Not So Mid-Week Memo

Hi Five Oakers,

There are several things I want to share with you today.

#1 – Welcome to another group of new blog subscribers! If you’re short on time, read the bolded highlights. It will take you a minute or less.

#2 – Get a recap of the weekend services with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#3 – Here’s a comment we received back from the cards we send to first-time guests:

6/23 - Enjoyed the worship.  I find it easier to worship when we sing the traditional hymns.  Their words are so meaningful, and the music inspiring and heart-warming.  My husband and I spent twenty years in Africa as missionaries, and we had a lot of drum music.  However, it was not as clashing as today’s US contemporary music.  God bless you.

#4 – Given the content of the last two weeks, you might want to check out this short but helpful article, “Where was God?”

#5 – You can’t be in two places at once, but you can pop in and out of them. That’s what Sunday was like for me. The Cottage Meeting had about 50 people who came to gather more information about the potential purchase of 9.5 acres adjacent our south property line and then several families were in the Discovery Seminar lunch. Great connection, though, between more people looking for a church home and more land to welcome them as explosive growth comes to our doorstep.

#6 – We normally have about one or two people at the "Cottage Meetings" we hold before big votes. Most people choose to wait until the meeting. That makes it harder to get through the meeting if some people have a lot of questions. I think the way we announced it, the pizza and the time we held it all came together to bring in about 50.  

#7 - The Cottage Meeting went really well. Great questions and lots of good information. The tone was very positive. Most of what we’ve heard from our folks is very positive about going forward. But here’s the downside of that kind of momentum: some people who came with questions or concerns (i.e., who many not think this is a good or worthy idea) may feel like they can’t speak up. If that stops you, it will rob us and it will rob you. It will rob us of your input. Maybe critical input. But it will also rob you because your untested assumptions or conclusions will remain just that, untested. You will withhold and withdraw without input from your community. And you may miss what God has for you, for your growth in him.  

#8 – Here are most of your comments from the Communication Cards:

• Beautiful worship sets! Great choice of songs for a visitor I know is here. [Interesting how having a guest changes the outlook on things.]
  

• God is awesome.

• Nice to hear/see Hannah up there. Nice job guys. Good icebreaker again. [I loved the song she sang! In fact, all the songs helped me connect with God, praise him and reflect on his work in so many ways. We don’t try to do “thematic” worship (i.e., trying to align all the songs around one theme or around the sermon topic). We let the worship movements and the proclamation of the gospel guide the choices and themes, but this week the songs amplified the sermon theme in so many incredible ways. I was floored. Saw new dimensions every service.]

• Wonderful song set this morning! “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me.” Amen. [Yeah, that’s the song Hannah song. Incredible lyrics.]

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

Get the rest of the lyrics here.

• Excellent, excellent message. Just what I needed to hear and know what I should do about my seemingly unanswered prayers. Could give you huge hug right now!

• Love the opening solo the young women sang.

• Good set.

• Very interesting sermon, Henry. Explains many things and scares me at the same time because of what this country could be in for yet.

• I thought the sermon was just fantastic. Wow, I won’t be able to just leave this one in the sanctuary. [Music to my ears! I have to admit that I preached it with fear and trembling, concerned it would miss the mark, that it might be too heady. But I didn't have time to change it. Terrifying to preach on such a great subject and great text and feel like you might miss the mark. At the same time, I know that no sermon hits home with everybody. I just don’t want to miss the mark with everybody!]

• Love that people are holding the bread and wine, missing the “praise songs.”

• When you talk about our communion please remember to mention that the bread is gluten free. [It’s on the front of our Worship Guide every week. the I’m afraid that’s about all I can do.]

#9 – Here is the sermon in 10 Tweets, Exodus 2:11-25, “The Mystery of Answered Prayer”

1. By end of chapter, 80 years have gone by for Moses, 400 years in Egypt, now God decides to act. What's he been waiting for?
2. When you consider all the factors God is working on, the greater mystery might be about answered prayer.
3. God lifts the curtain a bit on what he has been up to.
4. Superficial answers to difficult questions can turn young, thoughtful Christian adults away from faith.
5. Tig Notaro: Angels, “God, what are you doing? Out of ur mind?" God: "No, no, no. I really think she can handle more."
6. God’s answers to prayer need to align with his good plan of redemption w/out eliminating our ability to choose.
7. God’s answers to prayer need to align with his work in us & others: some on probation; others in preparation. 
8. Some answers would be unfair to those on probation and premature for those who in preparation.
9. The Israelites weren’t ready to go. Moses wasn’t ready to lead them.
10. Are you on probation or in preparation?

#10 – Listen to Tig Notaro's gig where she talked about her cancer. Louis C.K. called it one of the most remarkable comedy sets he ever witnessed.

#11 - Here’s a question I received on the sermon:

Question - There are people who say the Jews were never slaves in Egypt. Is there historical evidence that they were? What of the people who see some prayers “answered” in material goods and when others pray for relief from suffering? How do you respond to them? Bruce Almighty shows the problem of answering all prayers.

