January 9, 2018

Dear LABC,
This Sunday is our annual observance of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. Noting that in 1963 King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, my sermon will be “Abraham Lincoln: Save and Transform the Nation.” This sermon will be the second in my “Forged in Crisis: Becoming the World Needs Us to Be” series.
My central point will be that in the face of crisis, leaders  help their communities see the reason for their existence in powerful new ways. Jesus did this as he helped his followers understand that their faith was no longer to be rooted in ceremonial sacrifice but  rather in service to others. Lincoln did this as he helped the people of the United States see that their union was more than an agreement between states but that it was a sacred covenant “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” King did this as he shared his dream that civil rights movement would be more than a political reform effort but also a spiritual uprising that would lead to a time when all people would be judged not by the color of their skin but by “the content of their character.”
Following worship we will gather on Mandana Green to Stand and Sing for Justice.
Jim H.

Prayers of the Congregation

• Ruben Artery and Cecil White as they mourn the death of Ruben’s dad
• Declan Brown for his sister-in-law (health)
• James and Jewelle Gibbs for their son, Geoffrey (health)
• Jim and Bev Jeffery  as they mourn the death of their brother-in-law
• The members of the SF Kachin Baptist Church for members of the Kachin community, especially those in Burma and those who have been displaced
• The homeless members of our community
• The homebound members of our community
• The Pacific Coast Baptist Association family as it mourns the death of long time leader Don Sheppard
• Myra Saxton for Jim and Annette Coleman (Jim is very ill)
• Thanksgiving with Jeanne Robinson on the birth of her great-granddaughter, Zoey
• Thanksgiving with Joyce Jones, and great-grandpa Larry Sims, on the birth of
• Thanksgiving with Mary Karne that daughter Maryla is doing a bit better
• Thanksgiving with Alean Saunders-Coffey that brother Elvis is in better health
• Ann Fields for her family
• Gloria and Phil Meads for June and Billy (health)

Announcements

Our January Outreach Offering is the Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering. The RMMO provides us the opportunity to honor our retired ministers, missionaries and their families for their service to our churches.
I hope as many of you as possible will join me in representing LABC at the monthly meeting of the Interfaith Council of Alameda County this Thursday at the Visitor Center of the LDS Temple at the top of Lincoln Avenue in Oakland. Elected leaders of Oakland and Alameda County will be reporting on their efforts to address the needs our the homeless members of our community. 12:00 -2:00 p.m.
Forever Young meets for lunch and a program this Saturday at 12:30. Please RSVP with George or Sandra Lee.
East Bay Times Op-Ed – Success! Ceasefire program reduces gun violence