Tuesday Memo

Hi Five Oakers, Here are most of the comments and questions from last weekend's Communication Cards:

// Pastor, you are wise, caring and entertaining and your staff is top-notch! I appreciate your work and the work of the entire church staff. God bless you.

// My kids Norah (8 yrs.) and Bjorn (6 yrs.) LOVE Five Oaks!

// Really enjoyed the worship set and the new song. Terrific message Henry. Loved the reading describing the Truman Movie. Great closing song – beautiful crescendo.

// What blessing do we forfeit if God calms the storm?

// The largest and most populous places of worship are professional and collegiate sports arenas. Comments from the pulpit reinforce this frivolous, ephemeral idolatry, which encourages sedentary living.

// Your camping story is yet another reason I don’t like camping. People believe “fight or flight” are the only response to fear but “freeze’ is also one.

// Thanking God that I am always loved and forgiven even after I allow the devil into my heart. Thanking God for pushing the devil out and claiming me as His!

Monday Memo

Hi Five Oakers, Here are most of the comments and questions from the weekend Communication Cards:

// Could we find a Sunday to do a traditional hymnal service – I loved our acoustic services. [I love them too. Thanks for the idea/feedback.]

// OMGosh! Thank you Five Oaks. I was SO MOVED from beginning to end today! The absolutely beautiful songs and worship Henry’s POWERFUL message! I am so thankful that the Lord is moving in Five Oaks and within me.

// New Netflix release: Living on $1 a Day. (My friend’s son helped produce it in Guatemala!) Watch and review or use in a future message. Lots of rich people need to see it. Ties in to Ted Talk mess!

// Your sermon touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Thank you!

// Thank you for such an awesome reminder of our many blessings! It was such a great message to begin the year.

// Steve on guitar – hoorah!

// Great message – thank you!

// Jeremy - fun than beautiful opening set. Love it when Tim does opening with reading. He and Dan really have a sense of fun/poignancy. Henry, awesome, challenging message. You used silence so well, so uncomfortably well. I applaud you. I really appreciate the prod, really the jolt you gave us. Loved the story to introduce communion. Do more of it!

// I so appreciate having a Saturday service. What a lovely way of showing Christian responsibility – something and then God appreciating also health, time, ability to do whatever – multiply it.

// I’d like to hear a sermon on Peter. Maybe sermons on all the disciples. [That would be an interesting series. Can't say it will happen anytime soon, but I like it for a future possibility.]

// Thank you for today’s sermon. I got to be part of something that fit this exactly over Christmas – and it truly blessed me more than the family who was helped. God is so good.

// Where in LaCrosse area is Tim from? I’m from Houston! [Wisconsin]

// Does giving financially to people who are in need of financial help or material help quantify as an act of financial obedience? We have always found joy in giving this way, but it’s hard to dedicate a percentage to that since those opportunities aren’t always know about. Advice? [Give regularly to your local church and other missional organizations from your "first fruits" and set some aside for these kinds giving opportunities would be my advice.]