Tuesday Memo

Hi Five Oakers,

I want to share a great letter the campaign team leadership received from one of our members regarding their FOR [  ] Campaign pledge.

I want to thank…you for listening to God and putting together a capital campaign that was so much more than just a fund raising event. I joked with Henry about when the flogging would begin, but I never felt pressured. A solid rational was laid out and the direction was always to look to God for how to be involved.

Let me share the story of my wife and me through this campaign. We always knew we would be involved but we were unsure as to what extent. Over the last few years I have been through several corporate layoffs and our finances have been tight.

Early on we talked about what we thought we could give. My wife tends to be less optimistic than me (she calls it realism) and felt we needed to be very careful. I continued to pray about what we could do and how I could help to bring her along. After last weekend’s service we talked about what numbers were going through our heads. I was thinking a pledge of $7000. My wife completely surprised me and tried my faith position. She had a larger amount in mind and explained how we could do it – if God provided. We are happy to be following God’s leading and are making a $20,000 pledge today.

Last week’s presentation put so much into perspective. This was about more than money to buy land and prepare for future growth. This is also about ministering to our staff and impacting global leadership (you touched my heart there!).

Five Oaks is FOR [a lot of things], but we are thankful that Five Oaks is FOR [where God wants my wife and me to be].

Thanks for a great spiritual journey!

PS – Could we continue to get daily scripture texts that prepare and challenge us?

I love it!

Blessings, Pastor Henry

Thursday Memo

Hi Five Oakers, The weekend’s coming and there are a few things I don’t want you to miss:

THE WEEKEND

The book of Exodus offers a deeply biblical approach to recovery from the sins that derail our lives, the struggles that dog our lives, and the scars that define our lives. The new series starting this weekend focuses on the constant temptation to flee the freedom to do what’s healthy and head back to the bondage of doing what’s harmful. Cut and paste this description and the series and graphic and send it to someone you’d like to invite. Or, at the very least, go to my Facebook page and “like” my description of the series I posted today at about 11am. I think this will be a life-changing series. You won’t want to miss it and you won’t want your friends to miss it.

And before you come for the weekend, be sure you prepare to #ShowUpReady.

HELPFUL LINKS

// For those who are tempted to flee the church or know someone who has, there’s Replacing Sunday Mornings: Where we went when we stopped going to church…and why we came back.

// Fantastic, gospel-centered discussion of modesty by Tim Challies, “Modesty Matters: The Heart of Modesty.”

// And don't miss this. This one is huge. Get the ESV Bible with all the Notes online FREE this month only at Crossway.

ONE MORE THING

Here’s the video that was playing last weekend on the new TV monitor as you first walk into the Commons. Some great footage from then and now.

Blessings to you all, Pastor Henry