August 28, 2018
Dear LABC,
This coming Sunday is both Association of Welcoming Affirming Baptists/Pride Sunday and Labor Day Sunday. In response to a question from one of our leaders about planning for the day I confirmed that it was indeed Pride Sunday and that I would be preaching. I went on to say, “In light of the fact that it is also Labor Day Sunday I am going to try to connect three historic movements committed to 100% inclusion. The three are: The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, a late 1800’s labor organization named the Knights of Labor and first followers of Jesus Christ. My simple point will be that such movements are beautiful, rare and very vulnerable. They are worthy of our admiration and participation but they run against the grain of society and they tend not to last very long. Since it is also a Communion Sunday I will express the hope that our celebration of communion is a celebration of the 100% inclusion that Jesus practiced.”
I am dedicating my sermon this Sunday to the memory of Millard Eiland (Dec. 5, 1933 – July 28, 2018), an Alliance of Baptists leader from Covenant Church in Houston, Texas. Millard was one of the first to call on Baptists to develop an open, ethical redemptive Christian relationship with our LGBT siblings. It was Millard who invited me to become a member of the Alliance of Baptists Board of Directors a position I held for six years, two of them as President.
Prayers of the Congregation
- Jo and Dave Robinson
- Jewelle and James Gibbs
- Thanksgiving that Ruben Artery was back in worship following foot surgery
- Joel Reyes for his sister and nephew
- The Picou-Broadnax family
- Gloria and Phil Meads for Jean and Arielle
- Cathy Leaks as she mourns the death of her aunt
- Rita Jennings
- Emma Gordon for her son David
- Jamie Reid
- Pat Hughes for Mary Ann
- Mary Karne for Maryla
- Katrina Lau for her aunt
- Chris Schelin and the Starr King School for Ministry community as they mourn
- All our homebound members
- The unhoused of California
- All who are traveling
- The grieving of Jacksonville, FL following the shootings in that city
- The people of Hawaii as they recover from Hurricane Lane
- Those who are bullied and those who work to prevent bullying
- Thanksgiving for California’s first-responders (Congratulations to Chad Gurney on completing his first year with the Milpitas Fire Department
- Thanksgiving for the work of Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley
- Thanksgiving for the work of Oakland Ceasefire
- Thanksgiving for the life of Senator John McCain
- Thanksgiving for Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered in D.C. 55 years ago today
Announcements
Leaders Needed For Evergreen Baptist Association Conversations
Important Opportunity for Leadership
Discussion moderators are being sought to share in the forthcoming annual meeting of the Evergreen Baptist Association, Oct. 12-14 at Grace Baptist Church of San Jose.
On Friday afternoon, the 12th, six “table conversations” will take place guided by moderators. The conversations will center on Luke 4:18-19 and will explore the topic, “Yes, We Will,” as follows:
- Preach good news to the poor
In the context of an open and welcoming gospel - Proclaim liberty to the captives
Ways in which we can imprison one another - Offer sight to the blind
Going beyond our blindness and prejudice - Proclaim practices of sharing
From consumerism to sharing resources across ethnic lines - Decenter power and privilege
Addressing white privilege and complicity - Counteract isolationism
By affirming our associational principle and multicultural nature
People interested in assisting in this way are asked to contact Douglas Avilesbernal, new Executive Minister of the Association at doug@ea-abc.org or 253-859-2226 (office) or 206-778-0287 (cell). Selected leaders will gather at 1:00 PM for a brief conversation and training.
Redwood Glen Water Petition To San Mateo County (Please sign)
A word from Steph Curry (Father of two daughters)
“I want our girls to grow up knowing that there are no boundaries that can be placed on their futures, period,” he wrote. “I want them to grow up in a world where their gender doesn’t feel like a rule book for what they should think, or be, or do. And I want them to grow up believing that they can dream big, and strive for careers where they’ll be treated fairly…And of course: paid equally.”