May 19, 2015
Happy Birthday to Aaron Hopkins and Phil Meads both of whom have birthdays today. Aaron is now the same age as I was when the Hopkins family first arrived at LABC. Time like an ever rolling stream . . .
Bike to Church Sunday was a joy. On a cool and foggy Sunday we had six bikes in the bike rack, eclipsing our previous high of four. Thanks to Hallie R., Don D., and the Department of Social Concerns for all their good work. In the afternoon we had a good turnout for Stand and Sing for Justice. Thanks to Carolyn Matthews and all who joined to sing our hope for improved police/community relations throughout the land.
May 24 will be another multi-themed Sunday as we celebrate both Pentecost Sunday (wear red!) and Asian-Pacific Heritage Sunday. Alodia Corpuz and her sister, Mercedes Bongolan, will be singing as part of the service. My sermon, taken from Acts 2:1-13, is titled “A Breath of Fresh Air.” This text describes the coming of the Holy Spirit as a breath of fresh air that invigorates, refreshes and enlivens the believing community. It leads us to consider the many ways in which the earth, and the people of the earth, are in need of a breath of fresh air.
Prayers of the Congregation
- The participants in, and leaders of, our Grief and Loss Ministry
- Karen Okusu for her mom
- Sydney Webster for her dad
- Ruben Artery for his brother
- Sheryl and Dave Gattey for Sheryl’s mom and their nephew Phil
- Jerry and Charlene Wolf for Jerry’s mom
- Tyrone Mack for his mom
- Kay Baxter and family
- Sandra Dunn for her father and herself
- Joan Thatcher, health concerns
- Linda Earl for her sister-in-law Sophia
- Ted and Doris Evans
- Rae Rita Thompson for her father and her uncle
- Phil, Gloria and Cindy for Jean, June, Alice and Jerry
- Myra Saxton for her mother
- Ken Betts (owner of gas station next door), health concerns
- Larry Sims and family
- Thanksgiving with Bjoe Morris on a place to live
- Thanksgiving with Sydney Webster on her graduation from ABSW
- Pastor Jim for his nephew Drew and great-nephew Kellen
- All who are traveling
- Ann Fields for her family
- Bettigene Johnson, hospice care
- Georgia Upshaw for her brother
- Mary Karne for her daughter Maryla
- Al Johnson and Roy Browner
- The Picou-Broadnax family
- The homeless residents of our Lakeshore neighborhood
- President Obama and family
- Thanksgiving with Whitley Joachim and family on her graduation from the University of the Puget Sound
- Thanksgiving with Carol Leichter on a good trip to visit her mom and for Steve’s increased strength
- The people pf Puerto Rico in the face of economic uncertainty
- The ministry of Shell Ridge Community Church
- The ministry of the American Baptist Homes of the West
- The ministry of the American Baptist Seminary of the West
- The ministry of our Hunger Task Force
- The ministry of the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering
- The ministry of the Evergreen Baptist Association
- Thanksgiving for President Jesse Lucas and the Kiwanis Club of Oakland for their long standing scholarship program
- Thanksgiving for the life and music of B.B. King
- The ministry of California Interfaith Power and Light
- The ministry of First Baptist Church of Palo Alto
The coming of Memorial Day reminds us to remember with gratitude the great sacrifices many make for the well being of the United States of America.