April 19, 2011

Holy Week 2011.  Tonight (Tuesday) we will gather around the tables in the Family Room and consider the events of that Tuesday long ago when Jesus debated with his detractors, when he taught his followers to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s,” when he articulated the great, and subversive, commandments to love God supremely and neighbor consistently.
At noon on Friday we will gather in the Sanctuary at First Baptist Church (22nd and Telegraph) to consider again the events of that First Good Friday when Jesus stood in the gap between God and humanity and resolutely declared “a bridge has been built, a way has been made.”
On Saturday at 10:00 we will anticipate the celebration of Sunday with our annual Easter Hat Parade and Egg Dyeing Party.  I understand that the biblical accounts of Easter make no mention of decorated hats and colored eggs. I also understand that Jesus liked to show up at weddings, banquets, parties, parades and festivals.  Thus, I invite you all to come help with this happy celebration.
On Sunday we will gather to worship the God who brought Jesus out of the tomb, to give glory the Eternal One who is ever making all things new.  Our Scripture will be Matthew 28:  1-10. In this text Mary Magdalene and the “the other Mary went to see the tomb.” They do not find Jesus body.  Instead they meet a heavenly messenger who informs them that “He is not here; for he has been raised.” In response to this starteling news they run from the tomb “with fear and great joy.” We can understand their confusion, we can relate to the chaos of that moment, for two thousand years  later the news of the resurrection still confuses us. We still don’t know exactly what to think, say or do. We are still working to figure it out.

Prayers of the Congregation

• Harold Cotton at home under hospice care
• Joan Patten for Sierra, Paula and herself
• Lari Wilkinson for Josh’s host family in Mexico (grief and turmoil)
• Brenda McCarthy -feeling greatly blessed and highly favored
• Thanksgiving with Al and Roy that Roy was able to attend worship on Sunday
• Edna Dorenzo
• Virginia Damretzky
• Susan Joachim
• Jack Travis (home-bound) and Carol Norris
• Bonnie Sat0 (facing surgery)
• Glenn Knight
• Winston Neal (Piedmont Gardens)
• All our shut ins
• The people of the world as they stand and sacrifice for the freedom to control their own lives
• The people of Japan
• Cordia Lee for her workplace and her family
• Ann Fields for her family
• LeAnn Snow
• Sheila Sims for her brother and her parents
• Thanksgiving with Larry Sims on a marvelous trip to Florida
• Kay Baxter for her family and herself
• Steve and Carol Leichter
• Katrina Lau
• Families and Communities devasted by tornadoes in the South and Midwest
• Churches of the former ABCW in danger of losing their property

Important Notice:  Continuing to receive the Midweek Message. If you would like to continue to receive the Midweek Message please follow this link  http://www.labcoakland.org/midweek-message.php or go to the church website www.labcoakland.org and sign up.  The size of the mailing list is making this change necessary.
Important Notice 2: As of yesterday only 62 of us have had our picture taken. The Department of Outreach and Membership would love to take a picture of everyone.  They will be taking pictures in the Sanctuary following worship this Sunday.