March 21, 2017
Dear LABC,
I just received word from Piedmont Gardens that Joan Thatcher died peacefully early this morning. Joan was a longtime member of LABC and was ordained here in 1973. She was one of the first Baptist women ordained in California. She loved the American Baptist tradition and devoted her life to its service. We are all the better for the way she loved our church as well as The Church. There will be a memorial service for Joan later in the spring.
Sunday reminded me that that there is no place on earth I would rather be on Sunday Morning than at LABC. Although the role I played yesterday was rather small it was a joy to sit in on meetings that mattered, to join in worship that was alive, to stand and sing for justice in public and to selflessly purchase cookies in pursuit of the common good at the Hunger Task Force Bake Sale.
I look forward to seeing each of you this Sunday as we conclude our Women’s History Month emphasis. Vernola Williams, a former Minister in Training, will be with us during the Forum to present her research into some of the outstanding African-American Woman Preachers of the nineteenth century.
My sermon will be titled “Let’s Start By Placing Blame.” In John’s account of Jesus’ healing of a man born blind (Jn 9:1-41) the first words spoken are a question from the disciples, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” I will explore with you the corrosive effects of continually focusing on blame.
Jim H.
Prayers of the Congregation
- Ted and Doris Evans
- Warren and Camille Parker
- James Chuck, Irene Jennings, and Gordon White (Piedmont Gardens SNF)
- Dave and Jo Robinson (Jo’s surgery rescheduled for May)
- Ruben Artery and Cecil White for Ruben’s nephew, River
- Skip Keller for his dad
- Lloyd Scott for family, friends and self
- Kay Baxter for her family, gratitude that Stacey will soon be starting a new job
- All who are traveling
- All who live with mental illness
- All who are grieving
- Jewelle Gibbs (recuperating)
- Jo and John Giles as they care for their expectant daughter
- Marian Ott (recuperating)
- Sandra Dunn
- Carol Travis as she cares for her brother
- Gloria Joseph and the Wilkinson family
- George Lee for Sophie
- Mary Karne for Maryla
- Alean Saunders-Coffey for her family
- Larry Sims for his family
- Sheila Sims for her mom
- Ann Fields for her family
- Marie Johnson for family, friends and colleagues
- Thanksgiving for the Public Witness of LABC
- Thanksgiving for the ministry of our Hunger Task Force
- Thanksgiving with Zondra Martin for answered prayer
- Thanksgiving with Aaron Jackson that he is cancer free
- The Oakland Unified School District as it searches for its next superintendent.
- The United States in these days of turmoil and confusion
- All who minister to immigrants and offer them service and sanctuary
Announcements
Please join us for Soup and Study or Wednesday Morning Prayer and Bible Study as we begin a three part study of the central Lenten theme of Sacrifice.