Mid-Week Memo

Hey Everybody,

I have a few things I want to share with you:

#1- Loved the opening last weekend with the slides and music calling us to worship. And I heard lots of comments on the stripped down worship that included the upright bass. I loved it. Oh yeah, the jazzy/funky outro was fun and engaging. Lots of people hung around to hear it to the end (not really the purpose of it, but fun). Thank you worship team.

#2- We wrapped up the EVERYTHING series talking about our work. I think the last point about being able to rest when you know your work belongs to God hit home the most. It certainly did with me.

#3- Lots of child dedications this last weekend too. I love the commitment we're all making when we dedicate children. Interesting thing is that we have more and more diversity of age groups every year. More and more of the empty-nesters like Lois and me and lots of young families. When I first came fifteen years ago we had one handful of people over 50. 

#4- 88 students are registered for the Challenge Conference in New Orleans! That's the largest group we've ever had go. It's a life changing conference. They also do a fair amount of community work at the conference. In fact, they're staying longer this year to do more work in the community. 

#5- The Jr. High ministry is working on raising funds to support a Compassion child for five years! I look forward to hearing how that goes.

#6- The Feed Event is full but you can call the office and get on a waiting list. Some spots will open. I love that people are bringing groups from work. Ashley Perry told me twenty plus Gold's Gym employees are coming (that's the gym where I work out). Love it!

#7- I'm loving my Kid's Hope sessions, but the child I'm mentoring is constantly afraid that he's missing lunch or recess. How do you explain that we're meeting for an hour with to a kindergartener? Anyway, the time flies by.

#8- We've set Easter times: Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 8:30am, 9:45am and 11:15am. If they fill up, we'll add Saturday at 3:30pm. We hope to start registerations early so we can add the extra service with plenty of time.

#9- Several of our staff will be going to the Relevance Conference at Eagle Brook in May.

#10- We launch our new "A Praying Life" series on Luke 11 this weekend. This week our focus is on why Jesus prayed. If you figure that out, you have a big motivation for your own prayer life. We're also promoting a book by the same name that's my absolute favorite on prayer (and, interestingly, on parenting). Great stories and insights. Really, if you want a boost to encourage your relationship with God, this book will give it. We'll be selling it at the Resource Table. Check it out.

God bless you all,

Pastor Henry

Mid-Week Memo

Hey Five Oakers,

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

#1- This last weekend was the high point of the EVERYTHING series. We looked at Luke 12:35-48, where Jesus talks about life as a trust. We talked about giving an account to God for how we manage his stuff and the consequences of mismanagement. But the reward is quite amazing: he will serve us. As Tim Keller puts it:

“Jesus is saying, ‘…I’m going to gather up all my infinities and all the immensities of my being, all of my omnipotent power, and I’m going to bring it to bear on one thing when I meet you…. I’m going to inflict so much honor, so much joy, so much love, so much glory on you as I can.’

#2- The response time of worship was precious. It was very moving.

#3- We're thrilled that Stephen Kendrick, the co-writer and producer of Courageous, Fireproof and Facing the Giants, will be speaking at a men's event at Five Oaks on April 14 and then preach on Sunday morning the 15th (this is the weekend after Easter). It's going to be quite a weekend!

#4- Two of our staff are a little out of their minds. Tim Bubar (Student Ministries) will go to the youth district conference in Rochester BY FOOT in April...from his house in Cottage Grove...in THREE days! Jerry Meras (Impact Ministries) and a group of fellow nuts are planning to ride their bikes from CA to MN in August to raise money for next years Feed My Starving Children event...in three weeks...100 miles per day! I got so inspired that I went to my first spinning class at the gym this morning at 5:30am and survived. Maybe I'll get in good enough shape to ride my bike all the way across Woodbury some day! By the way, let Jerry know if you're interested in joining his team.

#5- I met my Kids Hope USA student on Monday, and we had our first weekly session! He's in kindergarten and we had a great start. I feel like I'm cheating, but Lois just brought home some materials for me to use with him in our mentor sessions (she's a Reading Specialist). One of the great aspects of this ministry is that every mentor and child has a prayer partner and I'm very thankful for mine.

#6- We received one card back this week from a guest saying, "I really enjoyed the worship music and am planning to bring my wife the next time I come.  Thank you!"

#7 - Have you registered for the Feed Event? Lois has 24 people coming from her school! Is there a group you can invite? Neighbors? Work associates? Register here.

#8- This weekend's message concludes the EVERYTHING series and focuses on our work: our work belongs to God. My hope is that you'll go to work (or school) on Monday with a deeper sense of its meaning and your purpose. The following week we start a three-week series on prayer based on Luke 11.

#9- Worship songs for this weekend include:

• "Glorious"
• "Jesus Paid it All"
• "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)"
• "Strong"
• "Glory to God Forever"

Looking forward to seeing you this weekend, and many blessing to you,

Pastor Henry