January 8, 2019
Family,
I was at clergy retreat at Redwood Glen yesterday and was in the City this morning to tape the Sunday, January 13 episode to the Mosaic television show so if you perceive this edition of the Midweek Message to be a little hurried you are correct.
One of the things I tried to say in my “Star Gazing” sermon this past Sunday is that just as the star (representative of the created order) spoke to the magi long ago, the created order speaks to us still. We need to hear its cries of pain. We need to listen to its pleas for assistance. The effort to put solar panels on the roof of our sanctuary is one very tangible response to the pleas for assistance.
At the retreat I attended the leader, President Jim Brenneman of ABSW pointed us to Psalm 19:1-4:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of God’s hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
This text says what I was trying to say in a much more profound and lyrical way.
If you would like to learn more about our solar panel project and/or participate in the crowd funding effort that it is supporting it go to www.re-volv.org/lakeshore
Peace,
Jim H.
Announcements
Flick Flack
This Friday, January 11 at 7 p.m., Darshan and Geetha will host a viewing of Human Flow. Human Flow, is a documentary on immigration and is a joint effort between the LABC’s Sanctuary Committee and Flick Flack to increase awareness about LABC’s involvement and commitment to the Sanctuary Movement. To accommodate the viewers, Geetha and Darshan will arrange for the showing to be in the sixth floor public room at their condo complex 565 Bellevue Avenue in Oakland. Each person/couple is asked to bring an appetizer of their choosing. From 7:00 to 7:30 we will share appetizers and conversation. At 7:30 we will view the film and follow with a discussion. Make your reservation with Dale Edmondson at edmondsons62@comcast.net or 510.483.6836.
Forever Young
Meets this Saturday for lunch and a great program presented by Jerry and Charlene. Please RSVP to George Lee.
Mosaic
KPIX Channel 5, 5:30 a.m. Pastor Jim discusses the top religious news stories of 2018 with two of his colleagues.
Sunday Worship
Pastor Allison will preach at LABC. Pastor Jim will be preaching at Grace Baptist Church, San Jose.
Loving God, We trust in you even in those moments when January feels less like a fresh start and more like a reminder of painful days gone by. Amen