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SOS Monthly Newsletter - December 2007Why Jesus is Better than Santa ClausDear Christian friends, Santa lives at the North Pole... JESUS is everywhere. Santa rides a sleigh... JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water. Santa comes but once a year... JESUS is an ever present help. Santa fills your stockings with goodies... JESUS supplies all your needs. Santa comes down your chimney uninvited... JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart. You have to wait in line to see Santa...JESUS is as close as the mention of His name. Santa lets you sit on his lap... JESUS lets you rest in His arms. Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?”... JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads. Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly... JESUS has a heart full of love. All Santa can offer is HO HO HO...JESUS offers health, help and hope. Santa says, "You better not cry”...JESUS says, "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you." Santa's little helpers make toys...JESUS makes new lives, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions. Santa may make you chuckle but...JESUS gives you joy that is your strength. While Santa puts gifts under your tree... JESUS became our gift and died on the tree. It's obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We must put Christ back in "Christmas." Jesus is the "Reason for the Season!" On the StreetsNew Fisherman’s Wharf Policy About 14 million people from all over the world visit Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. We first applied for permits to use amplification in this area in 1997. The SF Port Authority opposed our permits, saying they had done a traffic study proving that having amplified events in this area would obstruct the sidewalks. We argued that many street performers use amplification at this location on a daily basis. Our permits were denied. This matter became part of our lawsuit, which we lost. For about three years, we set up a PA system at the Wharf without a permit once or twice a month for about six hours. Eventually, the police told us to stop. They claimed that they were stopping all amplified activity in this location. However, other street performers continued using amplifiers without permits. We began applying for loudspeaker permits at the Entertainment Commission. Eventually, we were able to get a few two-hour permits at one location. Recently, I learned that the SF Port Authority is setting up a new program to license street performers who use amplification. The license will cost $50 per month. The performers need $1 million in liability insurance and each person who performs needs a special ID card. Once a month, a lottery will be held to determine who gets to perform at what time and at what location. Time slots are for three hours. One third of available slots will be for people without permits, on a first come, first serve basis. Those slots will be 1 ½ hours each. There are also very severe limits on sound volume, even worse than the limits in Berkeley. Since people are more likely to complain about Christian preachers than street performers, these limits are likely to be enforced more strictly against us than against other groups. It does seem like the city is finally trying to deal with the situation in a fair manner. However, the arrangement does cause us some problems. Since we must schedule groups and obtain permits at other locations several months in advance, and the lottery they hold will be a few weeks before the event, we may not be able to obtain slots at the Wharf that fit into our schedule. Also, much of our ministry involves working with visiting church groups. Under the present rules, visitors could not preach or play music at the Wharf, since they would not have ID cards. We hope to be able to get that rule changed. We will seek to work with this new program. It will involve an extra $50/month and attending a monthly lottery. Please pray that this will work out well, and that we will be able to minister effectively to the millions of people who come to Fisherman’s Wharf.
Coming EventsNote: Outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 531-5325 or (510) 213-2584 (cell phone) to confirm outreaches or for more information. Friday December 7, 21, 28 7:30 - 10 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods. Sat. December 8, 22, 29 San Francisco or Berkeley Evangelism Outreach. (The outreach location depends on weather. Call Sat. morning after 9 AM for location.) Ministry News and NeedsThis past month, I learned that the SF Park Department is introducing an additional $50 fee for every permit. Last year, we obtained 35 permits from them. This will increase our expenses by $1750 per year. Please pray that God will provide the funds for these additional expenses ($1750 for new park fees plus $600 for Wharf permit). October 5 and 6 was Fleet Week in San Francisco, which brought in several Navy ships and a lot of tourists. On Friday night we witnessed on Broadway St. This area is filled with strip clubs. After Janet preached, she spoke with a young man who worked at one of the clubs, trying to get people to come inside. He said he was a believer, but couldn’t find any other work. On Saturday, Last Days Harvest Church from Sacramento ministered with us at United Nations Plaza. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Eric and I witnessed to Matthew, a young man who grew up in Marin County with Mike Hodgdon, a Christian who witnesses with us. Matthew is addicted to oxycontin and methadone. We offered to help him get into a Christian rehab program. At first he seemed interested, but he walked away. Janet prayed with James to receive Christ. James stayed with us for five hours, listening to the music, joining in the worship, and reading the Bible. We think he is a true convert. Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. We still have openings in our evangelism house in Oakland for Christians with a serious interest in evangelism. We are particularly looking for Christians in their 20’s or 30’s as all of us are 40 and over. We need to reach the younger generation for Jesus. Paul and Noreen Coca, who minister on the streets with us almost every week, have a new CD out called “Street Songs.” This is a professionally produced CD with guest lead vocals by Chuck Girard and his daughter Alisa from Zoe Girl, and music by Phil Keaggy and Lindell Cooley. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year serving our Lord Jesus Christ. Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
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