October 30, 2018

Dear LABC,
It was a week full of violence and threats of violence in the United States. As we pray for the grieving of Pittsburgh and Louisville as well as those shaken by the threat of bombs in the mail let us commit ourselves anew to the more excellent way of Jesus who walked among us as one poor, outcast and reviled.
This coming Sunday is All Saints Sunday (The Day of The Dead Altar will still be up. Please bring photos of your deceased loved ones and put them on the altar.) We will also observe the Lord’s Supper. Hebrews 12: 1-2 will be our central Scripture. In my sermon I will ask us what it means to be “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.”
Pause, a wonderful time of personal reflection, will be held this Friday evening, November 2nd, from 6:00 – 8:00

Prayers of the Congregation

• Thanksgiving with Jennifer and Chad on the birth of Isabella Bette Pancoe-Gurney (October 23)
• Thanksgiving with Angela Sherman and family on her baptism
• Thanksgiving with Hallie and Michael as they prepare for the birth of their baby
• George and Sandra Lee as the mourn the death of Helen
• Wally Bryen for his mom, Edith
• Mary Karne for her daughter, Maryla
• Delores for her grandson
• Jim Dorr as he recuperates from eye surgery and grieves the death of a neighbor
• Joel Reyes as he recuperates
• Brian Byamakuma for the church and orphanage he founded in Uganda
• Robert Wilkins (health)
• The justice seeking ministry of the Oakland Community Organizations
• The recovery, feeding and housing ministries of City Team
• Alice Butler for family and friends
• Myra Saxton for family and friends
• Marie Johnson for family and friends
• Helen Harrison for family and friends
• Whitley for her friend, Jenny
• All who are grieving
• James and Jewelle Gibbs (health)
• Phil and Gloria Meads (health)
• Dave and Sheryl Gattey (health)
• The people of Indonesia (earthquake, airplane crash)
• Rita and Irene Jennings and family

Announcements

From The Interfaith Council of Alameda County
In the aftermath of the murders of 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA we call on the people of our communities to heed the words of the late Jewish sage, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel:
A religious person is someone who holds God and humanity in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair.
We commit ourselves to the ways of love even as we grieve.
This Sunday is the Good Time-Change Sunday. Set your clocks back!