Monday Memo

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Hi Five Oakers,

It was great to have Tim preaching this weekend, especially with this subject. He's in the middle of it all right now, and he has the added perspective of an experienced youth pastor.

Here are most of your comments, observations and questions from the weekend Communication Cards.

  • Great teaching – will be watching it MANY times again! Thanks Tim. [I loved it, too!]
  • Loved the music – especially “I Need You” – beautiful. [Couldn’t agree more! Many thanks to the worship team.]
  • I really think this is the best message I’ve seen Tim give – great delivery Tim!
  • Thank you! Great sermon, needed it! 
  • Thanks for your honesty regarding your parenting Tim. It’s an encouragement to know that even men of God as you and Pastor Henry have dealt or deal with the struggles of parenting as some of us do.
  • Great sermon, Tim! Passion-filled music! Does Dunkin Donuts make gluten-free donuts? Thank you Jesus.
  • Love hymns!
  • Thank you Henry and Tim for a great series on parenting – things I know we needed to learn and be reminded of. 
  • Great message, Tim! For how we treat our kids and all others!
  • Great worship set, very surrendering. Tim and Henry, part of great parenting is allowing kids to see our mortality. It doesn’t make them feel as failures when they are parents. Thank God for hourly grace. 
  • Tim, loved your real life examples and how your inserted humor throughout the message. It’s reassuring that we don’t have to be experts and you are experiencing the same things we are. [That was Kara’s line about not needing to be experts. And Tim had the wisdom to repeat it.]
  • Loved “Lord I Need You” and “How Marvelous” ending! 
  • Loved worship today! Many thanks to Legend for helping leading, so inspiring! 
  • The string art staging looks awesome. I’m finally sitting in a spot where I can see it all. It’s so cool! Kudos! 
  • Wonderful sermon Tim. It’s not about behavior, the real aim is the hart. That happens when we experience God’s grace ourselves, then share it with our kids. Transparency can be frightening, but that’s where transformation by the Holy Spirit occurs. God is so good in spite of our failings.
  • Really, really beautiful worship sets. Tim, love how you set-up the message with a quick review of the previous two weeks. Tremendous message Tim, tremendous series. Nice solo. 
  • Thank you to all the volunteers who take time out of their busy schedules to serve in the church. Often the volunteers fly under the radar, but are so essential in making thins run smoothly every weekend. [Amen!]
  • Thanks for putting the titles of the songs in the worship program.
  • Great series! I wish it was longer. [It will be since we’ll come back to it throughout this ministry year. We also have our parenting conference coming up this winter/spring. You’ll hear more about that later.]
  • I noticed that the prayer web is gone, too bad. [It will be back. It’s one of the stations we change out.]
  • We are moving from Woodbury to Champaign, IL on 10/22/13 and regret having to leave the membership of the church. Blessings. [God bless you as you move in and settle into a new home and community.]

Thanks for all your comments and questions.

Blessings,

Pastor Henry

Wednesday Memo

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Hi Five Oakers,

Every Wednesday the Elders meet at 6:30am to pray through all the prayer requests from the weekend. Our Prayer Team and the Staff Leadership also pray through all but the designated Elder requests during the week. I think we received more prayer requests this last weekend than I've ever seen, and I don't know why. But I want you all to know that we are praying for you. And I continue praying through all of them in my own daily quiet time.

Here's the sermon from last weekend in 10 tweets: "The Heart of a Parent," Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Galatians 5:22, Hosea 11.

  1. God has no grandchildren. Children have to choose to become Christians. But parents can be the greatest factor in helping them choose God.
  2. You lead best when your heart burns brightest for God.
  3. “Teach them diligently.” Love God with all your heart. Let his word be on your heart. Then you will teach from your heart.
  4. When you lead your kids with a heart that burns brightest for God, you will be a Steward Leader. Your kids ultimately belong to God.
  5. It’s not about what you want out of your kids; it’s about seeking what God wants for them.
  6. When your heart burns brightest for God, you will be a Joyful Leader. Condoleezza Rice: “No one wants to follow a sour puss.”
  7. Joy is a crucial fruit for spiritual leadership. Your faith will be more compelling when your home is marked by fun and laughter.
  8. You will a Reflecting Leader. They get a taste of what it means to live under God’s parental leadership.
  9. God is not a permissive parent. Every threat of wrath against his wayward children came down on himself on the cross.
  10. God’s loving parental leadership took him all the way to the cross. We reflect that love to our kids the more we reflect on his love for us.

This weekend we talk about teaching the heart. Invite a friend who needs to hear about God’s grace.

Blessings, Pastor Henry