Service Night @ Feed My Starving Children - Eagan

We invite you to join us on September 23, 2016 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.  

The Five Oaks Church Family is coming together to pack meals for starving children world-wide. We will meet at the FMSC Eagan Facility, 990 Lone Oak Road, Suite 136 Eagan, MN 55121 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm. Get your Small Group together, bring your friends, or serve together with your family. You will have fun and you will make a real difference to a hungry child!

To Sign-Up:  1) Go to FMSC.org,

                     2) Click on the “Volunteer “ tab

                     3) Click on the “Join A Group” tab

                     4) Enter our event # 966139  

See you all there!

- Jerry Meras, Director of Outreach   

Thank You from Woodbury Elementary

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who brought in school supplies during our Fill the MINI Event in support of Woodbury Elementary. I also would like to share what I experienced when I made the delivery. First some background: On the weekend of February 27 & 28 the KHUSA Team held the Fill the MINI Event. Nichole Zacharias decorated my MINI and we asked our congregation to bring in school supplies and drop them off in the MINI. 

The office staff maintains a supply closet for underprivileged kids who show up to school without the necessary items they need to be successful. There is no budget for these supplies. They depend on donations to keep their closet stocked.  

Mary at W.E. asked me what time on Monday I would be dropping off the donated supplies. I simply thought she had a busy day planned and needed to carve out a specific time to help me unload the car. When I pulled up, I was completely surprised by 24 kids running out of the school with carts to help me unload. Mary had also arranged for Madeleine Rush, Communications Specialists with South Washington County Schools, to photograph and write about our event and donation. She supplied the photos in this blog.

Everyone at the school was so grateful it completely warmed my heart and I only wished we could have done more. Below is a note given to our KHUSA Director, Judy Visness, from Principal Connha Classon: 

Dear Kids Hope and members of Five Oaks Church--

We at Woodbury Elementary want to thank you for "maxing the mini" and donating school supplies to our students in need. We truly value our partnership with you and thank you for your contributions!

Connha Classon, Principal, WES

What is Your Bag of Hope Story?

We want to hear your Bag of Hope Story

Back in October 2015 we handed out over 200 Union Gospel Mission Bags of Hope. The bags contained a Bible, water bottle, toiletries, cold weather gear and information on UGM services for the homeless. We distributed these bags to our congregation at no charge and simply asked for three things:

• That you would keep the bag in your car and give it to a homeless person when you felt led.
• That you would explain to them that you are commanded by Christ to care for your neighbors.
• And to ask, "How can I pray for you?"  

Have you had the opportunity to give your Bag of Hope away? What happened when you did? Email Jerry Meras, jmeras@fiveoakschurch.org,  with your story.

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Kids Hope USA - Fill The MINI

Fill the MINI

Woodbury Elementary School Supply Drive

Weekend of February 27th & 28th    

We want to help Woodbury Elementary School restock their “Magic” room of supplies!. The School Office Staff maintains a room stocked with school supplies that they distribute to children in need when they show up to class without the supplies they need to be successful. There is no school budget to stock this room and they rely, solely, on donations to keep it open. They asked if we would be willing to help. Of course, we are willing to help! We are Five Oaks Church!! Our goal is to fully restock this room in one weekend.

Jerry Meras will have his MINI Cooper parked in front of the church the weekend of February 27th & 28th. We need your help to fill the MINI from floorboards to ceiling.

Flyers are being given in the Tree House this weekend or can be picked up at Guest Services. Below is a list of the needed items:

● Plastic school box (5”x8”)               ● #2 pencils with erasers (Ticonderoga preferred) 

● 12 pack colored pencils                   ● 24 pack Crayola crayons

● 10 pack classic thick markers       ● 10 pack classic thin markers

● Highlighters                                       ● 4 oz. Elmer’s white school glue

● Glue sticks Glue sticks                   ● Crayola watercolor paints 

● Spiral bound notebooks (wide line)● Dry erase white board markers (low odor) 

● Pocket folders                                  ● Wet wipes (large container)   

● Loose leaf paper                              ● Post­its (3x3”) 

● 3”x5” ruled index cards                  ● Notebook of graphing paper (4 squares per inch quad)

Bring what you can, no donation is too small!   

For further information contact KHUSA Director Judy Visness, visnessfamily@gmail.com.

God bless!

Jerry Meras, jmeras@fiveoakschurch.org

Union Gospel Mission Needs Volunteers - Saturday, February 27

UGMTC at HandsOn Twin Cities Volunteer Expo

On Saturday, February 27th, HandsOn Twin Cities will be putting on their annual volunteer expo at the Mall of America.  Over 80 local non-profits will be on hand speak with the thousands of people at the mall to talk about ways to volunteer and give back to the community.  Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities will have a booth in the main rotunda.  In addition to having a booth, UGMTC will also have space for families and individuals to help decorate placemats that will be used at our Men’s and Women’s Campus cafeterias. 

We’re looking for volunteers who would be willing to help be present at our booth and to share with people about how to volunteer with UGMTC.  The event will be on Saturday, February 27th from 10 – 3pm.   There are two shifts that we are looking to have volunteers be present and we would like to have 4 volunteers at each shift.   Of course, we’ll all wear our UGMTC t-shirts!

Shifts:

10am – 12:30pm (4 volunteers)

12:30pm – 3pm  (4 volunteers)

All supplies and handout information will be provided.  Josh Windham and other staff will be present to provide support.  Contact Josh Windham if you are interested and he will sign you up! 

To Volunteer or for Further Information contact:

Josh Windham

Volunteer Services Manager

Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities

77 Ninth St. East, St. Paul, MN 55101

Direct: 651-789-7645

Fax: 651-222-7968

Email: jwindham@ugmtc.org

Website: ugmtc.org

New Life Family Services - Diaper Drive

It's Sanctity of Human Life Month, and we are celebrating by supporting New Life Family Services with our annual Diaper Drive! During the weekends of Jan. 16/17 and 23/24, bring in diapers of any size to the NLFS table located by the Impact wall. Also, enter to win a pair of tickets to NLFS's upcoming event: Laugh for Life, Sat. Jan. 30, 7:00 PM at Grace Church Eden Prairie. Drawing will be held after services on Jan. 24, and winners will be notified by email.

About New Life Family Services:

New Life Family Services compassionately opens their doors and hearts to women and men who believe abortion is the “only” solution to an unplanned pregnancy. Through practical and spiritual counsel, they provide education and support with the hope each client will make a life-affirming decision for their unborn child.

NLFS offers three distinct services that affirm life:

Pregnancy Counseling:

New Life operates four pregnancy center locations, known as First Care Pregnancy Center, throughout the Twin Cities and Rochester communities. Each center is equipped with social workers, nurses, and trained staff who provide free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, pregnancy-related counseling, referrals, resources and more. Three of their pregnancy centers also offer Parenting Plus, a parenting education program which allows families to earn practical items such as clothing, car seats, diapers, and more.

Licensed Adoption Services:

New Life Family Services has been licensed to provide adoption services since 1980. New Life facilitates full adoption services and partial services to allow for complete customization based on each individuals needs.

Post-abortion Counseling and Recovery

Through Conquerors, New Life restores hope after abortion to men and women ready to seek healing from the damage a past abortion has caused in their lives. Conquerors offers both group sessions and individual mentoring.