Wednesday Memo

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Hi Five Oakers, My website has moved to henry-williams.net. So if you're getting this post by email, go take a look when you get chance.

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

#1- I drove in and missed it! Yes, I drove into the parking lot and missed the new sign. It's taken more than three years to get permission to install it in a location that can be seen. And the day it was installed, I drove right by it. The staff are not going to let me forget it, but if you ask Lois, she'll tell you it doesn't surprise her one bit. Anyway, it's here!!!

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#2- Ran into one of our high school students last weekend by the Resources table. She was buying a Five Oaks cold cup. She told me, "It's a way of maybe sharing my faith at school if someone asks." Love it!

#3- Several hundred students from East Ridge descended on our building last Friday because of a suspected gas leak and we are one of their evacuation points. You can imagine the surprise on the faces of those who were at the office, seeing hundreds of students at the door, having no idea that we are an evacuation point! They were there for two hours and the office staff was amazed by their orderliness and behavior.IMAG2588

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#4- 500 Thanksgiving bags for the Union Gospel Mission food drive went out on the weekend! We don't always get all of them back, so we'll need more this weekend if we're going to reach our goal of 500. What a great opportunity to bring some joy to people who are under-resourced this Thanksgiving. Thank you for your great response to his initiative.

#5- Get ready for another Christmas album featuring arrangements and performances by members of our worship team. I can't wait to hear it and to add it to my collection. I know I'm biased, but the last two are what I listen to more than anything else in the Christmas season. So excellently done.

#6- We received this comment from the cards we send first-time guests:

  • 10/13 - We were very impressed by the children's ministries at Five Oaks. It was wonderful to have our whole family ministered to and taken care of. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming!

#7- Here's last weekend's message in 7 Tweets: "FOR [ Whoever ] - God's Invitation, Our Invitation.

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  1. We are the whoevers who have believed.
  2. All of us need to decide whether or not we will go to church or be the church.
  3. Like the kids in Mighty Ducks/Goonies/Sandlot, the 1st century Christians were a ragtag group of unusual characters.
  4. The power of the gospel is perceived whenever and wherever the whoevers did whatever possible to proclaim the gospel.
  5. Lydia, the slave girl, the jailer & the rest of that ragtag church didn't represent big $, but they represented big hearts.
  6. They weren't movers & shakers, but whatever Paul did, wherever he went, whoever he reached, they were a part of that.
  7. My Commitment: Wherever I am, whenever I am able, I will reach out to WHOEVER I can, however possible.

Blessings to you, Pastor Henry

Monday Memo

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Hi Five Oakers, I have a few things I want share with you today:

Here’s the video from the weekend. Thank you, Lehns, for sharing your story.

[FOR] - Lehn Family from Five Oaks on Vimeo.

Here’s a selection from your comments, observations and questions from the weekend Communication Cards.

  • So fun to be back.  Scott & Kate Teece [Great to see you guys!]
  • Thank you for putting outline for notes in bulletin. Saves me from running to get one! [Just one more week of that. Sorry.]
  • Thank you for the daily text message – great reminder.
  • Love you Lord, Love this church! The worship is fantastic, the messages always outstanding and the spirit of God is here! I love the “For” series and campaign. It has really challenged me to live with my hands open to give freely, because I don’t own it anyway and I trust God and know he will give back in ways unknown. How can we not love a God who has given so much including His son? Henry, loved the analogy to your neighborhood gang. It made the story come alive.
  • Enjoyed the service so much today. Thank you for bringing me back to my neighborhood, anytime something can stir up memories of my childhood neighborhood brings me pure joy. Thank you for your message.
  • I am so grateful to the rag team group of people for Five Oaks because of them MY LIFE has been changed forever! Thank you, Henry, for speaking to our hearts and for challenging us. I commit: wherever I am whenever I am able, I will reach out to whoever I can, however possible!
  • I really like the ragtag insight and am pleased to be a part of it. Thank you for pushing us to grow spiritually with the “whoever” and “however” commitment.
  • Great message, thank you for so clearly sharing God’s word to us Henry! Great worship experience, thank you team!
  • “Always” was exceptional.
  • Song – Jesus your name is power..was moving. Well done worship team!
  • Thank you for the gluten free communion! I’ve just had to give up gluten.
  • As part of our capital campaign (For) have we considered increasing our outreach? Seems like a great opportunity to make this aspect of Five Oaks even more powerful. Expanding His reach. [Yes. Part of the campaign money goes to staffing that will help us become more effective at outreach. In addition to that, after having spent the last three years or so working on what we call the “meal” we serve at Five Oaks (that is, our discipleship plan/process) and, more recently, working on the “presentation of the meal,” our number one priority is to become better at inviting people to the meal. If you missed my sermon from August 10 on the “Meal”, I encourage you to check it out: audio or video. And the next series and our Christmas services are perfect to invite someone to come and “eat.”]

Thanks for all your comments and questions.

Blessings,

Pastor Henry