Prayers 12 16 2012
*Welcome to the 3rd Sunday in Advent and to this special service of Believers Baptism
*Welcome all family and friends who are here to welcome our 6 new members today
*Sidewalk Welcome Reception following this service at 11:00, weather permitting
*Adopted the 2013 Budget last Sunday unanimously but your pledges and contributions count; if you haven’t submitted your pledge, please do so today
*The CCU Cemetery has a new gate, Grace Memorial Gate to be dedicated on Monday, 12/17, 11:00 followed by lunch at the All Season Restaurant, 5238 Diamond Heights Blvd, SF; see David Wong and Pastor Peter for more information
*Christmas caroling at CCDC buildings this Friday, 6:30; see Pastor Peter or Wallace Chu for more information
*Monday night, Dec. 24 is Christmas Eve; pot-luck supper at 6:00 followed by our annual candlelight service of lessons and carols; contact Diana Lee who is coordinating the supper
*Lanna Coffee available for purchase; Chinatown Stories, Vol. 3 available
*Annual reports are due; directory is receiving corrections and updates
*Love Gift—David Louie
Prayer Concerns
*All of us have been watching the pictures of the school shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut. We are shocked, saddened and angry at the way young innocent lives can be taken away from us with such cruelty and senselessness. I don’t want to use this tragedy for my platform but guns in the hands of mad people destroy lives beyond our human understanding and patience. We must dig deeper into the causes of disturbed and evil behavior that are at the roots of such violence. It may begin with stronger gun control but the causes are deep-seeded requiring better mental and social health care. Let us be more resolved to address these problems that we have in our country and around the world; let us not forget so quickly and move onto the next event in our lives and forget that we are people who have been created to care and love one another
Where is God we ask? God is present grieving and crying with those who have lost dear loved ones. God is present with those who came to help and provided safety. God is present with the countless people around the world reminding them that he does not condone such horrible acts. God is present with us reassuring us that as long as there is still evil in the world, God will overcome it.
We want to hug our children and loved ones a bit tighter today just like Jesus hugged and gathered the children around him.
Prayer of God’s People
Fill us with fire, God of Light, Christ of Glory, that we might not only honor your name in word, but by the seriousness with which we take your warnings and commands. We will share our extra coat, walk the extra mile, see every child as our own, and multiply miraculously the harvest until we see that there is enough to share. Let us begin here, as we worship you, so that our worship will be transformed into worshipful service in your name.
Today, our nation has a heavy heart when we see anguish and suffering from the families who have lost children and loved ones in the school shooting in Connecticut. Our hearts are indeed broken because we know so well when we are hurting, when we are grieving, when we lose our loved ones to tragedies that can be prevented. We pray for the healing of brokenness that only is possible in your mercy and grace. O God, we know you are crying with us when the sin and violence of our evil sides corrupt the beautiful world that you have created. Forgive us for our sins of violence and apathy and teach us to become a more loving and compassionate people. Comfort these people in Connecticut and comfort us to believe that we can still trust each other to do the right and moral thing.
On this special day when we welcome into fellowship the lives of 6 persons because you, O Lord, have touched these persons with your grace and they have come to believe and profess that you are Lord and Savior in their lives. In their new life in Christ, we pray that they will grow in Christian maturity and reach out to others with your love as good news in the world. Bless these new Christians with power and equip them with confidence to be Christ’s chosen servants.
In this season of Advent, we give you thanks for the vision of light, for the hope of the future, for the promise of a savior. In this season, we wait once more. We see in every expecting woman another Mary. We see in every child another prophet. We see in every gathering of people worshiping and praising God another time when the risen Christ is among us.
Gracious God, have mercy on us and forgive us for our sins against you and against each other. All honor, glory and blessings be yours, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together, “Our Father…”
Benediction
The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all.
Turn around your lives and wait for the blessed hope of the coming of Jesus Christ,
Our great God and Savior. Amen.