In Memory of Carolyn Devine

Dear Church Family,

It is with both joy and sorrow that we share the news of the passing of our beloved Carolyn Devine, who went to be with Jesus on June 7, 2026.  Carolyn was 89 years old, generously investing the last decade of her life into our church and community.

Whether you knew her well or not, you probably saw Carolyn around our church – Sunday mornings in “her pew,” in the lobby surrounded by church kids (often with gifts!), Saturdays in the garage for Food Pantry, or Thursday mornings welcoming families with her famous smile in our Drop-in space. She had a huge heart for our church to embrace our city and love our neighbors – especially those in need. A couple years ago, she moved to Canada to be with her family and we thought we were saying goodbye. But after just a few months away, she felt God calling her to come back to San Francisco to devote her final years to this city and our church. 

She was a spiritual mother and grandmother to many inside and outside our church walls, even as she herself came to faith late in life. Though she always cared deeply for civic and community engagement, it was in her later years that Carolyn encountered Jesus in a transformational way, integrating her care for others with her hope in Christ. She had a deep appreciation for God’s mercy to her after so many years distant from him. Already in her late life, she boldly seized the opportunity to receive from and pour into our young church, beginning in our Everett Middle School days. 

For the last four years of her life, she served faithfully on our Justice & Outreach Board: shaping policies, meeting with missionaries and stewarding funds. Weekly, she tutored elementary students in SFUSD, first across the street at Buena Vista Horace Mann and then near her home, deeply impacting students and teachers alike. She was particularly alive in her work to spearhead our Drop-in Center for unhoused kids and families at the shelter at BVHM. She beautifully and faithfully showed up at 5:30AM every Thursday morning to love and serve the families, making them our beloved friends. Even across language barriers, her joyful and welcoming presence made so many feel deeply loved and seen.

As we grieve Carolyn’s passing, and acknowledge the heartache of our sudden loss of a spiritual matriarch, we do not grieve without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We rejoice that she is with the Lord and she is now part of the cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) that surround us and encourage us in our ongoing journeys of faith here in San Francisco. We are spurred on by her life and the gift of how she lived: generously pouring herself out, always ready to learn something new, committed to justice, and consistently showing up with her warm, vibrant presence.

Carolyn’s life and death embody our Christian Hope. A hope for the renewal of all things here and now in San Francisco as it is in heaven: investing ourselves in participation with Jesus in his Kingdom coming right now, especially to those vulnerable and on the margins. And a still greater Hope for the coming of Christ and his Kingdom in fullness: the renewal and shalom that He will be faithful to bring to completion at the coming of Christ. We hold on to both of these things: our invitation to participate in renewal now and our ultimate hope in God to fully make all things new. 

As we honor the loss of an elder, we take up the mantle of her legacy. As a church that is learning what it means to sow into coming generations, we embrace this special opportunity as a church to step into the inheritance we have received from Carolyn. In prayer, our community received this word: that our church would receive a double portion of what Carolyn embodied, the Spirit of justice in action and generous sacrifice, just as Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit before he was taken up into heaven (2 Kings 2:9). 

May we receive Carolyn’s life, legacy, and testimony as an inheritance. We ask for a double potion of her spirit, God’s grace and wisdom to steward this inheritance wisely and pass it on to bless future generations. 

With love in Christ,
Dave Lomas, Lindsay Barrios,
and the rest of the Reality SF Staff & Leadership