St. Francis Lutheran Church, San Francisco, will celebrate its first “Feast of Hope” worship Dec. 27, in celebration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly decision directing changes in ministry policies.

ELM roster member The Rev. Anita Hill, pastor of St. Paul-Reformation Church, Minneapolis, will serve as guest preacher.

Since 1995 the congregation has held a “Feast of Expulsion” in late December, commemorating the date when the congregation was expelled from the ELCA, according to a news release from the congregation. But since the ELCA has changed it’s policy the congregation felt it was appropriate to change the emphasis for the congregations annual observance.

ELM roster member The Rev. Robert M. Goldstein, who serves as lead pastor at St. Francis, said the congregation council began discussions about changing the emphasis for the congregation’s annual observance.

“We weren’t sure what to name it,” he said in an interview. “Since the congregation on the whole is very hopeful, and we’re still in a holding pattern until we see the details in the (ELCA) Church Council’s reformulation of polices, we thought ‘hope’ was the best and most accurate name to give this.”

Read the full press release here