Midweek Message

September 20, 2011

Jim Hopkins

September 20, 2011

Thanks to all who helped make our multi-themed Sunday on September 18 such a wonderful day.  From the Membership Invitation Breakfast to Alliance of Baptists Sunday to the music of Stan and Lenny to the Hispanic/Latino Heritage Coffee Hour and Forum to the Youth barbecue at the Claassen’s it was truly a “Lakeshore At Its Best” sort of day.
This Sunday Vy Ngyuen the Director of Church World Service in Northern California will be with us to bring greetings in worship and to lead the Forum.  Church World Service is supported by many Christian denominations and in the face of both natural disaster and unrelenting human need it is often the best way for churches and individuals to get aid directly to those in need.
My sermon on Sunday will be “Humility, Humus and Hope.” The central Scripture will be Psalm 25:1-10 in which we read “He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.”  This Psalm makes a connection between humility and hope. It teaches that humility is a gateway to the essential human need named hope.

Prayers of the Congregation

  • The family of Glenn Knight as they mourn his death.  Glenn died on Tuesday morning, September 20.  His funeral will be in Fresno.  There will be a Bay Area Memorial Service later in the year.  Glenn set a high standard of excellence for all American Baptist pastors who followed after him.
  • George White
  • Thanksgiving with Carol Leichter was she able to be in worship
  • Robert Furger (PICO California) – For her mom
  • Hallie Randel _ For her family
  • Sandra Dunn-  For her father
  • Kay and Jamie Reid – Healing for Jamie, strength for Kay
  • Paige Bence and John Lee – For Paige’s sister and family as they continue to mourn the death of their daughter
  • Phil and Gloria Meads – Gratitude for a safe trip to California for Joy and Jon and job interviews for Jon
  • Ann Fields – Prayers for her family
  • Thanksgiving with the Hopkins family that Ethan seems to be doing well in class and adjusting to life on the prairie
  • Margaret Alexander for LaShaya
  • The ministry of Church World Service
  • Thanksgiving that June Wilder is recuperating well from surgery
  • Bette Pancoe
  • Edna Dorenzo
  • Susan Joachim
  • Mikki Boyd – for her dad
  • Helen Harrison – for Karen Casey and Seyer Maldanado
  • Tess Benin for all those she cares for
  • Thanksgiving that Karen Okusu has decided to become a member of Lakeshore

Commentary

The Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied clemency to Troy Davis clearing the way for the state to proceed with the execution of Mr. Davis even though 7 of the 9 witnesses who testified against him at his murder trial have since recanted their testimony.  As the bumper sticker I saw this morning stated “Tell me again how killing people is the best way of teaching people that killing people is wrong.”