Wednesday Memo

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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)

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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

 

 

Monday Memo

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Hi Five Oakers, I have a few things I want share with you today:

Manger in an alley: 9 (color at night)

// If you missed the weekend services, you may not have heard the FOR [  ] Campaign Total. The goal was $1.6 million. Current total: $1,756,463!!! We’re celebrating. Our congregation is clearly engaged in our local and global mission. I can’t wait to see what God will be doing in the next few years. Thank you all for listening!

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

  • Great job Nathan! [I agree. Nathan also planned the music for the service.]
  • Thank you for the gentle worship time. I so needed that today. Great word picture of God being in our room. I am in a very tough “room”. God is with me, but it’s so hard. So thankful for faithful family and friends.
  • Powerful, truthful, life changing sermon. Bless you Pastor Henry for all you do for us!
  • Just blessed by the season!
  • Excellent sermon Henry! You really spoke to my heart!
  • Acoustic worship: well done. Awesome. More superlatives. Loved it. (Good job.)
  • Love the music! Would love for more acoustic Sunday’s. Great hymns.
  • God as a means to an end vs. The End is really profound. My nugget for the week.
  • Praise God for Henry’s message!
  • The music last week was especially amazing. The guy with the big hair is really good.
  • This really helps me speak to my friend that believes we should all expect physical healing now. Awesome, I heard God speak today!
  • The music today was particularly INSPIRATIONAL.
  • I enjoyed acoustic set. Love the simple reverent worship. Really set the mood. Readied the spirit for the message. Even more Christmas music.
  • Loved the acoustic service. Henry the message was so clear and illustrative. Loved the application to our lives.
  • Deb Carr and team – beautiful job on the Christmas décor. Well done! Pastor Henry, thank you for this weekend’s message. It’s just what we needed to hear.
  • Wow, loved the music! Nathan did an amazing job on those perfect old hymns. Love the banjo.
  • Appreciate the quiet drawing us to God’s presence. Able to adore in the quiet then the bustle of the season.
  • No living nativity this year? [No One Starry Night this year.]
  • More Christmas music please. Good message.
  • More traditional Christmas songs please.

Thanks for all your comments.

Blessings,

Pastor Henry