Words cannot express how profoundly honored and grateful I am to be the person you have chosen to serve as your senior pastor. Over the past week it has been such a joy to hear your dreams and hopes for our church, and I can hardly wait to begin working with you to transform our shared visions for MCCSF into reality.

Thank you for inviting me to travel the journey ahead with you. Thank you for the trust you have placed in me. Thank you for your unquenchable excitement and passion for our future. Thank you most of all for being the amazing, queerly delightful, courageous, and powerfully loving community that is uniquely MCC San Francisco. I am so overjoyed at the thought of all the possibilities that lie ahead, and at all we will do together in the name of the One who has called us to bring healing to our world.

Much love and many blessings,

Lea
November 2007

Dear friends,

I'll never forget my first visit to MCCSF. It was June 2005 and I was in Berkeley for MCC Intensives training in preparation for ordination. As I and my classmates entered we were greeted warmly by ushers, congregants and clergy. Stephanie and the choir rocked, the sermon was stimulating and challenging, communion was innovative and inviting. Afterward, we lingered in what seemed a magical atmosphere -- we did not want to leave.

On my more recent visit in May -- though the service was not held on Eureka Street -- I was delighted to have essentially the same experience, and it was just as inviting, inspiring, and hard to leave as the first time. Now I find myself thrilled at the realization that the next time I worship with you, I won't have to leave!

I couldn't be any more pleased that you and God/dess have called me to join MCCSF. I come with great humility knowing of the remarkable leaders who have served before us in your historic congregation. I also come with great respect and confidence in the current staff and leadership of the church.

Most of all I come with an unshakable faith that God/dess is up to something wonderful in our midst. I just know that if we're attentive to the prompting of the Divine, if we work and pray together lovingly and authentically, God will continue MCCSF's remarkable legacy in ways that we can only begin to imagine. I can hardly wait to walk through the door this August 17th, knowing my "hello" won't require a "good-bye" but rather a "see you again soon!"

Peace and blessings,

Jeff
July 2008