October 16, 2012
Dear Lakeshore,
Karen and I remain grateful to you for your prayers, cards, emails, flowers at the memorial service in Denver and other expressions of caring as we continue to mourn the death of our niece. Your support is a very present help in a time of trouble.
This Sunday we continue to celebrate all the “Ages and Stages’ which are represented in our congregation as we honor those of us who are middle aged. My sermon will again be taken from the book of Hebrews (5: 1-10) and will again consider the work of Jesus our Priest. The priestly work of Jesus is one of the major themes in the lengthy exhortation that is the book of Hebrews and a theme that can have meaning for every stage of life.
As such, I believe it is important for us to expand our religious vocabulary to include reference to Jesus as our priest. As Baptists, we believe deeply in the priesthood of all believers and we model our priesthood on that of Jesus. Specifically, as our priest Jesus brought God to us by showing that there is more to our enemies than evil, more to religion than a race for recognition and more to God than judgement. We endeavor to make these same practices and principles real in our life together.
Prayers of the Congregation
- All who are mourning
- Kay Baxter for Jamie and Stacey
- Toni Daniels-Bradley for Jullien, Pamela, and Ken
- Warren and Camille Parker or Susie and Minnie
- Cordia Lee for John, Paige, Erica Green and herself
- Brigitte King for her own faith development
- Gloria and Phil Meads for Cynthia, Sam and Max
- Larry and Leona Sims for their children and grandchildren
- Carolyn Person for Hershall Vinson, and Kitson her cousin
- Joan Thatcher
- Jim Robinson
- Pam and John Claassen
- Mary Sue Meads for her son
- Steve and Katy Reimer as they care for Greg
- Wally Bryen for his mom
- Chuck Johnston for his dad
- Malala Yousafzai, the 14 year old Pakastani girl sho in the head by Taliban gunmen
- LCC Director Rae Rita for her father
- LCC Teacher Leticia as she mourns the death of her father
- LCC Teacher Angelique
- Marie Johnson for Donnie
- Al Johnson and Roy Browner
- Joan Patten for Paula and Lois
- Georgia Upshaw for Virgina Axtell
- Sandra Dunn for her father
- Chris Boisvert for his mom
- Ted and Doris Evans for their family
- All our teachers, students school employees and their families
- Carol and Steve Leichter
- Cecil White as he mourns the death of a colleague
- The Youthquake Event this weekend and Pastor Tanner as she plans for it
- The SF Kachin Baptist Church as they dedicate new leaders this Sunday evening
Announcements
I am looking forward to being the moderator of a most interesting panel discussion at the Baptists Lunching Together gathering this Wednesday. A panel of gay and lesbian Baptist Clergy (Rick Mixon, Esther Hargis, and Wally Bryen) will discuss the shape and challenge of their respective ministries. They will share what they have learned and what they would like to pass on to the next generation of GLBT clergy. If you would like to attend both the 12:15 luncheon and the program to follow please email me at jim@labcoakland.org and I will get you signed up. You can also simply come to Grand Lake Gardens (401 Santa Clara, 6th Floor) for the program at 1:00.
Our Diversity Month Celebration concludes with an after worship potluck on October 28. I hope you are planning on bringing something scrumptious.
Contact Allison at allison@labacoakland.org if you can help with the Community Harvest Festival and Halloween Parade on Saturday, October 27.