the vestry these past two years has revealed the depth and breadth of our congregation’s impact, which deserves celebration and recognition.
One of St. Mary’s most devoted missions is supporting the homeless. Deacons Tim and Nancy hold Eucharist services at the Next Door Shelter, a 334-bed sanctuary for those seeking refuge, bringing the holy sacrament and Christ’s presence to people often forgotten. In another outreach, our fifth and sixth graders prepare and distribute lunches at Open Cathedral, an outdoor Eucharist service for unhoused San Franciscans. This act of communion is a living testament to the inclusivity of God’s table, where all are welcome. Through the Winter Shelter Dinner program, parishioners host meals for unhoused individuals at St. Mary’s Cathedral, embodying Christ’s call to “feed my sheep.”
This past year, in service to those in need, we collected over 600 essential items, filling an entire SUV, for the Gubbio Project at St. John’s the Evangelist Episcopal Church. This sacred ministry provides not just material support but also a sanctuary for rest, a place of safety, and the solace of chaplaincy. Parishioners raised $14,000 for Gubbio, using their gifts and talents, from culinary arts to crafts, to offer “Tidings of Comfort and Joy” at our Holiday Bazaar. This labor of love extended warmth and care to many who might otherwise be without.
Our Penal Ministry volunteers are a source of hope and friendship for incarcerated women, sharing love and prayer through written communication. Our Hope Beyond volunteers, similarly, extend this care by providing resources and encouragement to women in California’s prison and parole systems, offering acceptance and healing to those who feel forgotten.
Stephen Ministry volunteers undergo rigorous training, devoting 50 hours to learning how to provide Christ-centered spiritual care to those enduring hardship. Meanwhile, our Pastoral Care volunteers offer compassionate connection and spiritual guidance to parishioners unable to attend church, bringing God’s peace and presence to those in need.
The Justice Ministry, too, reflects God’s call for righteousness. Volunteers move beyond acts of charity to confront systemic injustice. Our Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Team (NEAT), alongside other aid organizations, has devoted past years to serving the housing, legal, and medical needs of seven asylum seekers in San Francisco. These individuals---- a family from Guyana, a father and son from Nigeria, and an international aid worker from Mauritania.—have fled hardship seeking refuge. By supporting them, we extend God’s sanctuary and manifest divine compassion in tangible ways. Each year, our high school students deepen their faith through service trips. This year, the Youth Mission Trip took them to Eureka, California, where they sought to see Jesus in those they served.
Bishop Curry reminds us, “We were made by a power of love, and our lives are meant to be lived in this love.” This calling resonates deeply within our congregation at St. Mary’s, as we pursue unselfish love with passion and purpose. Let us continue this journey together in 2025, carrying forth the cadence of love into our community and beyond through our volunteering and financial support.
Barbara Bernard,
Vestry Member
