September 3, 2015

The refrain to one of the songs that is used frequently by the instructors at my Spin classes is “Come with me now.” These four words can be put to a host of purposes. They capture the essence of Jesus’ invitation to humanity, they summarize the appeal made by political candidates to prospective voters, they are at the heart of proposals of marriage and they get to the heart of my column this month. Come with me now, come with me to:

1. Worship on September 6 as we celebrate our membership in the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.
2. “A Place to Reflect” on Friday evening, September 11, anytime between 5:30 and 7:30 in our Sanctuary.
3. Our “All Church Workday” on Saturday morning, September 12, between 9:00 and 12:00.
4. Worship on September 13 as we think of the places we can count on God meeting us.
5. The Baptists Lunching Together Luncheon at Grand Lake Gardens on September 16 at noon. I will be leading a panel reporting on the American Baptist Mission Summit which I attended in June.
6. Homecoming Sunday, September 20 as we Worship, Stand and Sing for Justice, share a meal, conduct some business and present the Daisy Funderburk Award for Excellence in Christian Education.
7. LABC Reads on Saturday morning, September 26 at 9:00 as we discuss “Destiny’s Child: Memoirs of a Preacher’s Daughter” by our own Jewelle Taylor Gibbs.
8. Worship on September 27 as I preach a sermon titled “An Unofficial God,” taken from the book of Esther. My theme will be that God is not hindered by a lack of governmental recognition or public embrace. God does not need a plaque at City Hall to do God’s work.
9. Oakland Community Organization’s 38th Anniversary Dinner at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension, Sunday evening September 27. We have purchased a table for this event. Let me know if you can represent us. (Suggested donation is $40.)
10. Our “Blessing of the Animals” on Saturday, October 3 at 2:00, on the front steps of the Sanctuary.
11. The Evergreen Baptist Association Convention on October 9-11, Friday through Sunday, at the First Baptist Church of Palo Alto where the Reverend Dr. Randle R. (Rick) Mixon is the pastor. Baptist Churches are autonomous but we are strengthened by healthy relationships like those embodied within the Evergreen Baptist Association, our regional home.
12. A series of New Member classes on October 11 following Worship. We will also meet on October 25 and November 1.

Come with me now.
Peace,
Jim H.