February 28, 2017
We end February with a resounding thank you to the African-American History Month Committee and everyone who contributed to the month gone by so rich and wonderful. As with the Oscar Award winners, no words of thank you are adequate, so I trust that if you participated by leading, singing, eating, learning, laughing, praying or pondering you know you are greatly appreciated.
The coming of March marks the beginning of Lent (This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday) as well as the arrival of Women’s History Month. I invite you to participate in one of the Ash Wednesday Vigils; the Sanctuary will be open and a pastor present from 7-8, 12-1 and 5-6. In recognition of Women’s History Month my sermon on Sunday will be taken from the book of Esther and we will take some time to remember Frances Graham who died on January 24.
The President of the United States will address Congress, and thus the nation, this evening. As he outlines his priorities for the national budget these words from friend Larry Greenfield, former Executive Minister of the Chicago Baptist Association, are important – a reminder during a week in which the president will be asking for massive increases in military spending: (1) the US itself currently spends 34% of the world’s military total spending; (2) the US currently spends more on the military than the next 8 nations combined. And then there’s the matter of an increase in military spending will come at the expense of funding for human services and environmental health.
This Saturday Geetha and Darshan Thaker, Sheila Sims and Lari Mussati invite as many LABC members as possible to join them in a significant ministry to the homeless at City Team (8th and Washington). Geetha writes, “Every Saturday, from 11:00am to 2pm, they provide lunch to the homeless in their dining hall and after, a group does a prayer walk to the tent city a few blocks away. On, this prayer walk, they connect with the people while giving toiletries and food.” Contact Geetha or Darshan for more information.
Prayers of the Congregation
- Jeanne Robinson (recuperating)
- Jewelle Gibbs (recuperating)
- Carol Norris as she cares for her brother, Chris
- Gloria Joseph and the Wilkinson family
- Mary Karne for Maryla
- Jeanette Paige as she cares for her father
- Kay Baxter for Stacey, Jamie and herself
- Chaplain Louann Roberts, Correctional Institutions Chaplaincy, on the death of her father
- Phillip Martin and Cameron Wilson for Phillip’s Uncle Mike
- Alean Saunders-Coffey for her daughter-in-law and family
- Zondra Martin and family
- Larry Hutchings for Dennis’ brother, Victor
- Ann Fields and family
- Doris and Ted Evans and family
- Camille and Warren Parker and family
- Marie Johnson for family, friends and colleagues
- All our homebound members
- All who live with mental illness
- LeAnn Flesher (still recuperating from ankle injury)
- Tuck, Jayne and Daphne Chin
- Sydney Webster for Gigi and herself
- All who represent LABC in diverse and wonderful ministries
- Edie Parrott
- Margaret Oladoja and family
- Chuck Johnston for Nancy Strange and family
- Irene Jennings, Joan Thatcher and Gordon White (Piedmont Gardens SNF)
- All who come to the church for food and other forms of assistance
- Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick as she leads the OPD
- The ongoing work of Ceasefire Oakland
- Thanksgiving for the ministry of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America
- Thanksgiving for the ministry of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies (Our outreach offering in March is the America For Christ Offering which supports the ABHMS)
- Thanksgiving for the caring work of St. Mary’s Center and City Team Ministry
- Thanksgiving for ministry of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
Announcements
I will be leaving for Washington D.C. immediately after worship on Sunday to attend the meeting of the Executive Committee of the BJC, I am happy that Karen will come with me. We return on Wednesday.