Better late than never

This is a long one, but it's worth it. I'll bite size it over the next few days.

This last fall we did the 40 Days of Community series and asked people to write and send me their story. I received Mary Fontaine's this week. I guess I'll accept her late assignment. Here's her preface before she tells her story. Kevin, her husband, went to be with the Lord on June 22.

Pastor Henry gave us an assignment, which I am now turning in late, but hopefully can still get a grade for.  It was about the 40 days of community and what that means.  I started writing this shortly after the assignment was given, but in my grief process, I have needed to stop, rework it, go back to it, meditate and pray on all of the blessings of the last two years.  I am, and I know Kevin was amazed at how the body of Christ functioned as we went through our unchartered waters with all of you. Thank you for your part in my 800 and counting days of community.

Her story begins tomorrow.

58%

That's the percentage of regular attenders and members of Five Oaks currently in a Five Oaks small group. Every church has a different way of counting. We take the names of anybody who has attended about five time or more and are still attending (we're scrupulous about keeping our database clean and you help by turning in your Communication Card each week). Then we audit all the small groups to find out who is in their groups. The names of those in groups is compared to names of all regular attenders and members and that's how we arrive at our percentage. 58% is a great number considering who is being counted, the amount of our folks that choose to participate in groups outside of Five Oaks, people in life transitions, etc. Keep up the good work of inviting!