January 21, 2020
Family,
This year is the 160th Anniversary of our congregation. Founded in 1860 as the First Baptist Church of Brooklyn, renamed Tenth Avenue Baptist Church in 1888 and Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church with the construction of our current Sanctuary in 1957, this coming Sunday’s 2020 Annual Meeting of the Congregation gives us ample cause to reflect on God’s leading through “many dangers, toils and snares.”
Let the following be our prayer as we do business as Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church, The Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church Foundation and as Oakland First Baptist Church –
Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in our Annual Meeting for the renewal and mission of your Church. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Book of Alternative Services, p. 676, adapted
In worship our central Scripture will be Matthew 4: 12-23 in which Jesus bids two sets of brothers, Peter and Andrew as well as James and John, “Follow Me.” In my sermon I will lift up the truth that one of the primary things Jesus did was to form a community which would change the world.
Prayers of the Congregation
Roxanne Jones as she mourns her niece; Hallie Randel for her mom; Tyrone Mack for Latrice; Helen Harrison for David Gunther as he mourns his daughter; Jewelle and James Gibbs; Jeanne Robinson; Mary Karne for Maryla; Zondra and Marty Martin; Katrina Lau; Jesus Portillo for Jude; Karen Hopkins for Georgianne, Connie and Lou Ann; Jesse Lucas; The people of Australia; Rick McKillop for his family; Roy Browner and Al Johnson; George Cummings; The people of Puerto Rico, The people of Iraq and Iran; The Young Adults of LABC; The Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering; Thanksgiving for the apparent resolution to the Moms 4 Housing action; Pam and John Claassen for Mr. B.; Jim Dorr; All caregivers; The United States Senate as it conducts the impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump; Paige and John for Cordia Lee; The Scott Gattey Family; Jim Jeffery
Request for Reflections
As we begin to look towards the season of Lent (a little more than a month away), I invite you to send me a short reflection on the way you understand/interpret/apply these words from Luke’s version of the prayer Jesus taught his disciples:
“And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.” (Luke 11:4, New Revised Standard Version)