1st Nov day 18 out and about in San Francisco

With the clocks going back I had a rejuvenating sleep and was up early enough to go to the 9am service at Glide Memorial Church which is walking distance to my hotel and what a blessing it was. 

In case you have never heard of it (I hadn't) it's the church that features in Sister Act. It's a multi ethnic church which actually celebrates diversity and is doing so much to build up individuals and the community here in San Francisco. It has 90 different outreach programmes including feeding more than 1,000 homeless people 3 times a day! That's commitment and I discovered that fact when on the open top bus tour this afternoon when the guide told us about some of the differences they have made. It's how it always should be with the local church (and rarely is sadly) as Jesus taught us, outsiders should say "see how they love each other". Their queue for feeding the homeless is what featured in the Will Smith film Puruit of Happiness.

The service was uplifting not least because of the choir and gifted musicians to help with worship. The saxophonist was sensational. It's All Saints day today where the church remembers with thanksgiving those who are now in heaven. It started in the 4th century AD when there so many martyrs and it was decided there was a need to celebrate the lives of those who left a good faith legacy.

Angela the Asst Pastor spoke really well about the importance of passing on to the next generation the need to live in hope and not despair. She talked honestly about taking time when you are grieving and permissioning yourself to work through your pain at your own pace. The only way to come out of devastation well is to remember death isn't the ultimate authority - God is and He will be with you through it all to bring comfort. He sends people just at the right time, sometimes just to cry with us when there at no words. Faith infuses grief with hope. There was a beautiful solo at the end sung by the pianist called I Chose Love. It was written in response to the shootings at the Charleston Emmanuel Methodist Church in June and a lady in black danced appropriately to the words. The whole service was powerful but especially when the congregation were invited to just come to the front and say the name of someone they have lost, for each name a flower was put in the bowl making up the above arrangement.

I had a late breakfast and then got the open top bus tour, unfortunately the must came down so I didn't get any great pictures.

After that Chloe (friend from my time in Ignite who works now in a Christian drug/alcohol rehab centre 3 hours away) came to the hotel with her boyfriend. It was fantastic to see her and to meet him. We had a cuppa in my room before heading out to a Thai restaurant for dinner. They are really finding joy and fulfilment in seeing broken lives transformed as individuals come to know Jesus and work through the things that have led to their addictions, in a loving supportive environment. 

Andrew is in charge of an initiative that sees guys do a year long work programme alongside other aspects of recovery. They don't get paid directly the money is paid to The Father's House and they in turn get their keep. I know from my days in Gibbonsdown that giving broken individuals life skills and work disciplines is key to them being able to rebuild their lives for the future. It was inspiring to hear of their work and fun to just be with them.