Last Days in Oakland and Back to Tacoma

Our last several days in Oakland were rich and meaningful.  We worshiped at Redeemer Community Church in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco.  It's a multiethnic, multigenerational congregation with a significant number of folks of Asian heritage.  The pastor was on vacation.  (Imagine that!)  The person who gave the message spoke about the neighborhood's history and how the church feels called to serve those who are struggling in the neighborhood and work for God's justice.  It helped me reflect on Peace Lutheran Church's calling to life and ministry in the Hilltop neighborhood.  It's often a blessing to hear from someone from the congregation (other than the pastor) share from their heart how God is calling the church to be faithful in their context.  I'm sure the Sunday messages from so many from Peace in my absence have been a great blessing to hear!


The music team did an original song, "Peace to the City," and the author shared the music with me so we can sing it at Peace in worship some time.





We enjoyed more of the Bay Area, especially Oakland and Berkeley, with trips with grandparents to ride the steam train at Tilden Park, hike under the redwoods in a regional park, and watch the containers being loaded onto ships and unloaded at the Port of Oakland!



We ate more good food and enjoyed being together as a "mixed plate" extended family!  I videotaped my parents sharing stories about growing up with their parents in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (my mom) and in LaCrosse, Wisconsin (my dad).  I asked them to reflect on three questions:
1) What qualities were passed on to you from your parents/relatives?  How did they shape you?
2) What cultural traditions/customs/influences were passed on to you?
3) How was faith in God/religious values passed on to you?





The drive back to Tacoma from Oakland was long, but we broke it up by camping one night at Mt. Ashland Campground in southern Oregon with an amazing view of Mt. Shasta in California.  We went on a short hike before bedtime.  Gotta love National Forest campgrounds -- so beautiful!  And this one was free!

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