Prayers 11 20 2011
*Welcome!
*Thanksgiving Luncheon today, Fellowship Hall; tickets may still be available
*Thanks to all who helped with the All-Church Clean-up yesterday to make our church home ready for the Advent/Christmas season
*Christmas Workshops sponsored by the Adult Committee of CE, Next Sunday, 12:30, Fellowship Hall; cookie bake, crafts, Lanna Coffee as Christmas gifts
*Lanna Coffee for purchase today after worship
*Next Sunday, Mike Socia, new Executive Director of Redwood Glen will be preaching at all three services
*Advent Bible Studies beginning: South Bay with Wes Chan and SF with me; get a book from Lea Wong today
*Youth Camp Retrospect, Saturday, 6:30; come for the reunion and to chare how you have been keeping to your commitments; parents are welcome too
*Harvest Time! pledging and support for FCBC in 2012; turn in your commitments today
134 pledges; $390,524; 68.4% of goal; 9 new pledges and 50.5% increase fropm this year
*Pastoral Search Update: The candidate decided to decline on our call to our position; Search Committee and Deacons will need to regroup and decide what to do next
Prayer Concerns
*Humphrey Chan’s father, Yee Chik Chan passed on Thursday, Nov. 17th from intestinal complications; This Friday, Wake, 6:00-8:00; Saturday, Funeral, 10:00-11:00 at Evergreen, McAvoy, Geary Blvd, Interment at Cypress Lawn
*Bill Chin has an infection at the incision from his last surgery and was discharged from the hospital on Friday, weak but resting at home
*James Wong resting at home and awaiting surgery to take care of an appendix rupture
*Congratulations to Wes and Sheryl Chan, grandparents again; Rachel Elizabeth Chan, born to Kimberly and Nick Chan on Nov. 16, 6 lbs, 14 oz., joins brothers Andrew and Josh
Prayer of God’s People
Gracious God, Maker of the world, Sustainer of the all living things, and Redeemer of our lives, we pray today with a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for the blessings and abundance that we have. All that we have belongs to you. All that we think that we have earned as the result of our own efforts is still the result of the reality that you have given us gifts and talents to perform good work and make a living. As farmers gather their produce into the barns, as we put groceries into our shopping carts, and as we come to worship and prayer this morning, we bring ourselves as an offering to proclaim your glory and love for the world. Show us, dear God how we are so sufficiently provided by your love, mercy, and grace.
Lord, with the holiday of Thanksgiving upon us and with next Sunday, the beginning of Advent, we pause today and pray for the changing of the seasons, from one to another. For those of us who will have loved ones and friends to be with this Thursday, we thank you for such blessings. For those of us who are alone and far away from loved ones, we pray that we will be received into the hospitality of this church and always know that in God’s house, we are all sisters and brothers. For the season of life when one has completed life on this earth, we pray for comfort and the reassurance that your love extends to the hereafter. Be with Humphrey Chan and his family at this time as they grieve the passing of his father. When the season of life causes us to suffer and have medical challenges, we pray for remedies to bring us back to wholeness. Bless Bill Chin and James Wong at this time of their seasons of life to get better soon. And when the season of life produces new life and the freshness of birth, we thank you for the birth of Rachel Elizabeth Chan who will bring joy and happiness to the Chan family.
Dear God, when your time is often not necessarily according to our clocks and watches, teach us to be faithful and patient. While we have been waiting for what feels like a long time in calling a new pastor for our church, we trust in your time and promises. Show us again, remind us again that you are always watching out for us and even when we may be disappointed in recent events, we must not be discouraged or disillusioned but we can learn to trust and in the end, we would become even more your obedient and active disciples in this church that is in your hands.
All these things we pray, large things that affect our thriving church, small things that only we might know in the inner parts of our hearts, we lay out for your care and direction. In the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, we pray and who taught us to pray together, “our Father…”
Benediction
Go and do good things, small things, and nice things to help the least of these.
“And the Lord will say to you, “Truly, I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Amen.