September 26, 2017

Dear LABC,
At Lakeshore the first Sunday of October is World Communion Sunday, the first Sunday for the World Mission Offering and the first of two Latino/a Heritage Sundays. It is also usually a travel day for me as I leave in the afternoon for Washington D.C. and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty board meetings.
The central text for Sunday is Matthew 21: 23-32. In this passage Jesus responds to a rather antagonistic question about why he is doing what he is doing with another question. His interchange with his accusers is example of the way Jesus used questions. Jayne Hugo Davis of the Center For Healthy Churches says it well.
When Jesus set out to develop his leaders, his disciples, those who would be tasked with the establishment of his Church long after he was gone, he used questions.  As they followed him from place to place, as they witnessed his actions and heard his words, as they tried to understand the kingdom of God and what it required of them, as they got it wrong again and again… Jesus continued to ask questions.
Jesus asked questions that challenged their assumptions about the world.  He asked questions that cut right to the heart of who they were – their hopes, their dreams, their motives.  He asked questions that got them to look beneath the surface and see the kingdom of God breaking into their world.
Even as we gather at the Communion Table we are greeted by questions: Why are we eating the little pieces of bread and drinking the small cups of juice? Who needs to be at this table with us? What difference does our participation make?

Prayers of the Congregation

• Yvonne Young for all children and families that struggle with mental and emotional issues. Prayers also for herself as she works with these children
• Larry Sims for his family
• Kay Baxter for her family
• Anthony Marshall and Leslyn Henry for Christopher Rodriguez and his mom, Jennifer
• Michael Hammer as she seeks a more stable life
• Sean Gallaher as he seeks a more stable life
• Lari Musatti for her cousin George
• All who are recovering from fires, floods and earthquakes, and all who are providing recovery assistance
• Katrina Lau
• David and Carol Bartlett and family
• All our home bound members
• All our students and teachers
• Justice for the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar
• Jeanne Robinson for her granddaughter Emily, great-granddaughter Isabella and family
• Robert Wilkins
• Mary Karne for Maryla
• Ann Fields for her family
• Alodia Corpuz for her family
• Zondra Martin for her family
• Thanksgiving for work of The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty

Announcements

The Memorial Service for Rowena Jackson will be this Saturday, September 30 at 2:00.
If you can help with food for the Coffee Hour this Sunday (Latino/a Heritage) please contact Jesse Lucas.