June 27, 2017

Dear LABC,
I am looking forward to representing LABC at the American Baptist Mission Summit (Biennial Convention) in Portland later this week. Pastor Tanner, Dean LeAnn Flesher, Dr. John Landgraf, Laura Landgraf (Laura will be leading a workshop based on her book, The Fifth Sister: From Victim to Victor – Overcoming Child Abuse)  and Reverend Paul Keener will also represent us. I will be staying with Karen’s brother and family and am looking forward to that as well.
I will return Saturday evening for worship on July 2. My sermon, taken from James 1: 22-25 (Be doers of the word and not hearers only),  will be “Paying Lip Service to Liberty.”  As part of my sermon I will quote from Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address in which he said said the American people were enduring the Civil War because of their willingness to pay service to liberty by countenancing the existence of slavery in the United States of America. Reverend Carolyn Matthews will lead our service of Communion.

Prayers of the Congregation

• Jewelle Gibbs for her sister and brother-in-law (health)
• Paige and Gloria for understanding and peace among diverse communities
• Joan Patten for Peter, Cynthia, Greg and her coming trip
• Larry Hutchings for all who mourn and for Larry Pierce who is very ill
• Doris Evans – Thanksgiving for love in a time of loss
• Alice Butler – Thanksgiving that nephew Fletcher is getting better
• Jan Scott – That Medicaid will be saved
• Geetha Thaaker for her uncle and her dad (health)
• Pam Claassen for he friend Susan (health)
• Jessie Guiton for her daughter Luana (health)
• Ken Kirkey for his cousin Lester and family
• Marie Johnson for her family, thanksgiving that Marian was in worship
• Mary Karne for her daughter, Maryla (health)
• Rick McKillop for his parents (health), thanksgiving for his family
• The people of Syria
• The homeless of Oakland
• All who live in fear of losing their medical care
• The leaders of our city, state and nation
• Kay Baxter for her family
• Thanksgiving with Helen Roberson on an answer to her housing concerns