Prayers 10 10 2010
*Welcome to our 130th Church Anniversary Sunday!
Come to the Reception in the Multi-purpose Room in the YMCA for refreshments, displays of our church’s ministries, and fellowship with new friends following worship
If you have reservations, we look forward to seeing you at the Anniversary Luncheon at Empress of China at 1:00 today
Welcome to Mr. David Chiu, President of the Board of SF Supervisors! While he was scheduled to be at our luncheon, he discovered he had a conflict with the Columbus Day Parade this afternoon and therefore would like to present the certificate from the city at this service.
*As the result of the anniversary, there will be no adult classes today; Youth classes will still meet in Cameron House and Children classes upstairs in our building
*WMO Offering in the month of October to support world missions
*Next Sunday, at the 9:10 and 11:30 services, we will be commissioning Kenley Mew and Steven Ng to short-term missions to Vietnam
*Senior Center this Wednesday with George Lai on Tai Chi; reserve with Dick and Anna Wong today
*Invitation for you to come to Medford, Oregon to attend the annual gathering of the ABC of Oregon. This was introduced to the congregation last Sunday at the Membership Meeting to explore the idea of affiliating with the Oregon churches as our ABC region. See Nelson Wong or me for more information
*2011 Pledge information will be mailed to you this coming week; the Membership approved of the Proposed Budget for the canvass and we pray that you would make a faithful decision to support the work of FCBC; Pledge Sunday is 3 weeks away
Prayer Concerns
*Faye Wong returned home from the hospital but too weak to attend the anniversary and David Wong
Prayer of God’s People
O God, this is the day that you have made. This is the church that we find ourselves called to be disciples. We pray to you in gratitude for our salvation and give thanks for the wonderful company we share.
We have been blessed beyond measure with the sun and the moon, dry weather and rain in its season, silence and sound, four seasons, never changing and never the same. We have been blessed beyond all measure with healing that transcends cure. In the midst of these blessings we have breathed that miracle of air, tasted water, heard birds in their flight and even the thunderous roar of your earth quaking. Our lives are in constant prayers of thankfulness. May every thought, every breath, every prayer of thanks to you in the past 130 years be in praise to you, mighty and loving God.
Dear God, as we celebrate your blessings and providence down through the years, we pray that we not just look back and become sentimental to the point that we forget to look forward. Building on our glorious past, we pray for daring renewal and creative innovations to continue to be faithful to your Word in this world. Lead us to continue feeding the hungry, giving safe shelter to the homeless, granting home to immigrants and sojourners, teaching English and citizenship classes to newcomers, liberation to the captives, and proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord. Let this anniversary mark a new and courageous conviction that as long as your kingdom work still needs to be accomplished on earth as it is already in heaven, we are ready to be your servants.
For those who await your healing, who suffer and struggle, who are weighed down with symptoms, with pain, and even with despair, we pray that your hand may be felt in their lives and in all lives. Continue to be with Faye Wong to restore her health and grant David, her devoted husband and life partner to have faith and rest. Be a blessing to…
For these we pray, remembering to thank you always for that which is seen and unseen.
Hear yourself in our words, healing God. Forgive us when we have failed to give you thanks. Renew us for another 130 years of faithful ministry until that day comes when you reign once again on earth. Restore us with your blessings of a good life that can only be found in our faith that in Christ Jesus, we have been saved. These things we pray with gratitude and praise in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together, Our Father…
Offertory
All who are grateful for the good God has done, all who wish to respond in deed as well as word, come forward with your gifts.
Accept this offering, O God, which we place upon the altar with gratitude for all you have done for us. We pray that our offering will be a mirror to your giving, demonstrating in imitation of your generosity of Spirit which has raised this building from the ashes of fire and earthquake, focused our eyes, mind, and hearts to do ministry in Chinatown, and to celebrate the abundance that we have received as a church family across these many years. These things we pray, gladly and in all seasons. Amen.
Benediction
Rise up as one, people of God.
Go forward to care for the welfare of the city.
Hand in hand with Jesus,
In faith and presence,
We shall heal the world.
Amen.