August 27, 2013

Thanks to all, especially Sheila Brown who shared her August 28, 1963 experiences with us, who made Sunday’s commemoration of the 5oth Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom so meaningful. I am convinced that LABC will continue to find ways to show up when and where it matters.
This Sunday we will read Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16 which begins, “Let mutual love continue.” The invitation to participate in the Lord’s Supper will be extended to all.
In my sermon, “A Second Trinity,” I will note that the Hebrews text lifts up worship, ministry and community as central elements in the life of the Christian community. These three are a sort of functional trinity, an expression of our faith in a God who is three, yet one. As I see it, our worship is an expression of reverence for the Father, our ministry is an expression of our commitment to follow the Son and our community is an expression of the Spirit that binds us together.
I will also make the point that even though the liberal Protestant tradition, of which we are a part, is often disparaged these days, at its best it takes the first Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit, and the second Trinity – worship, ministry and community, very seriously.

Prayers of the Congregation

Concerns

• The Wilkinson family as they greive the death of a young cousin
• Jewelle and James Gibbs as they mourn the death of Jewelle’s sister in August and nephew in June
• Helen Harrison for the Espaniola family
• Max Powers
• Mary Lee
• The people of the Middle East
• Those fighting the Rim Fire, and other wildfires in the West, and all who affected by the fires
• The peace of our city
• Kay Baxter for her family
• Joan Thatcher
• My sister Beth
• Geetha Thaker, energy for her work as a medical resident
  Virginia Damretzky
• Zondra Martin for her family
• Myra Saxton for her family
• Doris Evans for her family
• Ann Fields for a Bahamian family in need
• Fanny Leary
• Carol and Steve Leichter
• Cecil White for his brother
• Katrina Lau for her father
• Sheila Sims, recuperating from surgery
• Cherie Smith for her mom
• Bonnie Sato for her family

Celebrations

• Thanksgving with Kay Baxter for Stacey’s visit
• Thanksgiving for all our wonderful teachers and school leaders
• Thanksgiving for the Ceasefire work of the Oakland Community Organizations
• Thanksgiving for the effort our LOC to help students at Oakland Technical High School
• Thanksgiving for the Pathway to Citizenship Efforts of the PICO California and the PICO National Network
• Thanksgiving for our Scholarship Committee and the students receiving scholarships
• Thanksgiving with Jim Jeffrey on the completion of a round of medical treatments
• Thanksgiving for the community ministry of Jessie Lucas, soon to be installed as the Lieutenant Governor of the Kiwanis Clubs of the East Bay and Jim Jeffery who recently concluded his term as President of the Rotary Club of San Francisco