September 23. 2014

I hope each of  you appreciated Homecoming Sunday as much as I did. The hard work of the Ladies Night Out Group, the Voices of Lakeshore, the Department of Outreach and Membership and the Department of Worship and Congregational Care, the Department of Educational Ministries, the Scholarship Committee, Celestine Bennett as well as  the LABC Staff was much in evidence. Thanks to all who played a role.
If you were not able to purchase a copy of “Hymns of our Faith,” a booklet containing interviews of LABC members by  our Youth Group in regard to our members’ favorite hymns, on Sunday you will most certainly want to do so. It is a delightful publication. Thanks to our youth, Amber Picou-Broadnax and Pastor Tanner for making an good idea a wonderful reality.
Congratulations are in order to three of our members:

• Karen Okusu on being named as the 2014 recipient of the Daisy Funderburk Award for Christian Education 
• Carolyn Matthews on being selected as a Negro Sprituals Heritage Keeper by The Friends of Negro Spirituals.
• Jewelle Taylor Gibbs’ on the publication of her most recent book, “Destiny’s Child: Memoirs of a Preacher’s Daughter.” She will be reading from it  as part of a panel at Oakland’s African-American History Museum and Library on October 18, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

On Sunday, September 28, I will preach from the beautiful Christ Hymn of the second chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. My sermon will be “The Placebo Effect.” The theme of the sermon will be that there is much faith, hope and love in us that simply needs to be energized or activated. It is the Paul’s understanding that walking in the way of Jesus energizes and activates these.
Jim H,

Announcement

The Annual Meeting of the Evergreen Baptist Association will be held in Kent, Washington (southern suburb of Seattle) October 10-11). Please consider being a LABC representative.
LABC Reads meets in the Library this Saturday at 9:00 to discuss Americanah.
The memorial service for Sylvia Lee will be this Sunday at 2:00. Sheila Sims is organizing the reception and would find it helpful to know how many folks to prepare for. Please let Sheila or me know if you plan to attend.
The current edition of SF Magazine contains as fairly accurate portrayal of the Ceasefire program that our congregation plays a significant role in.