Answer – I’m not an expert on biblical archaeology or the best resources, but I think this article might be helpful to shed light from the perspective of archeologists who believe the biblical testimony.

I love you guys and blessings to you, Pastor Henry

Mid-Week Memo

Hi Five Oakers,

There are 12 things I want to share with you today.

Tip: Read the bolded highlights if you're too busy to read the whole thing. Get through it in about 1 minute.

#1 – Welcome to the new blog subscribers!

#2 – Get a recap of the weekend services with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#3 – We celebrated in our services on the weekend by lighting 37 candles for the first-time decisions made at VBS! If you missed the weekend, this is something we’ll be doing for the next twelve months or so. Here’s the VBS video celebration. (If you receive this post via email, click on the title and go to the website to watch the video.) #4 – I love that our VBS materials will be used again when one of youth mission teams does it in urban New Jersey.

#5 – We need and want feedback. We want to know how we are doing so we can measure improvement. And we need your ideas. So please respond to the Five Oaks ministry survey when it hits your inbox in two or three weeks.

#6- Here the recent feedback we received from the cards we send to first-time guests:

“The music was great. Anyone with hearing aids might have a problem. Enjoyed the active participation of the ‘stations’ and the evangelistic thrust – and to do something to tell others of one’s faith.” [My wife has hearing aids and does great with everything but the videos we show from time to time.]

#7 – One of our small groups, led by the Bryants, will again offer VBS to Karen children in one of the St. Paul neighborhoods later in the summer. Would you, your family or your small group like to help? Meet some folks and make a huge difference in the lives of children. Missions in your own backyard! If so, let me know and I’ll connect you with Kristen Bryant. Here are some pictures from last year’s event.

#8 – Pray for our Spain team, which is working at L'Arcada youth camp. They’re assisting the camp staff—including manual labor, sharing their faith stories and building relationships with the students—to make this year's Summer English Camp a huge success as they share the gospel with campers.

#9 – I’ve been filling out some pastoral recommendations for several members who are becoming mentors at MN Adult and Teen Challenge. What an impact they’re going to have on individual lives!

#10 – One of our staff members commented on missing the old farm house. Yes, good memories there but not a great office. So I said I preferred this picture of the old Five Oaks Ranch house.

The fire department used it for training. Cheap way of doing demolition.

#11 – Here are most of your comments from the Communication Cards:

• Beautiful worship sets! Great choice of songs for a visitor I know is here.
• Thanks for using scriptures for the reading. [Yeah, especially the way Dan read from 1 Peter during one of the songs. Loved it!]
• Dan, you are so funny – but Celine Dion (TMI)! The icebreaker question was great! Love this message series. Henry thanks. 
• Wonderful “White as Snow” with scripture, unbelievable! “How Great Thou Art” blew us away. [Unbelievable how engaged the congregation was for both, especially “White as Snow.” Dan and the band backed off a bit and the voices of the congregation came out so beautifully.]
• So happy to see the church full of people on a summer Sunday! Dan, love when you lead worship – your love for the Lord shines through! I didn’t attend church last week. My heart is so full and happy to be back this week! I love my church!
• Way to go VBS stuff! 37 amazing new lights. 
• Dan & band – great opening set. Adding the Bible passage added such depth. Loved it!
• Henry, thank you for the powerful and encouraging message. Well done! Great worship time and song selection Dan. Thanks.
• Please play traditional hymns as we all know them. [We do sometimes. And some of the hymns we do retain more of the traditional tune than others. But if I may be frank with you, I’m afraid I don’t have the fondest memories of old arrangements. Personally, I love the way we do them now. It is, of course, completely a matter of taste. I am excited about all the current work being done on updating the music of old hymns. My oldest son’s church, Sojourn (in Louisville) is on the leading edge of this. Check out them out here and listen to all their music for free. I recommend starting with "Over the Grave" then "The Water and the Blood." Their music is innovative enough to be an acquired taste, but it is well worth it.]

#12 – Here is the sermon in 10 Tweets, Exodus 1:1-2:10, “When Things are Looking Down”

1. The gospels are cast in the terms and images and ideas of the Exodus. You can't read Exodus without hearing echoes of the gospels.
2. When things are looking down, look back, look ahead, then look around. Not a pick-me-up ditty but a spiritual discipline.
3. In the story of Israel’s suffering from 1:1-2:10, God is only mentioned in two verses.
4. David McCullough: You can't have a sense of identity if you can't tell your own story.
5. Gen 46:1-4 – Their story told them they were where God wanted them & he was with them.
6. Rom8-If we don't know how to pray…the Holy Spirit does our praying in & for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans
7. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. (Rom8:28;MSG)
8. Perspective changes our experience of our circumstances.
9. God doesn’t just work above but with, in and through our circumstances.
10. In light of God’s promises and the end of the story, you can’t help but see God’s hand all over it.

I’ll leave you with this Sojourn video that helps explain their approach to music.

Blessings, Pastor Henry