MVS participant Lindsay Martin leads a workshop in her assignment with Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service. Photo: Ann Graham Price.

San Francisco, Calif.

(415) 861-4254

Service
The San Francisco MVS unit is sponsored by First Mennonite Church of San Francisco (FMCSF), and assists the congregation in addressing issues of poverty, justice and peace in our city and in our world. MVS placements are at agencies where FMCSF members work or that are doing the work FMCSF would like to support: addressing issues of homelessness, providing healthcare and legal services for the poor (including those with HIV/AIDS), nurturing children, protecting the environment, fighting against the death penalty, and advocating for nonviolent change in society.

MVS Application To apply for one of the service opportunities below, complete an online application, or print and mail a PDF application (Adobe Reader required) and send it to: Mennonite Mission Network ATTN: Human Resources 500 S. Main P.O. Box 370 Elkhart, IN 46515-0370

Location
San Francisco has a population of about 750,000 and covers an area of 46.6 square miles, making it the second most densely populated major city in the United States. The larger San Francisco Bay Area (which includes cities such as San Jose, Oakland, and Berkeley) has a population of 7.2 million. San Francisco is rich in cultural diversity, with its population approximately divided by racial background as follows: 44% White, 33% Asian, 14% Hispanic, 7% Black and 2% Other (Native American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander). San Francisco is known for being politically progressive and socially tolerant. There is a large gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) presence in the City, resulting in an acceptance and political power for these communities not found anywhere else in the country.

San Francisco has a temperate climate, with temperatures seldom rising above 75°F (24°C) or falling below 40°F (4°C). The warmest months are April-May and September-October. Morning and evening fog is common, especially during the summer. The thick summer fog is the reason for the famous quote (inaccurately attributed to Mark Twain): "The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco." Average annual rainfall is 21 inches, falling almost entirely between November and April.

San Francisco is known for its geographic and architectural beauty, including the steep hills, fog, beaches, and ornate Victorian homes. Tourist attractions include: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, and the famous cable cars. The ancient redwoods of Muir Woods and the wine country of the Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley are within a short drive from the city. Cultural activities include many large and small theatre companies, several art museums, the San Francisco Symphony, Opera, and Ballet, and a thriving nightlife. Major league sports teams in the area include the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland A's, and San Jose Sharks. Popular annual events include the San Francisco Marathon, Bay to Breakers (a crazy and very fun annual walk/run), Halloween in the Castro (the city's main gay district), and many neighborhood street fairs.

Some of the largest employers in San Francisco are Charles Schwab, ChevronTexaco, McKesson, and the University of California San Francisco. The larger Bay Area is home to numerous high tech, biotech and digital entertainment companies, such as Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Genentech, Chiron, Pixar, Lucas Arts, Dolby, and Dreamworks.

San Francisco, while very beautiful, is also one of the most expensive places to live in the country. The median price for a single family home in San Francisco is now over $800,000. The exorbitant cost of housing is one of the main reasons for the high rate of homelessness in the City. It is estimated that 6,000-10,000 people (or about 1% of the population) are homeless. Many of the MVS placements in San Francisco have been with agencies that address the needs of this population.

Unit
The San Francisco MVS unit transferred from Stockton, California to San Francisco in 1975, locating in the Haight/Ashbury neighborhood of the city. In 1984 the unit moved to its current location in a second-floor, 5-bedroom flat in an area known as the Lower Haight. The neighborhood has a wide variety of coffee shops, bars and ethnic restaurants (Thai, Indian, Ethiopian, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern and others) all within a few blocks of the unit. The unit is also near several major bus and streetcar lines that volunteers use for transportation (the unit does not own a motor vehicle). The neighborhood is racially mixed, with a large number of young adult renters.

MVSers have their own individual bedrooms and share a common living area, kitchen, bathroom and separate shower room. There is a patio and small garden in the backyard. While it is expected that volunteers will commit to living in community with each other, sharing meals and household responsibilities, most MVSers also take advantage of the wealth of social and educational opportunities that San Francisco offers and form friendships outside the unit.

The MVS Support Committee at First Mennonite Church acts as the liaison between the unit and the congregation. This committee is composed of 3-4 members from the church and meets monthly with the unit to support MVSers in their work assignments and unit life, discuss household needs and issues, and monitor finances. There is a Local Program Coordinator
(LPC) who provides additional support and handles administrative responsibilities and communication with the national MVS office. The unit and Support Committee hold quarterly day-long retreats to talk more in-depth about issues arising out of volunteers' experiences and, of course, to have fun.

Church
The San Francisco MVS unit is sponsored by First Mennonite Church of San Francisco (FMCSF), which was founded in 1975 at the same time as the unit. The congregation is a close-knit community, acting as "family" to each other and to the MVS unit members. Many people in the congregation have previously served in MVS and have stayed living in the San Francisco after their terms of service. Others have done service through MVS or Mennonite Central Committee elsewhere. Because of this, there is a high level of commitment to the MVS program among congregational members. FMCSF is in the process of purchasing the building which serves as the home for the MVS unit through its capital campaign, and a member of the church lives in the apartment below the MVS unit.

The FMCSF congregation averages about 50 adults and 5-10 children on a typical Sunday. A high percentage of the members are professionals or students. Members come from a variety of Mennonite and non-Mennonite backgrounds, and worship services vary from traditional to experimental. Although theologically liberal, traditional Anabaptist values of nonviolence, community and simplicity are emphasized. Four-part a-cappella signing is an important part of worship services. The congregation meets in a Jewish synagogue, Congregation Sha'ar Zahav, which has a large open worship space, fellowship hall and kitchen, and other smaller rooms for education classes. FMCSF is an "open and affirming" congregation in the Supportive Communities Network of the Brethren Mennonite Council, meaning it welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons into the full life of the congregation.

MVSers are encouraged to be active participants in the life of the congregation and have a history of involvement, including leading worship on Sunday mornings, being part of a worship team to plan a series of services (such as Advent or Lent), serving on committees, leading adult Education Hours, being a Sunday School teacher for the children, joining the many potlucks and social gatherings, and being part of small groups that form periodically (some are social, others are more support-oriented). It is the hope of the congregation that MVSers will experience spiritual nurturing and growth during their time serving in San Francisco.