January 17, 2012

First things first – Happy Birthday to my daughter Kristen Anne Phillips who was born this day at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles just a few years ago!
A week of important events awaits us:

• The service of worship in memory of Grant Hanson will be held this Saturday, January 21, at 2:00.  Grant was an outstanding and encouraging Baptist pastor and leader.  He had a way of bringing out the better angels in all of us.
• Mayor Jean Quan will be with us for worship and dialog on Sunday morning.  The issues and questions facing the City of Oakland are well documented. Yet, in many ways Oakland is a great blessing with great potential to grow in that identity. A recent National Geographic articles on the burgeoning cities of our planet and struggles common to the modern metropolis notes “Solutions have been found before.”  We need to understand this.  We need to believe this.
• At 2:00 on Sunday Curtis Michael Brown III, who aspires to be a chaplain in the United States Navy, will be ordained.  Our own LeAnn Snow will be the preacher.  I urge you and invite you to come and support Curtis.  If you are able to help with reception please let me know ASAP.

The central Scripture in our worship on Sunday will be one of my favorite biblical passages, Jeremiah 29: 1-7.  Writing to the people of Jerusalem exiled in Babylon Jeremiah says, “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare (peace), you will find your welfare (peace).”

Prayers of the Congregation

• Curtis Brown on his Ordination
• The family and friends of Grant Hanson as they gather to remember him
• LeAnn Snow as she teaches in Los Angeles
• Mary Karne for her neighbor Susan on the death of her partner, Linda
• Phil and Gloria Meads for Max Powers
• Shirley Jones as she recuperates
• Annelle Clute as she undergoes knee replacement surgery
• Liberty Madison for peace and forgiveness
• Marc and Helen Harrison for Marc’s father diagnosed with cancer
• Toni Daniels Gordon for Jullien, Pamela, Ken and self
• Families and individuals under great stress
• Ann Fields for her family and for the citizens of our streets
• Al Johnson and Roy Browner for employment and for Anita Williams
• Larry Hutchings for his mom, Sven Krevald, Dan Sutton, Helga Krevald
• Doris and Ted Evans for Jenny and and Charlotte. Thanksgiving for their recoveries.
• Michael Sumrall, energy to face the demands of work and school
• The people of Syria, Nigeria, Burma, South Sudan, Thailand, Haiti, the Philippines
• Zondra Martin and family
• Thanksgiving with Debra Dizin that her daughter is doing well

Announcements

Please contact Pastor Tanner for information regarding the three Saturday Morning (January 28, February 11, February 25) “Overview of the Christian Faith For Lay People” led by James Chuck at Allen Temple Baptist Church. This series promises to be both highly enjoyable and of great value to all who attend.