First Mennonite Church of San Francisco claims a rich Anabaptist faith that emphasizes community, discipleship (following the way of Jesus in everyday life), and peacemaking and reconciliation. We have attempted to summarize our way of living out this faith through our Core Values and Practices and our Covenant, which people in our community sign every year to signal our commitment to each other and our shared beliefs.
As an inclusive and affirming congregation, we believe in the divine within each person, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, economic or social circumstances, racial or ethnic background, marital status, physical ability, or age. We welcome people regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey, including those who may not identify as Christian.
We are a member of the Supportive Congregations Network and Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Interests, a network of Mennonite congregations who openly affirm and welcome LGBTQ+ members. First Mennonite Church of San Francisco encourages our LGBTQ+ members to participate actively in all aspects of congregational life and church leadership.
Our History
First Mennonite Church of San Francisco traces its roots to 1975 when a Voluntary Service (VS) unit moved from Stockton to San Francisco, and James and Leanne Rhodes moved from the Harrisonburg, Virginia, area to San Francisco to start a church. James and Leanne envisioned an intentional community, and they and several others formed such a household in 1978 called Basilea Partners.
Over the years since then, we’ve worshipped in many different locations and have grown from a handful of people to a church of almost 150 people, including more than 30 children. That VS unit that moved to San Francisco in 1975 is one we have sponsored ever since. We have made Congregation Sha’ar Zahav our worshipping home since 2005 and enjoy the beautiful worship space as well as interfaith relationship-building with our Jewish hosts.
STAFF/LEADERSHIP
Sheri Hostetler
Pastor
Sheri loves reinterpreting Anabaptist Christian faith so that it is relevant and transformative for our lives right now. She is passionate about this congregation and can’t imagine a better community in which to raise her son. She is trained as a spiritual director and a permaculturist, and is a poet, gardener, and fan of Dr. Who.
Joanna Shenk
Associate Pastor
Joanna is energized to be on the journey of transformation with First Mennonite Church of San Francisco. In addition to being a pastor, she is an author (including, Widening the Circle: Experiments in Christian Discipleship and The Movement Makes Us Human), networker, podcast producer (the Iconocast) and facilitator. She invites others to be in prayer, seek the Spirit’s calling on their lives and recognize their deepest identity as God’s beloved. She enjoys riding her bike, making popcorn on the stovetop, creating jewelry (especially with spirals) and learning as much as possible about Bay Area history. She also loves living in community with her family and housemates in the Mission District.
Pat Plude
Minister of Music, Arts and Formation
Pat is passionate about exploring the ways in which the arts help us embrace a more vibrant life in Christ. As Minister of Worship Arts, she helps coordinate the use of worship arts and ritual in our communal journey of faith. When not in church, Pat can be found making or teaching music, practicing yoga, promoting creativity and innovation in education (Avivo), and generally improvising her way through life.
Jessica Bigler-Uhl
Administrative Coordinator
The Elders are the official governing body of our congregation and are responsible for discerning our community’s overall mission, vision and strategy. The Elders are also the primary body by which our many committees communicate and coordinate their ministries. The Elders are made up of an Elders Chair, an at-large position, and representatives from each of the six Core Committees (Worship, Faith Formation, Pastoral Care, Community Life, Stewardship, Outreach). Pastoral staff also serve on Elders in an ex-officio capacity.
True to our Anabaptist heritage, we believe in collaborative, shared models of leadership. We therefore are committed to training members of our community in the arts of worship, social engagement, and leadership in the world and in the church. We especially value our strength in cultivating young adult leaders and teaching our children.
Contact Us
Contact Information
Phone: (415) 857-5275
Email: info@menno.org
Find Us At
Congregation Sha’ar Zahav
290 Dolores Street (at 165th Street)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Scent-Free Policy
First Mennonite Church of San Francisco would like all services to be accessible to those with chemical sensitivities. Please refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, and scented products. This is also the policy of FMCSF’s host, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav.
Mennos in Action
At First Mennonite Church of San Francisco we are committed to embodying the way of Jesus and being on a journey of transformation together. We come to our work for justice, liberation and healing in the world with humility and empowerment. We recognize we have much to learn and that the Spirit of God empowers us to act. We see action and reflection as an ongoing process as we seek our own liberation and the liberation of our world.
Each Sunday in our service we honor the Ohlone peoples on whose unceded land we gather. As part of this acknowledgement we have an ongoing relationship with Cafe Ohlone and have learned much from the co-founders, Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino. We have also given to the Sogorea Te Land Tax, which supports an Indigenous women-led land trust in the Bay Area.
Our worship weaves together themes of justice and healing for our world, and each year we honor movements for justice through five Peace and Justice Sundays celebrating:
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Cesar Chavez
LGBTQ Pride
Labor Justice
Indigenous Peoples
We partner with local justice organizations such as Faith in Action Bay Area, and East Point Peace Academy. We also coordinate a Mennonite Voluntary Service household and work for environmental justice through FMCSF’s Climate Action Group.
In response to the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018, our congregation held vigil at Congregation Sha’ar Zahav for the three following Friday evenings, during the Shabbat service. These vigils continued on a monthly basis until COVID-19 shifted services online.
We are also supportive of the Asian Women’s Shelter in San Francisco, and suggest their resources for anyone who has experienced domestic violence or human trafficking.
Congregational members are personally committed to healing justice through their professional work as teachers, nurses, doctors, organizers, professors, lawyers, and give generously to support many organizations and movements for justice.
Our children and youth are also involved through an annual fundraiser, Cafe Delicioso, where they raise money for global health nonprofits organizations.
In the past we helped to fund projects such as the documentary created by the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition and the Midnight Hymn Sing album project, whose sales supported Syrian refugees.
