Family milestone classes to help your family thrive
Parenting comes with many challenges, and while we don’t have all the answers, this fall we have three Milestone Classes to help you journey well as a family.
• Family Dedication milestone (October 7) will help you start on your path as a family
• Communion/Baptism milestone (October 14) will help equip you for meaningful conversations with your student about following Jesus
• Preparing to Launch (October 28) will help juniors, seniors and their parents prepare for the final years in high school.
You may register for any of these milestone classes on Realm. Questions? Email family@fiveoakschurch.org.
Please pray for Camp Getaway
This weekend is a huge one in Five Oaks Students: Camp Getaway at Camp Arrowhead in northern Minnesota. Students can expect all kinds of fun plus some worship, teaching and great small group time. Please join us in praying for the students and their friends who attend this weekend, and for safety and health for all, including the leaders. God is working overtime this weekend!
Hey 5th graders and families!
We know it’s important to keep kids engaged at every age, and fifth grade is an age where kids start to want to invite friends to events more and more. Join us September 28 for an evening of fun at Wooddale Fun Zone. Roller skating and blading, the play place climbing structure and arcade games all are available. 6:30-8:30 pm. $7 for play place alone or $10 for both skating and play place. Skate or inline rental is available for $3. Please RSVP to Kelly Bauman on Realm, or email her at kbauman@fiveoakschurch.org. Parents are welcome to stay and socialize with other parents, but it’s not required!
Journeymen kicking off their ministry year with a pancake breakfast
Men, join us at our Pancake Breakfast September 29, 8 am. Guest speaker Vince Miller of Resolute Ministry will share insight on the fall study titled “Commitment,” a study created by Miller that looks at the various areas men are called to commit to. You may register for the pancake breakfast on Realm.
Help Five Oaks make a difference at Feed My Starving Children!
At Five Oaks we know that you want to be a difference-maker and not a spectator. Creating change is within your reach! Join us as we partner with Feed My Starving Children and our entire community to help pack Five Million Meals at HealthEast Sports Center in October. This is both a great opportunity to serve as a family —ages 5 and up are welcome— and a chance to reach out to your friends and neighbors. Inviting them to join you is an easy way to involve them in what is important to you. Help our Five Oaks community create hope for children across the world in desperate need.
We’re encouraging our Five Oaks family to serve together at one of two shifts: Use one of these links to sign up:
Five Oaks Church First Shift: Saturday, October 6, 3-5 pm
http://volunteer.fmsc.org/Register/Group/JoinGroup.aspx?gid=1492063
Five Oaks Church Second Shift: Saturday, October 6, 6-8:30 pm
http://volunteer.fmsc.org/Register/Group/JoinGroup.aspx?gid=1492953
Jesus + fun on tap for our kids this year
Your children are the next generation of spiritual leaders in the church. We’re honored to share that charge with you, and we know that when kids are having fun while learning, their learning is cemented. That’s why we’ve added a few more “brain breaks” for kids, including gym time each week and social events aimed at specific age groups. If you’d like to help plan, please email Kelly Bauman, kbauman@fiveoakschurch.org.
Pssst ... weekend worship really isn’t enough
We’re all busy, and some weeks, we feel accomplished to fit in weekend worship among the rest of life’s demands. That’s real. But while the teaching, fellowship, and worship are amazing at Five Oaks, they don’t replace what you reap from joining a Small Group. God may be calling you to a Small Group not only to grow you, but also to let your pour into someone else’s life. Visit the ministry cart in the Commons to find a Small Group to try out.
Join our Reach 1 Family Facebook group to sharpen your party skills
Got a new neighbor? A family from soccer? The family of your son or daughter’s newest friend from school? These relationships, some new to you and others not, provide a great opportunity for you to invite them into something new in their lives.
As followers of Christ, we’ve experienced great freedom in Christ, and so in theory we should throw the best parties. But, sometimes we feel ill-equipped to invite others to church for any number of reasons.
To help build your confidence in inviting others, consider joining our Reach 1 Family group on Facebook. We need you to join this group so you can share your insights and successes with inviting others, and joining will also give you new ideas and strategies.
We plan to use these ideas to invite those “new” families in our lives to join us at one of our great church parties, the Five Oaks Church Fall Fun Fest on October 26. Click here to go straight to our Reach 1 Family Group and join.
Discover your part in the Story of God
Most people find the Bible confusing, even lifelong readers, because most of us don’t understand how it all fits together to tell one story. In Story of God, this six-week experience will offer you a knowledgeable framework for the Bible, help you read it with greater understanding, and make room for your tough questions. Not only can you expect honest answers, but also you can look forward to a practical, realistic approach to reading the Bible for the rest of your life. This is a great way to connect with others in your Story of God cohort, too. For more info on classes starting this fall, visit storyofgod.church.
It’s just a phase: don’t miss the Phase Small Group
Your kids move in and out of phases as they grow and mature, and we don’t want to miss any of them. If you are interested in joining the Phase Small Group that will meet starting this fall during our Saturday services at church, please email Cindy Yarrington, cyarrington@fiveoakschurch.org. She will send you more details.
Five Oaks book club
Do you love to read? Join us at our book club to discuss our monthly reading choice and meet others from church who also love a good book.
When: Second Tuesday of every month
Time: 6:45 pm - discussion at 7 pm
Where: Five Oaks Church, Fireside Commons
New members are welcome throughout the year. Join anytime. Please message Carie Jorgenson on Realm to find out what our upcoming titles will be and to ask any questions about joining us!
Save the date for our Annual Congregational Meeting
You may be thinking, “Annual meeting? Snooze…” Snooze no more. Join us November 11 at 4 pm for a short business meeting, shared vision from Pastor Henry and ministry leaders, and heavy appetizers for all following. Definitely not the annual meeting you remember from your childhood…
Community News
Attention Retreat families!
Fall is such a fun season for family events, but for families with differently-abled kids, many of these events are difficult, if not impossible to navigate. Join us at Rockpoint Church for a Joni and Friends corn maze and fall fun day! Enjoy an afternoon of food, games, fellowship, and a corn maze created with disabilities in mind. Sunday, October 7 at Rockpoint Church, 5825 Kelvin Ave., Lake Elmo. Games open from 2-5 pm; light dinner served at 5 pm. Please RSVP to Joni and Friends at 952-933-7777 or email cnardini@joinandfriends.org.
Help wanted: Your home!
Perhaps you’ve considered hosting an exchange student, but you’re worried about a long-term commitment, or a bad match, or maybe you think you’re too busy to adequately share our culture with an exchange student. Here is an opportunity to bless a college student for less than a month. You can invite a Japanese college student studying at Bethel University this winter (February 16th - March 12th) to be a part of your family! Many of these students are hungry for the comforts of home, and they want to participate with your family in your own kind of “busy!” Share your love and faith with your student, and you'll plant a seed. Your student takes classes during the day and spends the evenings with you. Transportation help to/from Bethel is provided as well as a stipend. For information contact, Lisa Bekemeyer, lbekemeyer@me.com or 651-253-9498.
Grandparents make an eternal difference
You matter in the lives of your grandchildren! This phase of life offers you opportunities to influence in ways you maybe never considered as a parent. Join other Five Oaks grandparents as we attend a seminar New Life Church in Woodbury just for grandparents like you. October 27, 7:30-3:30. Click here for more info and to register.