Prayers 9 16 2012
*Welcome!
*Today is a very special day with many significant events that you would want to be a part of—at 9:00 Worship this morning, it was “Back to Church Sunday” when a special effort was made to invite old and new friends back to church; there was a reception, magnets given out, and you might have noticed that a new sandwich board is now in front of the YMCA
*If you happen to miss the “Back to Church Sunday” at 9:00, you will not be disappointed because there are still a host of events coming up today:
*Dedicate the Church Nursery today after it has been completely renovated after the water damages it sustained last Spring—Barbara Chan and Beverly Chan are with us today
*Overview Series begins today immediately following this worship service at the YMCA when 80 plus people have signed up to attend all or some of the next 13 Sunday classes; thanks to Dr. Chuck for providing leadership for this
*After your minds have been stimulated at the Overview Series, come back across the street to attend the Farewell Reception for Pastor Jane Lam who served our church for 10 years as the Community Outreach Director; there’ll be sandwiches (some with meat), fruit, and cake
*And if you haven’t had enough festivities for one day and were fortunate to purchase a ticket for the banquet tonight, there’s the 50th Anniversary of the Emmanuel Family Group event at the Basque Cultural Center in South SF that starts at 5:00 today!
*Proposed Sunday Morning Hours Q&A Forum, 1:30, Sanctuary
*Seminarians Scholarship Fund will be collected today and next Sunday; these funds are made available for persons who receive a calling to the Christian Ministry; if you know of persons who are interested in attending seminary, please let them know the availability of these funds
*Next 2 Sundays, you’ll have the benefit of hearing Dr. Chuck and Pastor Visal bring the messages at 10:20 Service while Joy and I will be celebrating our 40th Anniversary in Australia and Singapore
*Upcoming events worth noting:
*Senior Retreat, Oct. 2-4
*Senior Center, Oct. 3
*Membership Meeting, Oct. 7 to receive the 2013 Proposed Budget
*ABC Oregon Annual Gathering at FBC, Alameda, Oct. 19-21
*Youthquake at Burmese Baptist Mission Church, Oakland, Oct. 19-21
Dedication of the Church Nursery
The first place that a young family visiting a church sees is the Church Nursery. It’s the first introduction of the church to the life of a child. This is where the infant will be nursed. This may be the place where a toddler begins to crawl. It is definitely the place where a young child receives the love of Jesus from the dedicated and loving teachers and helpers.
In a plant nursery, young plants and trees get a good start before they are replanted outside to survive the inclement weather. In an animal nursery, baby animals are often bottle-fed until they are able to hunt for their own food. In our Church Nursery, the babies and toddlers are given bau bau, taught to play together, and receive the nurture and support from teachers and helpers so that they will grow up to become faithful disciples.
Moses’ mother left baby Moses in a straw basket so that Pharaoh’s daughter would take him in the Egyptian household so that Moses eventually will become the liberator of the Israelites from slavery. Elizabeth in her old age gave birth to John who will eventually baptize Jesus. And Mary, chosen by God to bring God’s Son, Jesus Christ laid him in the manger and eventually in God’s time, died on the cross so that we may have everlasting life. We have no idea what could happen upstairs in that Church Nursery!
We thank our contractor, Elias Reyes who repaired the floor and installed Quiet Wood in order to mitigate the noise of little feet making it difficult to hear in the sanctuary because Elias being a Christian himself donated much of his time for the project. We thank Norman Chin who spent 4 nights repainting the room. We thank Jackie Chou and Jon Ng who assembled and designed the new layout for the Nursery with new furniture. We thank Becky Lessler and her team of Nursery staff who moved everything out of the room and yesterday moved everything back into the Nursery so that the children can be in it today.
And we give special thanks to Barbara Chan, Beverly Chan and Susan Chan who can’t be with us this morning but will be at the EFG banquet tonight for the generosity and forethought of their parents, Ed and Helen Chan who left in their estate, $25,000 to FCBC. When the need of our Church Nursery was made known to the Chan sisters, they gave their unanimous support for making this happen.
Today, we dedicate the Church Nursery to welcome little ones into God’s family.
Let us pray. Loving God, You bless us with babies and toddlers and you have given us this newly renovated Church Nursery to welcome these little ones into your church family. May these children receive your love and grace through the lives and faithfulness of our teachers and helpers. Bless the parents and families as we grow together in Christ. Amen.
Prayer Concerns
*Celebrated the life of Mrs. Shuk Han Tom, John Tom’s mother this past weekend
*Rev. Augie Bau’s father, 92 is in hospice care
*Anti-American violence around the world, the deaths of Americans and specifically those in Libya, and the tolerance of Americans to be respectful of each other’s religious beliefs
Prayer of God’s People
Gracious God, author of time, yet beyond time, you know the beginning, middle, and end of the seasons. You have ordained the cycles of life from the greatest to the smallest of creatures. You know the thoughts of humans and the nature of plants. Today we give you thanks, lifting up our hands and hearts and hopes in gratitude, that you who designed the universe have found us and taught us, led us, and saved us.
On this very special day, we dedicate all the activities, the words offered, the conversations exchanged to honor you and bring forth glory. We pray for greater passion for inviting others to know the Good News of Jesus Christ so that their lives may be saved from sin. We pray that parents of young children will bring their infants and toddlers to the church nursery to receive your loving care and for parents to grow in their Christian walk with you. As creatures created in your holy image, we pray that we would always be open to learning and growing toward the full stature of being a worthy disciple as we begin the Overview Series today.
O God, guide our steps today as we know that you have done in the past. Watch over Pastor Jane Lam as she embarks on to new and challenging ministries with her passion for immigrant ministries. We thank you for blessing FCBC for the past 10 years as one who cared for the weak, who advocated for the poor, and who has the love of Christ in her heart.
And for 50 years, we thank you, Lord for your ever-presence with the Emmanuel Family Group who through their faithfulness has advanced your Kingdom on earth. We pray that they will continue to give of themselves as you have most generously given to them.
On this 16th Sunday after Pentecost, we remember when tongues of fire descended, sending us forward aflame with the Spirit, passionate for the good news and prepared to go out to tell the world. Lord, we know that you do not require flowery language but only a pure heart. You do not insist that every note be perfect, every action timed, every sentenced structured to enthrall all who might hear, but only our sincere and most honest prayers. For our prayers are meant not for each other, but for you.
Forgive us when we have spoken words that have hurt others and lead us to use our mouths for healing and bring unity among your beloved community. We pray for peace and understanding around the world when anti-American sentiments have caused deaths, violence, and suffering. Show us, O God, that your love for your human family extends to all people even to those who share other religious traditions and beliefs.
All these things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together, “Our Father…”
Benediction
As the rudder guides the ship, let the word of God set your course this day.
May you go into the world from this place
Renewed in your faith and filled with hope
To share God’s gift of love
As it has been so graciously shared with you.
Amen.
Pastor Jane Lam’s Farewell Reception
*Welcome!
*Plaque from FCBC—Peter
*Words and Gift from FNS—Che Chiu Yee
*Telephone wire bowl—Don
*Prayer—Visal
Zulu Wire Basket
From South Africa, we have this Zulu wire bowl for you. The past and future are fused together in the creation of this beautiful bowl. This is a traditional design but using modern day telephone wires. We hope that the past10 years that you have been with us will also launch you forward into the future that God has planned for you.
Some people come to life with the thinking that the bowl is either half empty or half full. We give you this bowl with our hope and prayers that this bowl represents God’s blessings of grace and mercy that are overflowing. May God bless you always.