Prayers 11 25 2012
*Welcome and I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was wonderful.
*Christmas Workshops today, Fellowship Hall, crafts, cookie bake, senior high fundraising lunch, and Lanna Coffee and Chinatown books for purchase as Christmas gifts
*Lanna Coffee begins its 7th year; freshly roasted coffee delivered this past week; regular one pound bags (buy 2 pounds, get 1 pound free) and the popular half pound red gift bags for giving as Christmas gifts to friends, colleagues and family; fair trade; “Every Sip Saves Lives!”
*2013 Pledge; EFG—Evangelism, Fellowship, Go; there’s more to the alphabet after “G” so we invite you to participate in the future of FCBC next year by submitting your pledge today; ushers will give you a pledge card
*Membership Meeting, 2 Sundays from today will be the time to adopt the 2013 budget so your pledge counts
Prayer Concerns
*Rosalind Wong passed on Friday, Nov. 23 after battling cancer; prayers are with her husband Ed and for cousin Butch Chan
*Mrs. Chin is now in a nursing home and stabilized
Prayer of God’s People
O God, Alpha and Omega, First and Last, we praise you for your reign. In the beginning was the Word, in the world was Jesus, and at time’s end you will come in glory upon the clouds and all shall be well with the world. We are thankful that you are not like a king of this world, but that your love in spirit and truth. You are the prince of peace who reigns in love.
On this Sunday after we have celebrated giving thanks to you for all the blessings and abundance that we have, we pray for the upcoming season of Advent that reminds us of your coming into the world to save and to proclaim Good News for all people. We pray for the candidates who are preparing for Baptism and joining this church to serve as faithful disciples. We pray for the many people who have been invited to serve as officers, board and committee members to utilize their gifts and talents to lead our church to be a vital witness of grace and peace. We lift up the opportunity to give of our resources and more importantly, Lord, our lives to follow you wherever you may lead us to participate in your Kingdom work.
While we know we are so wonderfully blessed, we are also affected by life’s trials and challenges that beckon us to pause and to care for those who are sick, worried, and have returned to you. Comfort Ed Wong with grace and love in the passing of his wife, Rosalind this past Friday. Grant encouragement to Marian, Betty, Norman, Wyman and their entire family as their mother, Mrs. Chin is resting and remaining faithful according to your plan for her long life.
Lord God, we look beyond our limitations to you, to see what it means to live richly and well. We walk in your footsteps so that we may grow in love for all humanity. We weep with you that so many still need to learn new things that make for peace. We are thankful that we have you as our King, as our redeemer, and as the one who reigns forever and who took the time to be with us on earth and taught us to pray, “Our Father…”
Benediction
Speak the truth, Speak of Jesus. Live in love. Live like Jesus.
King Jesus loves us and frees us from our sins by his blood, and makes us to live under his reign; his glory and dominion are forever and ever. Amen.