Monday Memo

Hi Five Oakers,

There are a few things I want to share with you today:

// We saw a great sermon this weekend by Andy Stanley on getting some breathing room in our finances. You can watch the sermon here.  A friend also recommended the sermon on “Time” in that same series. I’m definitely going to check it out.

// Sign up for Story of God here.

// Sign up for Financial Peace University here.

// We had a substantial group at the Discovery Seminar in spite of the cold yesterday.

// Here are the comments we received from the cards we send to first-time guests:

• 8/12 Great kid’s program.  However, we did not like the sanctuary; there are no windows.  We felt like it was a cave, and had a somber feel.

• Christmas Eve: We are in Hudson and find it too far to come on a regular basis.  However, we love the music and the message.  I listen the whole time!

• Christmas Eve: I was very impressed with the church and service, and I look forward to attending services in the future!

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

• Excited to sing Dan Lukas’ “Search Me and Know Me”. Can we sing it more? I Googled the lyrics and couldn’t find it – now I know it was a Lukas original. [Listen to a demo version here.]

• Great message, perfect timing. Thanks! Great worship Dan!

• Love that Dan Lukas song. [I agree!]

• Great message today. Thanks. [Thank you! Oops, that was an Andy Stanley sermon.]

• Keyboard, steel guitar and “Rock of Ages”. How moving! And then you bring on Amazing Grace. How much more moving. [I know. Great job Dan and team.]

• Great music today! Loved it!

• Great and impactful message! Awesome worship time. Thank you musicians for sharing your gifts!

• Great worship set, well done!

• Wish you would offer 1st place for health on Wednesday mornings for Bible Study. [Thanks for the suggestion.]

Warm Blessings, Pastor Henry

Wednesday Memo

Hi Five Oakers, Yesterday we did a quick lightning round at our weekly all-staff lunch and here are some of the things that were shared:

• Milestone awards to staff: Deb Carr, Cindy Yarington and Tim Bubar have been on staff at Five Oaks for 10 years. Deb Johnson and I have been here over 15 years. Brian Burquest presented all of us with beautiful plaques, a new Five Oaks staff tradition.

• Dan shared how Nathan Stocker did a lot of the behind the scenes work on the Five Oaks Christmas CD, besides singing a couple of songs he arranged. I love the CD. Libby and Dan also do their own arrangements of some great Christmas songs.

• The Student Ministry Christmas Extravaganza changes lives. Over the years lots of students have been introduced to the Five Oaks Student Ministry and subsequently came to Christ through the yearly Extravaganza. Be praying for this event which happens next Wednesday.

• Story of God starts January 14. Register here.

• Those personalized Christmas service invite cards are a powerful tool to inviting people you know to the service. Take some and send them out (or hand them to a friend).

• I will be preaching a focused, evangelistic sermon at our Christmas services and inviting people to respond. Who can you bring to hear the good news of the gospel?

• If you're not bringing someone to the Christmas services, how about serving one hour in the Children's Ministry and then attending a service?

• The Volunteer Hospitality Suite will be up and running again during the five Christmas services. Great food last year!

Here's the sermon from last weekend in 10 tweets: "The Choice" (Exodus 33)

1// God is not simply a means to an end--the one who gets us unstuck. God is the end itself.

2// Crabb: "God seems to think that climbing into the room to be with me matters more than letting me out to play."

3// What matters more to you when the room is a broken marriage, loneliness, illness, financial struggles, drinking problem...?

4// When getting out matters more, we turn our back to God in anger, frustration or indifference. That defines our relationship with him.

5// Moses has a choice: Blessings from God without the blessing of God himself or stay in the room.

6// God wants for you what Moses had--to speak to you face-to-face, as with a friend. Ex 33:11; Jn 15:15

7// Make the most of your time in the room: know God more deeply, set mind to God's mission, reflect on God's glory.

8// The difference isn't avoiding the room but experiencing G's presence in the room. And that makes all the difference. That gets noticed.

9// You can turn from him or serve him until the day he unlocks the door.

10// Jn 1:14 the Word became flesh and pitched his tent among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father

Blessings, Pastor Henry