Mid-Week Memo

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Hey Five Oakers,

I have just FOUR things I want to share with you this week:

#1- I missed last weekend but I heard great things about the service and about Vince’s message. Vince listed some of the quotes and books he mentioned on his timeline on Facebook. Here are all the Com Card comments (made me wish so much that I was there):

  • Love the Jam session. 
  • I like the “pre-show” song, but why the change? It makes me worry that I’m late!  [I’ve joked that this is going to drive punctual people crazy and you’re the first to let me know. :-) There’s a reason for it, but I hesitate to go into it in detail. Here’s the short answer: Our call to worship at the beginning of the worship gathering is a crucial part of our worship. We are being very intentional about reminding everyone that God calls us to gather together to worship him, looking to his Word or singing a call and then taking time for confession and for receiving assurance of forgiveness. Yes, all that is packed into the first few minutes. But 2/3 of the congregation was missing most of it…until we started early. That’s all I’m going to say.]
  • So very thankful for the God given talent given to the worship team(s). Loved the guitars solos. Whoop! 
  • Great display of talent that God gives! 
  • Thanks for joining us Vince! Thank you Worship Team, awesome! 
  • Last song – amazing! 
  • Great solos on final worship song! 
  • Loved the version of “How Great Is Our God” – cool rhythm. 
  • Justin – you keep getting better! Wonderful. “More than Amazing” was amazing. 
  • Yes, following God is indeed a party. Thank you for the rocking song! 
  • Worship team! Wow! 
  • Awesome worship! 
  • Great message. 
  • Nice jam! 
  • Worship (praise) is so full of Jesus this morning. Thank you Worship Team! 
  • Missed you guys last week (spring break vacation). Great to be back in my worship home! Vince great to see and hear from you! Great message Vince, thank you. Really hit home – either we are with Him or against Him. Please avoid turning up guitars during final prayer, very distracting. 
  • Vince Miller had a great message today! He’s helped me begin my week with a positive goal. Thanks to his love for the Word. 
  • Great worship time. Very real message. Thanks. 
  • Great job on the last song worship team! Awesome! 
  • Looks like we forgot to let Vince know that we now use ESV version. [Yep, my bad.]
  • The music is great, except too loud, especially the last song. Please tone it down. Thanks. 
  • I was very upset with the guitar solo during worship. It should be about God, not the people on stage.
  • The volume of the first worship set was very loud. I had one lady ask for ear plugs (I was at the info desk working security.) I went in and I must agree it was loud.
  • Music was very loud, almost painful - 9:30. 

#2- Okay, so I want to speak a little to the “too loud” issue.

  • First, in our evaluation, we think that the 9:30am was probably the service that drew the most comments about loudness. With spring break, that service is was not as full as usual and was much less attended than the 11am. We may not have made proper adjustments in sound since people in the seats absorb sound.
  • Second, we have taken many, many additional steps to make the sound less abrasive over the last year including changing the symbols, working with our drummers and sound volunteers to take out abrasive sounds and many other steps (I’ll detail them in another post some time).
  • Third, we still have one more investment to make to help the sound that will be applied in coming weeks (i.e., putting sound reinforcements on the stage area ceiling).
  • Fourth, I want you to know that we never run the decibels loud enough to damage hearing. We are always monitoring the level and we stayed in our normal range, even in the 9:30am this week. But sometimes the mix is such that some sounds are harsher on the hearing.

I just want everyone to know that we are CONSTANTLY working on removing harsh sounds while, at the same time, keeping the energy and volume levels up (and, yes, the two are connected).

#3- A couple of weeks ago I was talking to Justin about all that goes on behind the scenes each week for the worship team to prepare for the service…besides rehearsing. I’m talking about the spiritual prep that takes place.

  • Since the team can’t do the stations, they take time to worship with some iPod music and they do the stations together.
  • The team walks through the worship center praying about what will take place in the service and touching every chair as a representation of the folks that will be sitting in the chairs.
  • During rehearsal, they have a time of sharing prayer requests and praying for each other.
  • Lastly, during the third service and during the transition to the message, they circle around and “popcorn” prayers of thanks. Justin doesn’t want a week to go by where they don’t thank God for making it all possible.

#4- Congratulations to head coach (and Five Oaker) Brad Frost and his Gopher Women’s Hockey team on their national championship! We're talking about a collegiate National championship folks!!!

I can’t wait to be back in the saddle this weekend. I’m teaching on Luke 11:29-36 and addressing reasonable and unreasonable doubt. Jesus is very patient with the Thomas’ of this world who struggle with doubts, but in this passage he becomes quite impatient with some doubters. What’s the difference? Come and see how our doubts can become unreasonable.

See you on the weekend.

With much love,

Pastor Henry