Prayers 11 18 2012
*Welcome! Thanksgiving Sunday
*All-Church Thanksgiving Luncheon today, beginning at 12:30 until everyone is fed; tickets are still available; if you are a senior 65 and older, we appreciate you and therefore you are our guest for lunch today
*Thank you for the OGHS Gift to help with the relief efforts after Hurricane Sandy; you were very generous!
*Today we have another special offering—Ivy and Emerson Wu who have been endorsed by ABC to be missionaries to Macau; they still need to raise their financial support before they can go; we’ll have a video today and special envelopes for you to make a gift; they will be visiting our church on Jan. 13, 2013 to meet you.
*Thanks to those who came out yesterday to help clean up our church home before the holidays!
*Chinatown III books are available for pick-up and purchase today; Buy them to give as Christmas gifts!
*Christmas Workshops next Sunday, Christmas crafts, cookie bake, fundraising lunch, Lanna Coffee for Christmas gift giving
*Pledges—EFG—Evangelism, Fellowship and Go! If you have not turn in your pledges, we invite you to do this soon as we get ready for the Dec. 9th Membership Meeting to adopt the 2013 budget
Prayer Concerns
*Mrs. Wai Lum Gin Chin, Marian Hom and Betty Jin’s mother who is in the hospital with a urinary infection
Prayer of God’s People
Dear God, bless us in our gathering this day. It is in your name we gather, and in your name all are blessed. We come with our dreams and hopes. We come with our brokenness and disappointments. We come content. We come disoriented. But together, with your grace, we present your face to the world in what we say and do everyday. Abide with us, inspire us, and impel us in your name to serve the suffering and lift up the downhearted.
We confess, God of patience who knows the desire of our harts, that we lose patience—with ourselves, with others, and with you. We admit that our concern is more for ourselves than for your reign, more with our wants than with our needs, more for the moment than for eternity. May we see with your eyes, love with your heart, and serve as your hands, that we find at last our heart’s desire and know it to be your wish and will for the world.
We pray for those whom we care are in need of your loving embrace and healing. Be with Mrs. Chin as she rests and gets better, knowing that life is good and continues to be because you have been gracious and all loving. Strengthen Marian and Franklin, Betty, Norman and Wyman and their entire family as they watch over Mrs. Chin with patience and love. Be with…
We give you thanksgiving for the many blessings that we have received. Thank you for the family and friends gathering together this week to remember that all that we have and all that we are have come from you, gracious and merciful God. We pray that we share our blessings with others who may not have as much. We pray that you would grant us clear understanding as we grow to know your will and trust in your mercy, today and every day.
All these things, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ who taught us to pray, “Our Father…”
Benediction
When the stones fall,
Go forth in confidence that God remembers you.
Go in peace, knowing you will find blessings in abundance.
Happy Thanksgiving! Amen. Go in peace!