Prayers 12 9 2012
*Welcome to the Second Sunday in Advent
*Church Membership Meeting, 1:30, 6 testimonies, election of officers, board and committee members, and adoption of the 2013 budget; pork buns before the meeting
*Lanna Coffee available for purpose after worship
*Senior Center, Wednesday, “Chinese Community in Deadwood, South Dakota with Anna Woo; See Dick and Anna Wong to register
*Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, Wednesday, 12:00, “congregational Power” panel;
*Next Sunday, 12/16, 9:30 Joint English Worship & Believers Baptism and Right Hand of Christian Fellowship
*Christmas Eve Pot-luck Supper, 6:00; see Diana Lee to coordinate the supper; Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols at 7:30
*2013 Pledges; please make a commitment
*Love Gift—John Tom
Prayer Concerns
*Kelly Lim; removed a cyst from her temple area behind her eye
Prayer of God’s People
Gracious God, we pause in wonder and adoration at the gift of the Incarnation. That you would leave your place in eternity to be with us, to be one of us, to accompany us on our journey while showing us that the journey is a mystery, no matter how many times we celebrate it. Thank you that by entering the human experience you mediated for us an understanding of your grace, love and forgiveness that we could not have known in such depth otherwise. We are grateful to you for showing us how to live, how to suffer, how to die, and how to prepare for our true destiny with you. It is with joy, gratitude and awe that we receive you into our midst yet again this Advent season.
Hear our prayers, Christ of Advent as we pray for Kelly Lim who is recovering from surgery to remove a cyst from her head. Grant her your mercy and healing so that she will be strong and full of life once again. Continue to bless Mrs. Chin and all those who are seeking good health in order to remain active and serving you in both their words and their deeds.
We praise you for how you work actively in our lives day by day and how you have become a central core in the lives of the 6 persons who will be sharing their testimonies this afternoon and joining the church to serve out their discipleship. Continue to bless them and all of us as we strive to be the hands and feet of Christ.
We come before you today because we need your presence, individually and as the body of Christ. We confess we are guilty of believing we can do all things on our own, without your help, without the help of others. Make us one body again, one in faith, one in hope, one in love. This we pray, anxiously waiting the birth of Christ who taught us to say together, “Our Father…”
Benediction
We have gathered, prepared, celebrated and received. Now let us go. Go to encounter and engage your world in such a way that those who meet you have met the incarnational presence of Christ. Know that God goes before you and with you and that you will meet no one along the way whom God has not appointed to be in your path. Amen.