We hope you don't notice.

Andrew mug.jpeg

I’ve never felt compelled to sit down and write a blog post. in the back of my mind I’ve always thought blogs are for people who have “arrived”. They are for people who can say: “Look at what I'm are doing! I have it all figured out! If you want to be successful, do it like me!” 

Turns out there is no such thing as having “arrived”. If you’ve arrived, you’ve stopped learning; you've stopped striving to be better. 

It is in this spirit that I write. With humility. Knowing that we will never “arrive”. Knowing that we may not even resemble the vision we are striving towards, but sharing my heart for technology in ministry. 

High Production; Low Visibility

Technology is everywhere. We can’t avoid it. In fact, it’s a carrier for almost all mass consumed information. Whether it be a printing press or a sound system, technology touches nearly every facet of our lives. In fact it’s so pervasive, there are only two situations in which we notice it: If we are making a show of how awesome it is, or if it is so poorly utilized that it sticks out like a sore thumb. Our goal at Five Oaks is to sit right in the middle of those two extremes. We want to be so good, you don’t notice. 

Our lighting is not here to wow you; It’s here to direct your attention.

Our projectors are not here to have you on the edge of your seat; They’re here so you don’t have to bury your head in a hymnal.

This is a challenge for one reason: people are different. An audio mix that is completely immersive for one person is distractingly loud to another! 

Ultimately, technology should be the unnoticed vessel that carries the story of God out to the masses! And that's our goal: that you don't even notice.

-Andrew Carey, Production Manager
acarey@fiveoakschurch.org

Vision

What is God’s vision for your life? Your marriage? Your family?

God created you. And when we choose to follow Jesus, he has made, and is making, us a new creation. But, we are still messed up. Life doesn’t happen exactly as we will it. 

Yet, God has a vision for your life… your marriage… your family. And it starts with being rooted in who God is and what he has done.  Which, in turn, tells us who we are and what we are to do. 

Vision, to some, looks like a tangible, quantifiable goal. God’s vision looks like a relationship with him and the new identity he has given you.

•You are a greatly loved child of God the Father. You are a brother or sister to others in God’s FAMILY.
(Love God – Matthew 22)

•You were once a slave to sin and death, but no longer. You are now a SERVANT and follower of Jesus.
(Love others – Matthew 22)

•You were once purposeless or purposed in idolatry. You are now empowered by the Holy Spirit as a MISSIONARY in the greatest mission of God’s kingdom.
(Make disciples – Matthew 28)

We are called to be a family of servant missionaries.  What does that look like?

We need God and each other to accomplish this vision of our new identity.  Don’t wait to accomplish God’s vision for your life. Get involved in a small group to have people walk alongside you in your journey. 

-Jonathan
jhaage@fiveoakschurch.org

FUN Team pulls off yet another, well, fun event

Food Trucks for Father's Day (say that five times real fast)!  That's right -- we honored Dad last weekend with some delicious food on wheels.  The wheels were provided in the form of two food trucks -- The Tot Boss and r.a.MacSammy's -- both of which set up right here in the Five Oaks parking lot.  It was a beautiful day and many folks (and their dads) sat outside and took a summer break.  While he is normally not a fan of mac-n-cheese, we think that even Pastor Henry has been converted to enjoy the Deep Fried Mac and Cheese Bites!

How do you reach a country of over one billion people?

One neighborhood at a time.

What are we doing in China?
•“Good Neighbor Center” – Practical help for families under stress
•Developing a generation of well-trained pastors and leaders who are firmly rooted in God’s Word
•Building bridges with young people through English camps, and with business people through ongoing English classes

What can you do?  What can your small group do?
PRAY!  Check announcements for opportunities to pray for China. 
LEARN! Watch for opportunities to learn about our work in China.
GO! Watch for details on a short term trip to China October 27-November 7.

Be as a Representative of the Lord Jeusus

“Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the father.”
— Colossians 3
 
 

Keep this as a reminder with you all week.
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Karen Backpack Drive - July 9 - 31, 2016

It is time for our annual Backpack Drive to benefit Karen refugee families from Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand.

Many of the Karen families are new arrivals to the U.S. and do not have the resources to purchase school supplies for their children. We want to properly prepare the kids for the next school year.

The Karen VBS Team will deliver filled backpacks to the Brittany Apartments in St. Paul, on Tuesday, August 9. Backpack supply lists will be available at the Impact Table. Our goal this year is to fill 300 backpacks! Please pick up a card and fill a backpack. Filled backpacks are due back by Sunday, July 31. For more information contact Pam Hawley, phawley@fiveoakschurch.org.

