Prayers 2 20 2011
*Welcome
*2011 Biennial Offering; $1000 goal, $407 received
*Thailand Lanna Coffee Mission Trip Team; commissioned today, leave on Thursday until March 6th. Dr. Chuck will fill the pulpit at 10:20 while I am away.
*Say Amen! Gospel Ensemble fund-raiser luncheon, Pasto Feasto is next Sunday, 12:30, buy your ticket today
*BASS Workshops, March 3-5, church registrations already paid; pick up a catalog of workshops in the vestibule
*Inquirers Class begins on March 13, 3 Sundays from today
*Women’s Retreat, March 11-13, brochures are available
*”3 on 3 Basketball,” March 13, 1-4, at the Y, two levels of play, see flyer in the vestibule
*Ken Tom and Eunice Chung are engaged! Candy following the service
Prayer Concerns
*Walter Owyang’s Celebration of Life is on Saturday, Feb. 26, 11:30, Lord’s Grace Christian Church, 1101 San Antonio Rd., Mountain View; Donations can be made to: National Lung Cancer Partnership, 222 N. Midvale Blvd., Suite 6, Madison, WI 53705.
Prayer of God’s People
Dear Gracious Lord God, gather our thoughts and our hearts together to be in prayer with you. Settle our anxieties of things to do and our worries of daily living in order for us to listen to your plan for us as your faithful and obedient children. While we are never far from the bustling activities of humanity found just outside of our doors, we pray that for this little while, we can center on you and to hear your words of hope, joy, and peace.
We pray for our church and it’s vital ministries of proclaiming our Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Guide the work of our church boards and leaders to be dedicated in their tasks in carrying out your will through FCBC. Bless all of us here as disciples who are doing our unique and special part to build up the body of Christ and to let the whole world know that Jesus saves because of your unconditional love for your creation.
Watch over and protect the Thailand Lanna Coffee Mission team as they travel this Thursday to strengthen our will and ability to support missions and to end the horror of human trafficking. Open our eyes and our ears to empathize and to advocate for the importance of doing mission with people both at home as well as in faraway places.
We lift up for your care and mercy those in our midst who are in need of healing miracles. Be with…
As you have placed each one of us here on this planet to love you, Lord and our neighbor, we give thanks for our dear friend and your child, Walter Owyang as he is with you today in heaven. Comfort Ginny and their family at this time of loss and may the celebration of his life be also giving praise to you for your grace.
Thank you, O God for your love for us and forgive us when we turn away from you. We pray all of these things in the name of Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together, ”Our Father…”
Commissioning of the Thailand Lanna Coffee Mission Team
Invite Tommy Lim, Bonnie Lim, Steven Ng, and Anna Ng to come forward. Identify Mo Khan and Greg Ng.
The prophet Isaiah recorded, “Thus says God, “I am your God, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” (42:6-7)
What we hope will happen:
1. Learn more about how selling coffee can stop human trafficking; living in a village for 2 nights and introducing more people to this project.
2. Explore with the missionaries on how we can roast coffee for American drinkers and produce decaffeinated coffee.
3. Visit and give small ditty bags of gifts to the children with AIDS and HIV infected born to women rescued from prostitution.
4. Meet girls and young women who are learning new skills to be able to support themselves after being rescued.
5. For us personally, to have our eyes and ears opened and our hearts touched by the needs of people so that we will continue to support missions.
Isaiah also said, “How beautiful upon the mountains (of Thailand) are the feet of the messengers who announce peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”” (52:7)
Let us pray for the Thailand Lanna Coffee Team as they go to do missions.
Eternal God, you made the world and everything in it. You gave to all humankind life and breath and made from one woman and one man every nation on earth. We praise you and thank you for the calling you give to those who are special witnesses to the marvels of your grace. We thank you for prophets and apostles who have in times past spoken your truth, and for the ambassadors of Christ in every age who have gone forth into distant lands to bring light and healing to those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death. Protect our missionary team in the next 10 days. Above all, we thank you for Jesus Christ, whom you sent as your witness in the world and who has given us the hope that the kingdoms of this world will become your kingdom, with all sharing in peace and love. Amen.
Benediction
Build always on the only foundation in Jesus Christ.
May the good news of the Risen Christ inspire, sustain, and maintain you
as the sure foundation of the Body of Christ today and tomorrow.
Amen.