November 8, 2011
Thanks to the leaders and members of Lakeshore and Oakland First Baptist for your participation in Sunday’s quarterly meeting of the congregation. As always we have excellent leadership in place for the year ahead and a tentative budget that reflects concern for the staff, commitment to mission and care for our property.
This Sunday, November 13, is Pledge Sunday. At the end of Pastor Tanner’s sermon, which is entitled “Stewardship: A Sign of Christian Formation,’ everyone in attendance will be invited to bring their pledges of time, talent and treasure forward. Over the years this act has proven to be a moving symbol of community and commitment.
In an essay entitled “Why do we give?” written for the highly respected Alban Institute Craig A. Satterlee rightly observes – “Whether the topic is money and giving or anything else, preachers cannot forget the primary purpose of the sermon. From a Christian perspective, to preach is first and foremost to proclaim the good news ‘that God’s love, confirmed in Jesus Christ. is freely, graciously offered to each and all, and . . . that we are to love God with our whole selves and to love and do justice to our neighbors as ourselves.’ To preach stewardship, then, is to proclaim the gospel in such a way that Christians respond by giving their money, spending their time, using their abilities, or however we define stewardship in response and service to Christ, often by supporting Christ’s church – specifically, the congregation. Somehow, preaching stewardship is a response to God or the gospel. In this regard, the stewardship sermon is different from the fund-raising appeal made by the symphony, an alma mater, or the cancer society.”
Prayers of the congregation
- Jo and Paul Wilkinson on the death of a very good friend in an automobile accident
- Jesse Wilkinson on the death of a very good friend from a heart attack
- Joan Patten and Tess Benin for Edna Dorenzo
- Grant Hanson in Piedmont Gardens SNF
- Winston Neal in Kaiser Hospital
- Lura Ferguson, recently home from the hospital
- Thanksgiving the Michael Sumrall has been able to resume his work as our Minister in Training
- Shirley Jones for her brother
- Phil and Gloria Meads for their children
- Kay Baxter for her family and herself
- Cordia Lee for her family and her workplace
- Toni Daniels-Gordon for her family and herself
- Wil and Carol Ash for Ashley as her career advances
- Our Hunger Task Force as it prepares for Thanksgiving and Christmas ministries
- The peace of Oakland
- Sandra Dunn for her father and herself
- Bette Pancoe
- Helen Harrison
- Marie Johnson for the Patterson family
- Debra Dizen for her daughter
- Ryan and Amy Parker for Shannon
- The families of the Oakland Unified School District
- Darshan Thaker as he participates in a 100 mile race this weekend
- All our youth and their families
- America as it mourns the loss of boxing icon Joe Frazier
Announcements
Everyone interested in the International Mission of our American Baptist Churches is invited to a continental breakfast conversation with Reid Trulson, the Executive Director of the ABC/USA Board of International Ministries, this Saturday at 8:30 in the Family Room.
An invitation to all to join with Forever Young this Saturday at 12:30 in the Family Room for their November luncheon. There is always room at the Forever Young table!
The drawing for the quilt made by Ruth Smith and being offered in a raffle to support our Lakeshore Children’s Center will be held during the Coffee Hour this Sunday.