April 23, 2013

A Prayer as we move into the midde of the week.
May all that is unforgiven in you be released.
May your fears yield their deepest tranquillities.
May all that is unlived in you blossom into a future graced with love.
“To Come Home To Yourself” from To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings by John O’Donohue
Ally will be our preacher this Sunday. The Sanctuary Art Committee will meet in the Library at 8:45 on Sunday morning. The ABSW Board of Trustees meets this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This will be the first meeting of the full board since I became chair. Your prayers and good thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Prayers of the Congregation

• Prayers for those whose bodies need strength and healing – Bette Pancoe (The Rehabilitation Center of Oakland – formerly Rounsville Convalescent Hospital, Sybil Alexander, Charlotte Evans, Ted Evans,  Carol and Steve Leichter, Brenda McCarthy for the Maldanado and Dews families, Art Ferguson, Cecil White, Joni Nomura, Sandra Dunn, David Broadnax, Chuck Johnston for his partner Kevin  and for his dad and step-mom, George Lee for Sylvia, Edna Dorenzo, Virginia Damretzky, Al Johnson, Jamie Reid, Kay Baxter’s friend Abbott, Rae Rita Thompson’s father, Celestine Bennett’s son Richard, Dave Gattey’s brother Phil and sister in law Linda, Cherie Smith for mom, Helen Harrison for Susan Newberry, Jim Jefferey, Jesus Portillo for Spanky and William, Jeanne Robinson, Joe Abrams for his father, Bonnie Sato
• Prayers for those who are aging and their loved ones who care for them – Sandra Dunn for her father, Theresako Harris for her aunt, Larry Hutchings for his mother, Marc Harrison for his father, Sheryl Gattey for her mother, Helen Roberson for her mother, Ruth Smith, Naomi Nutting for her mother, Karen Hopkins for her father
• Prayers for those who are grieving – The family and friens of Thelma Floyd (from Paige Bence and John Lee),  Ann Fields on the death of two cousins and her neighbor
• Prayers for our loved ones who are facing significant challenges – Gloria and Phil Meads for Cynthia Nelson, Kay Baxter for Stacey, Georgia Upshaw for her friend Ginny, Toni Daniels for her family, Margaret Alexander for LaShaya and family, Joan Patten for her son Peter, Rowena Jackson for her son Paul, Barry Breaux for his family, Mary Lee, Max Powers, Ann Fields for her family, Mary Alice and Abe Cirimele for Sal and Sylvia Tedesco, Steve Reimer for his son Greg, Declan Brown for his friend Lewis and family, Cathy Leaks for Rodney Leaks, Cordia Lee for Elysse and Elijah Green IV, John, Paige, Erica and Elijah Green III and herself, Gene Bass, the Sims family
• Prayers for our community- Pastor Greg Ledbetter and family and the people of Shell Ridge Community Church on the conclusion of Greg’s long and loving pastorate there, the congregation of First Baptist Church of Alameda in a time of uncertainty, Abigail Pena (born three months prematurely) and her family, Gary Yee, likely to become the Interim Superintendent of the OUSD
• Prayers for people we don’t know who  are facing challenges we can’t imagine- For our Kachin brothers and sister, those who are incarcerated, all who are affected by gun violence, the people of Haiti, the people of the Syria, the people of the Korean Peninsula (both South and North) the people of Boston and the families of those killed and injured in the bomb explosions there last week.
• Prayers of gratitude – For the Ministry of our Hunger Task Force, with Jeanne Robinson on the completion of her move
• Prayers for ourselves – May each of us know peace, joy, acceptance and encouragement 

Announcement

Soup and Study resumes Tuesday evening at 6:00. We are early in our reading of the book of Exodus.