I’m happy to announce a return visit from Elaine Donlin of the Buddhist Church of San Francisco, which is the oldest Jodo Shinshu (Pure Land) Buddhist Church in America. Elaine is an ordained priest and a Minister’s Assistant and has been teaching the Essentials of Buddhism since 2008. She serves as Buddhist Community Clergy for several SF Hospitals, as well as, partners with the SF Zen Center to provide Meditation and Buddhism in the SF County Jails. She is also a founding member of the BCSF LGBTQQ group.

Elaine has become a good friend of First United. She and Rev. Ron Kobata were in attendance at our big anniversary celebration back in April. Elaine has also shared with me some resources she’s been using in intrafaith conversations in the Buddhist community.

I’m looking forward to hearing about how her practice informs her politics and her work in the world.
Pluralism Summer is an initiative of First United Lutheran Church, a progressive church, rooted in the Reformation tradition, which says that the church, our worship, and our music must always be re-forming. We believe that it’s more important to ask the questions than to know all the answers.

We believe that, as theologian Hans Kung wrote:
“There will be no peace among the nations until there is peace among the religions.  There will be no peace among the religions until there is dialogue among the religions.”

We believe our wisdom will only be enhanced by continued conversation with all of our neighbors. Together we work for peace, justice, and the good of all people and all creation.

A few words about First United:
Our 5:00 service is decidedly interspiritual. This means that, while we are rooted in the Christian tradition, we beleive that  spirituality is at the heart of all the world religions. This shared spiritual heritage enables us to go beyond the differences in our theological beliefs and traditions. In other words: all are welcome!