SERVE OTHERS
Putting our faith into action is important to us. There are many opportunities to serve God and our neighbors here at Marin Lutheran, in Marin, and beyond our borders. Please scroll down this page to learn about how to connect.
Providing Meals for the Homeless
The fourth Thursday of every month our congregation provides a meal for 40 residents of Jonathan’s Place (formerly Mill Street), a shelter run by Homeward Bound of Marin. Each month we need many volunteers to help contribute food and three to four to prepare & serve the food for this wonderful outreach ministry. You are encouraged to sign up on the bulletin board in the church narthex or to contact the church office or Ruth Floyd for details of how you can help. Food donations should be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall kitchen by noon on the fourth Thursday of the month.
View a copy of the JONATHAN’S PLACE Sign-up sheet on the church narthex bulletin board to see details about quantities and the types of food that are needed and to sign up to bring food or volunteer to help prep, serve and clean-up the day the meal is delivered.
Serve & Share Crafts
This group meets the third Thursday of every month from 10:00am to 12:00 noon in the Conference Room of the Fellowship Hall. Participants enjoy socializing while working together on a variety of projects such as knitting and crafting items that are then distributed to charitable organizations. Much of the work can be done at home too if you prefer. Many Serve & Share members also visit MLC shut-ins ensuring our home-bound members & friends continue to feel cared for and connected to church life.
Please contact Jane McKenzie if you would like to find out more about Serve & Share or just show up on the third Thursday of the month. Newcomers are always welcome!
Social Action
The Social Action Ministry Team works on behalf of MLC to facilitate, foster, and maximize the collective efforts of our congregation to serve others in need. They do this in three key ways:
- Taking responsibility for a number of recurring activities that provide food for the hungry, school supplies & backpacks for homeless children, and gifts for Ritter Center families and disaster victims
- Selecting the non-profits that MLC supports financially to address a variety of human needs at local, regional and global levels
- Keeping our congregation informed about existing needs and opportunities in our community and organizing, supplying and supervising the congregation’s efforts to meet these needs
For more details about the projects and work of this dedicated group of volunteers please visit the Social Action page or contact Jim Bedilion to learn how you can help.
Want more opportunities? Check out these websites:
Additional Opportunities to Serve
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The official web site of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Seeks lasting solutions to poverty and injustice and compels Lutherans to put their faith into action
Provides programs to end homelessness and to engage community support in this mission
San Francisco – Marin Food Bank
Working to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin
Volunteer at MLC
There are a multitude of ways to be involved at Marin Lutheran! Below is a brief list of volunteer opportunities where you can offer your time and talent to help the ministry of the congregation. If you are interested in volunteering, contact the church office for further information.
WORSHIP ASSISTANT: we have a particular need right now for new members of the ALTAR GUILD & SOUND TECHNICIANS!
EDUCATION: Children’s Church Teacher, Adult Education Leader, Vacation Bible School Assistant or Leader
CHURCH PROPERTY & LEADERSHIP: Gardening, Property Maintenance, Administration, serving on Church Council or a Ministry Team
FELLOWSHIP: Hosting Coffee Hours, visiting sick or shut-in members, helping with Fellowship events
Choir / Musicians
We are truly blessed to have wonderful musicians who share their considerable gifts at our Sunday morning worship services. In addition to singing the Lutheran liturgy, our Adult Choir sings an eclectic variety of anthems, everything from gospel, to classical, from chorales to contemporary Christian. They rehearse every Wednesday evening from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. New singers are always welcome to come to practice.
The choir and instrumental ensemble members support our worship at 9:30am, infusing great musical excitement to our family-friendly services. Occasional guest singers and instrumentalists from our community, also support our services.
Contact Andrei Gorchov, Director of Music, for more information.
Children’s Church Teacher
Christian education is one of the most important activities we engage in here at Marin Lutheran. It takes many dedicated people to contribute to this effort and so we always need and welcome new volunteers! Classes are taught on Sunday mornings.
Our CHILDREN’S CHURCH (pre-K through 5th grade) is held following the Children’s Message during our 9:30am worship service. Adult volunteers contribute their time and talents to teach about God’s love through hands-on science projects, arts & crafts, baking, music, dance and even movie-making.
If you would like to see if teaching is for you consider volunteering as an assistant teacher. Please contact Pastor Tom Gable for additional information.
Ministry Teams
Please contact any of these wonderful volunteers for more information about how you can help with the work of their ministry team or committee:
Karen Clinton – Congregational Care & Fellowship
Jim Kamphoefner – Finance
Bev Kamphoefner – Property
Mary Creigh Houts – Social Action
Susan Morrow – Staff Congregation Relations
Karen Peters – Stewardship
Susan Boom – Worship & Music
Coffee Hour Host
Lutheran’s are famous for warm, welcoming fellowship and great coffee hours! Each Sunday at Marin Lutheran we welcome all visitors and members to enjoy a taste of traditional Lutheran hospitality immediately following tworship service.
If you would be willing to bring refreshments for the “coffee hour” for the 9:30 a.m. service please contact Jane McKenzie.
Altar Guild
Setting up (and clearing) communion for our Sunday worship service, washing linens, changing paraments (when needed) and generally making sure the chancel area is ready for the coming service. This requires approximately an hour on Saturday, and a little time before and after the service each Sunday for just one month out of the year. Contact Bev if you would like to help.
