November 18, 2014
Tyrone and I thank you for the wonderful celebration of our birthdays at the Coffee Hour on Sunday. The food was wonderful and the words of appreciation will long be treasured.
The pledges we made have yet to be tabulated but thank you for the many ways you participate in the ministry of LABC. If you have not had an opportunity to return a financial pledge, or a time and talent survey, I invite you to do so before the end of the month. We would like to have a fairly complete report for the Church Council when it meets on December 16.
The weeks ahead hold many good things for us:
- Soup and Study will conclude its reading of Ecclesiastes on Tuesday evening and begin reading the Gospel of Luke on November 25. The Wednesday Prayer and Bible Study has completed Ecclesiastes and will begin Luke this week. This is a great time to join one of the studies.
- The American Baptist Seminary of West and Zaytuna College will host a panel discussion, “The Bible and the Quran,” focusing on the figure of Abraham, this Wednesday evening, November 19 at 7:30 in Zaytuna’s LeConte Sanctuary, 2401 LeConte in Berkeley.
- Our youth will lead this Sunday’s Thanksgiving Worship service. After worship we will fill the Thanksgiving baskets that will be distributed on Tuesday the 25th.
- The Oakland Kiwanis Club and Lake Merritt United Methodist Church join together to serve a Thanksgiving meal to over 500 people on Thanksgiving Day. Volunteers are needed to prepare the meal on Wednesday the 26th and serve it on Thursday the 27th. Contact Jesse Lucas.
- Sunday, November 30, the first Sunday of Advent is our next “Kid Friendly” (still looking for a better title) worship service.
- Hanging of the Greens is coming. Volunteers are needed to help decorate the Family Room and Sanctuary for Advent and Christmas following worship on November 30. Stone Soup will be served!
Autumn Prayer
God of all seasons, we thank you for Autumn.
We thank you
for the touch of coolness in the air that gives us a new burst of energy,
for the coloring of trees that shows the creativity of the Divine Artist,
for the falling leaves that reveal the strength of the branches,
for the hues of fields that bring peace to our souls,
for the smiles on pumpkins that bring joy to children,
for the fall harvest which that brings us gratitude for the bounty of our land,
for this change of seasons that reveals the circle of life.
God of all seasons, as you transform the earth, transform us by your Spirit.
Amen.
Prayer written by Doug Leonhardt, S.J.