July 13, 2015
Dear LABC,
I trust that you found this past Sunday’s consideration of “end of life options” to be helpful. Compassion, control, communication, clarity and community seem to be chief the among the those things that help one choose a good death. Two very accessible books that I quoted from on Sunday are “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters In the End” by Atul Gawande and ” A Faithful Farewell: Living Your Last Chapter With Love” by Marilyn Chandler McEntyre.
This coming Sunday, July 19, Lari Musatti and Vic Archey will exchange their wedding vows as part of our service of worship with a reception to follow in Barnett Hall. The LaSalle Street Dxieland Jazz Band will provide the music for the morning.
In his majority opinion in Obergefell v Hodges, the Supreme Court decision making marriage equality the law of the land, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than they once were.” Lari has asked me to lift up these words as she and Vic are married.
Many of LABC’s allies in the cause of justice are observing a Week of Righteous Resistance this week in a call for an end to the burning of black churches and for a national repentance for the sins of white supremacy and structural racism. The Twitter handle for this essential commitment is #ThisisWORR.
Bettigene Johnson died last week after a long illness. Her memorial service will be Saturday, July 18 at 11:00 at Cosmopolitan Baptist Church, 988 85th Avenue in Oakland. We give thanks for Bettigene and all she meant to our congregation.
Prayers of the Congregation
- Vic and Lari as they are married and as they grieve the death of Vic’s nephew
- The family of Bettigene Johnson as they mourn
- Ruben Artery for his brothers
- Jessie Guiton for her sister
- Carol and Steve Leichter
- Joan Patten for her friend Paula
- Karen Okusu for her mom
- Sydney Webster for her father
- Marie Johnson for Dilcie
- George Lee for his friend Fawn
- Doris And Ted Evans for their family
- Kay Baxter for her family
- Connie Hector for her family
- Sandra Dunn for her father
- Sheila Sims for her mother and father
- Helen Roberson and family
- Katrina Lau as she seeks affordable housing
- Edna Dorenzo
- Virginia Damretzky
- Frances Graham
- Mary Karne for Maryla
- Alice Butler for her neighbor Hans
- Whitley Joachim as she participates in a Summer of Service in NYC
- All who are traveling
- Dale Edmondson as he preaches at Shell Ridge Community Church this Sunday
- LeAnn Flesher as she prepares to deliver a paper at the International Society of Biblical Literature
- All the neighborhoods of Oakland
- Thanksgiving for the LABC Grief and Loss Ministry
- Thanksgiving for the LABC Vacation Bible Camp
- Thanksgiving for all involved in #ThisisWORR
- Thanksgiving for our new members Linda Earl and Rafael Soto
- Thanksgiving with the Picou-Broadnax family for good new
- Thanksgiving for the life and ministry of James A. Dunn
A Summer Tradition
LABC is going to The A’s game on Friday evening July 31. Pastor Jim will be cooking hot dogs at a tailgate before the game and there will be fireworks after the game. Contact Pastor Allison or Jesus Portillo by this Sunday to purchase your tickets. The cost is $14 per ticket.