Monday Memo

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Hi Five Oakers,

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

Here’s the video from the weekend. Mike was ushering the first service on Sunday. I told him he made me cry three times (once for my preview and then for the two services). Yes, I cried again the last service. Mike and Stephanie were in the youth group when Lois and I came to Five Oaks. They’ve been a great blessing to me over the years.

[FOR] - Mike Selbitschka from Five Oaks on Vimeo.

Here are most of your comments, observations and questions from the weekend Communication Cards.

  • Our family misses Five Oaks so much more than anything else in MN. It’s so great to come back.  Kristen Whitley [You are missed as well!]
  • Amazing opening song. Awesome songs. [I agree! Great job worship team. I could tell Brooke was singing her heart out on Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) because she always came back to the green room wiping her eyes. Lois and I usually attend the second service on Sunday (Lois teaches Kids Rock on Saturdays) and that song was especially poignant because the Curtis family was sitting behind us. I know many of you are praying for Alyssa. It was great having her in worship with us for the first time since her surgery. I couldn’t help thinking of them during every song we sang.]
  • We thank you Pastor for another message to strengthen our hearts and devotion to Christ alone. 
  • We love hearing the TRUTH! Thank you Pastor Henry.
  • Stage looks much brighter. Well done Harold and others that helped. [Harold Ennulat gets volunteer of the year! And, yes, he had a lot of help. He even had to pull an all-nighter to get the lights all back up in time for our services after taking them all down for repairs and better placement! And it does look fantastic. Thank you Harold and all those who helped.]
  • Beautiful worship. The soul was an amazing worship song. She did a beautiful job. Loved the ending prayer, made me reflect on when I gave my life over and how my life changed and I feel new! 
  • Loved the drums on “Our God Reigns” – he was having fun and did a great job. Thanks for the great vocals, keyboards and guitars always amazingly solid, so good. I’ve been Haley’d a few times by Henry. Appreciated you sharing the stories of the other churches. Great messages Henry.
  • Can we get an update on when the new worship arts leader is starting? [Jeremy joined our team of worship leaders in September. The team also include Dan Lukas (our Creative Arts Director) and Libby Johnson (who is a volunteer in our ministry). Thanks for asking.]
  • Great message and worship. Thanks!
  • Dan is the man! Great leading.
  • I really like how the group life and sermon notes are on shared paper. Helps keep it all together and avoids that awkward “I forgot to grab an outline” moment that I usually do. 

Thanks for all your comments and questions.

Blessings,

Pastor Henry

Thursday Memo

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Hi Five Oakers,

This weekend I’ll be talking about how to fortify your faith. I hope you can join us.

At the 9:15am service I forgot to show the cup we gave the Set-up and Take-down crew when we moved to our building. It reads, “If you set up, they will come.” Good times!

Here's the sermon from last weekend in 10 tweets: "FOR [ God gave ] – God’s Sacrifice, our Sacrifice (John 3:16; 1 Chron. 21:24; Mk 12:41-44; 2 Cor 8:1-5):

  1. Genuine love is not a superficial emotion; love is sacrificial action.
  2. Helen Simmons had to taste the sacrifice.
  3. King David: “I will not offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
  4. Jesus doesn’t see the penny the poor widow gave; he sees the sacrifice & says she gave more than anyone.
  5. The Macedonians gave abundantly, sacrificially & joyfully in spite of their poverty and hardships.
  6. “For the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross…” Love is joyful sacrificial action.
  7. Over 100K people within a reasonable driving distance of our campus are unchurched and far from God.
  8. Are you treating the bride of Christ like a consumer product? Are you acting like a consumer or co-owner? You are the church.
  9. 19 missionary families, 520K meals, 438 Thanksgiving bags, 4009 diapers, 180 backpacks, $192K Impact budget, $80k FMSC
  10. Hector Dalton: “We’ve learned that in order to grow your faith you have to step out in faith.”

Looking forward to seeing you on the weekend!

Blessings, Pastor Henry