January 10, 2012

I have just returned from the Ministers Council of the Greater Bay Area (American Baptist) Retreat at the San Damiano Retreat Center in the hills above Danville.  We spent a very refreshing 26 hours together considering the importance of Sabbath. The verbs at the heart of Sabbath are ceasing, resting, embracing and feasting.  As you might expect – more to come.
This Sunday the members of the San Fransisco Kachin Baptist Church will join is to celebrate Martin Luther King Sunday.  We will honor the fact that Dr. King was, first and foremost, a Baptist pastor. We will pay particular attention to the significance of his life and ministry to the Kachin people, both those in the United States and those in Burma.
This Sunday we will also welcome Beth Weinberger from SAFE California.  She will be in the Narthex following worship collecting signatures in support of a ballot measure to end the death penalty in our state.
On Sunday January 22 my sermon will be “A Blessing named Oakland.”  Mayor Jean Quan will be our guest.  She will bring greetings in worship and dialogue with us during the Forum time.  I trust that the attendance in worship on both the 15th and 22nd will reflect the significance of the occasions.

Prayers of the Congregation

• Safe streets, good schools, prosperous businesses in Oakland
• Jessie Lucas for Linda Lucas
• Carol Travis and family
• Mikki Boyd (car was stolen)
• Shirley Jones (Summit SNF) Recuperating but please, no calls or visits
• Margaret Alexander for children, grandchildren and Renaldo
• Roy and Lillie Martin and family on the death of their son, Leon
• Amy and Ryan Parker as they prepare for their great adventure
• Kay Baxter for Jamie and Stacey
• George and Sylvia Lee
• Joan Patten for her cousin
• The San Francisco Kachin Baptist Church and the people of Burma
• The Sims family
• The people of the Philippines and Thailand as they recover from major floods
• American Baptist International Missionaries
• Jessica Keener, studying in Ecuador
• The Evans family
• The officers and leaders of LABC
• Jesus Portillo, in Atlanta training for OCO and PICO leadership