December 9, 2018

Having lit the Candle of Peace, our Advent journey continues on December 9 as we light the candle of Peace. Our central biblical text on the second Sunday of Advent will be Luke 3:1-6, Luke’s introduction to the ministry of John the Baptist.
In this short passage Luke sets up a  contrast between well known political and religious “princes” of the time and John, the prophet of God. The princes are happy to keep God on the periphery of matters political, economic and social. The prophet insists that God must be at the center.
Following worship I urge you to stay for our Blue Christmas Service. Led by our Grief and Loss Ministry, this service carries the message that manufactured happiness and artificial joy are not mandates of our faith in this holiday season. It acknowledges that sadness and loneliness are very natural experiences rather than the enemies of out faith.

Prayers of the Congregation

The nation as it mourns the death of President George H. W. Bush; The Bay Area as it mourns the death of long-time radio personality, Ray Taliaferro; Jo Robinson as she begins sis weeks of daily radiation treatments; Jesus Portillo – for his brother Al and for Jessica’s mother; Jim and Bev Jeffery – for grandson, Cornelius; Marie Johnson- Water’s Edge Convalescent Hospital (recovering from surgery); Don Dresser – Summit Hospital (recuperating from surgery); Celestine Bennett – caring for her sister; Carol Ash- for her family; Sheila Sims – for her mother and her brother; All who have been affected by fires in our state; Thanksgiving with Christopher Thom on becoming a member of LABC;  Jim Dorr; Jill Nesbitt – for her family; Gloria M. – for the sick and hurting; Barbara Bowman – for family members facing medical tests; Jewelle Gibbs – for her sister and her family; Nikki – for her father and all dealing with illness; Ken Kirkey – Thankful for the life of Helen, his step-mother, who died this week; Rick McKillop – grateful for his family and for all who serve communion; Dale Edmondson as he prepares for a trip to the Philippines where he will be speaking three times in memory of the American Baptist missionaries who were martyred at Hopevale on December 20, 1943; all who walk the road of recovery in the face of addiction; Jim H. – for John and Carol Townsend; Jamie Reid; Cathy Leaks; Thanksgiving with Tyrone Mack on the news he is going to be a grandfather again; thanksgiving with Dorothy Paul on the birth of her granddaughter, Aria; Pastor Tanner as she attends two conferences in Palestine; Edie Parrott; Thanksgiving with Lorraine Weese on her 99th birthday; Carolyn Person on the death of her father; Alice Butler – for her brother in law, Weldon; Brian Byamukama (still in Kenya); Sandra Dunn; John Lee – for his sister, Cordia; Thanksgiving with Jill Butler on her appointment to the Oakland Public Ethics Commission

Announcements

Congratulations to Geoffrey Pete on being awarded this week’s Jefferson Award for community service!
Forever Young meets this Saturday at 12:30 for their annual Christmas luncheon and gift exchange. RSVP
An essay/sermon I wrote can be found in this week’s edition of The Christian Citizen. I invite you to subscribe to this excellent online publication.