Backpacks—Elementary

A. 36 #2 PENCILS

B. 1 PAIR SCISSORS

C. 4 GLUE STICKS

D. 1 BOTTLE OF GLUE

E. 1 BOX OF CRAYONS (24 COUNT)

F. 1 COMPOSITION NOTEBOOK

G. 1 PACK OF ERASERS

H. 1 PKG. OF COLORED PENCILS

I. 4 DRY ERASE MARKERS

J. 1 BOX (8-10 COUNT) WASHABLE MARKERS

K. RULER

L. PROTRACTOR

M. 5 2 POCKET FOLDERS

N. 5 SPIRAL WIDE RULED NOTEBOOKS

O. 1 THREE-RING BINDER

P. BACKPACK

 

Backpacks—Middle/High School

A. 24 #2 PENCILS

B. 10 PENS—BLACK OR BLUE

C. PENCIL POUCH

D. 8-TAB DIVIDERS

E. 1 COMPOSITION NOTEBOOK

F. ERASERS

G. ONE 3 INCH/THREE-RING BINDER

H. HIGHLIGHTERS

I. EAR BUDS

J. RULER (INCHES & CM)

K. 2 COLLEGE RULED NOTEBOOKS

L. COLORED PENCILS

M. PENCIL SHARPENER

N. BACKPACK

 

 

 

 

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Serve in China from October 27 - November 7, 2016

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How do you reach a country of over one billion people?

One neighborhood at a time!

What does a neighborhood look like?

 Not what you might think.

Our in-country partners have a vision to "Ignite church planting movements in every apartment complex in our city.”

What can you do?  What can your Small Group do?

First PRAY!  Check announcements for opportunities pray for China!

Second GO! Watch for details on a short term trip to China, October 27 - November 7! 

To get involved or for further information contact our China Impact Coordinator, Kevin Johnson,  kevindawn@comcast.net.  

That moment you realize...YOU are needed!

It was a moment that I try to look back on often, so that I won't forget. That one moment in time when I knew, I was needed and the longing to fulfill that need, filled my soul. 

I had heard  the kids out in the living room playing and calling for me to see if I was going to make breakfast, but I desired to stay snuggled up under my warm blankets with my eyes shut for just a few more minutes. My world became quiet and still for a few brief moments and then, all of the sudden, there were my two youngest kids, standing by my bedside, staring at me. I'm not sure when they walked in to the room, or how long they had been standing there so close to my face, but it certainly scared me enough to make my heart race a little too fast that early in the morning, 

My gut reaction was to get annoyed and tell them to go ahead and make their own breakfast. Let me sleep.  But, then my youngest daughter spoke. "Mom, I asked Jesus in to my heart!"

"You did?" I exclaimed.

"Brother and I prayed together.'

My quickly racing heart, turned to flutters of joy at this declaration and a sense of pride that my kids had made that choice, on their own, yet together, filled my soul! Then I realized, I am needed! 

I am needed to guide these kids on this path. I am needed to teach them the truth of the Word of God in a new way that relates to them in a whole new way.  I am needed to celebrate this moment with them! 

Friends, I want you to know that you are needed as well, right here at Five Oaks in The Tree House, to make a difference. You are needed for more than just an adult supervisor, staying comfortable in the place you are in. You are needed to help guide the kids of our church on the right path. You are needed to teach them the truth of the Word of God in new and exciting ways that relate to where they are at. YOU ARE NEEDED to celebrate the moments with them! 

Would you please pray about what area you could help in the Children's Ministry this summer. We need you and the blessing of time that you have to offer these kids! 

I am pretty sure we made pancakes for breakfast, they seem to be our traditional celebratory food choice. And we set out on a journey to do this together as a family. What a blessing that Five Oaks has been to come alongside us on this journey as well. Will you come alongside the kids of The Tree House as well?

 

As the Worship Team gathers

I want, I want, I want…..as I was just reading this to my wife, she said, “that’s a lot of ‘I wants’”……so yes, I might be acting a bit like a 4 year-old here….oh well, I’m just being honest…. :)

 

It’s 12:45 pm on a Saturday afternoon…the worship team is starting to show up for rehearsal…mics are being checked…guitars are being tuned….

I want there to be joy.  I want people, including myself, to be grateful that we get to do this…that it’s a privilege, not a right…I hope we’re joyful.

I want excellence. I expect it from myself and from each person on my team.  I wanna play the songs the best that we possibly can.  I want our brains to hurt by the time the rehearsal is done because we’ve been thinking and concentrating so much on what we’ve been doing…..excellence.

I want a pure heart…a pure heart in myself and in every person on that platform.  A heart that seeks Jesus.  A heart that wants to lead people to Him.  A pure heart….I want this above everything else. 

See ya this weekend. 

Jeremy