China Impact Blog

Here is the vision of our city team in China:

“We are incarnational participants in our community developing people into healthy disciple makers and church leaders to reproduce healthy churches to the ends of the earth.”

Each member of the team has a different passion. Below is one:

"My passion is to invest in wom­en, families, and children. With a background in education, God has used me to train Sunday school teachers and to walk alongside women and moms. I love working with the church’s next generation of leaders—kids! I love teach­ing them God’s Word and helping to develop their character and education so that they can effectively lead tomorrow’s church.”

What can you do?

Pray for the impact of the Guang Hua Church Family Retreat taking place August 26 - 28, 2016 -- that those who attend would be strengthened in carrying out God’s mission with the learning and encouragement that they received.

Kevin Johnson - China Impact Coordinator

 

God of Peace

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5
 
 

Keep this as a reminder with you all week.
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Thank you.

Thank you.

You come here each weekend and you serve others
    and you brighten our doorways
    and you meet people’s needs
    and you listen
    and you help
    and you try
    and above all you’re there.

You might be the first, 
    last, 
    or only friendly face someone sees in their entire week.

You praise each other’s strengths
    and bear each other’s failings, 
    because that’s what we all are, 
    a collection of strengths and failings…
    examples of God’s mercy and grace.

And I am so blessed by each and every one of you,
    because you extend that same grace to me.

It is a highlight of my weekend here at church to be able to see each one of you,
    to be able to walk around and thank you,
    to catch up with you and say hi.

Each one of you matters so much…
    to me, 
    to God, 
    and to the folks that walk through our doors.

And I have to believe that each one of you carry the same attitude into your everyday, 
    walking-about-the-world lives, 
    because how could you not?

It is who you are.

So thank you for being you
    and for letting others see that.

You bless me
         God
         others
         every day.

-Carol Jorgensen
Connections Manager

,

Get in the Game

,

When our kids were younger, and too little to yet participate in youth soccer, they participated in a fantastic beginners’ soccer experience. On the last evening of a six-week class, as the children wrapped up their 45 minute session, the instructors invited the parents onto the field. 

As the parents all filed onto the field, we were immediately engaged not just with our children, but also with each other. I smiled at, shook hands with, and talked to other parents I had sat quietly next to for the past five weeks.  We were strangers to each other, hiding behind smartphones and tablets, despite having sat on the same bleachers for five weeks watching our kids ‘together.’  Once on the field together, we shared a spirit of camaraderie, community, and of course… our children and the game. We were there because our kids were there. We were in the game together. 

They ran up and down the field, chasing and kicking the ball. There was no order beyond the red and blue jerseys — organized chaos at best —  and it was beautiful. There was joy, there was fun, and we were in the middle of it with our children. 

Our job was to encourage them and cheer for them as they played. We also were instructed to form a perimeter and when the ball came near us, our job was to simply help keep it in play. 

As I reflected on this experience, the metaphor for how we journey with our students ran deeper than I could ever give words to. So let it take you where it will. 

Most notably, it seems as students grow and enter new stages of life, it can be difficult for us as parents to know where we belong in the mix. We’re not sure how involved to be, or when to listen instead of talk. We may begin to feel unwanted, unneeded, and unsure of what we’d do if we were asked to get in the ‘game.’ Naturally, we sit out. And watch. Or worse, we restrict their participation. Not because we don’t want to be in the ‘game,’ but because we’re not sure of our place, and we feel the sense of losing the control we’ve always had, or at least thought we had.

What’s the alternative? Get. In. The Game. The ‘game’ is really not a game at all but is in fact the journey of life that you have the privilege to be on with your student, and your student needs you. They need you in a way that is different from the way they needed you before, but they need you nonetheless. Rather than losing control, your method of influence is evolving. They need your encouragement, your support, and your presence as they learn and experience life as they’ve never experienced it. They need to talk through what they think about what they see. In many ways the role you play in your student’s life, although less direct than before, is more important than ever.

Your role isn’t to control the ‘game’ or what position they play, to take their steps or kick the ball for them. You role is to be there. You don’t have to be an expert at the ‘game.’ None of us is.

Get in the ‘game’…because that’s where your student is. That’s where your student needs you, and it’s where you belong. 

As we ramp up toward fall and the year of student ministry ahead, we face some challenges.  And we will need to face these challenges together as we carry on our student ministry and continue to build it as a place that brings the story of God to life for the next generation. 

A key piece to how we’re going to do this —  through weekend services, student ministry programming, and most importantly,  through your family unit itself —  is with The Gospel Project curriculum. It will equip our church community as well as adults, students, children and families to integrate and engage with one another around the story of God more deeply than ever before. It is an incredible tool that will equip you as a parent while you step into life with your student and your family in the way that God has designed.

-John Eiselt
Family and Discipleship Pastor

Will you join us this fall?

It has been said that it is possible to know all of the Bible stories and miss the Bible story: the story of redemption through Jesus Christ! 

We are so excited to introduce The Gospel Project curriculum to Five Oaks this fall! The Gospel Project is designed to walk participants of all ages through scripture, chronologically, in order to understand how all scripture testifies to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

As we take on this exciting new adventure, we need the help of people, like yourselves, to make it all happen. I would like to take this opportunity to ask if you would consider joining us this coming year (Sept. 2016 - May 2017) in The Tree House Children's Ministry, either as a nursery caregiver, toddler teacher, a Retreat room assistant or as a teacher or assistant in any our 2's -5th grade classrooms.

If you are interested in more information, please contact us at children@fiveoakschurch.org.

Thank you for considering what role you can play in the lives of the children of Five Oaks as we come alongside families in bringing the Story of God to life!

A Prayer for This Weekend

Jesus said: 
I have loved you as the Father has loved me. Abide in my love. Follow my example in obeying the Father’s commandments and receiving his love. If you obey my commandments, you will stay in my love. My commandment to you is this: love others as I have loved you. There is no greater way to love than to give your life for your friends.  
from John 16

Remind us:
We are all made in your image.
We are all prodigals wandering far from home.
We all find mercy in your embrace.
Abba, our Father in heaven
Let your name be hallowed.

 

—

 

Isaiah prophesied a day when all will be made right: 

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. 
from Isaiah 25

Abba, Our Father in heaven
We are exhausted with all this violence;
A truck bomb in Baghdad,
The mass murder in Orlando,
The killings this week of
Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, five police officers in Dallas, and a toddler in North Minneapolis. 

We look for you to restore all things,
We wait for resurrection.
But more than waiting,
Let us live today to see your kingdom come,
To see your will be done;
As it is in heaven let it be so on earth.

 

—

 

Jesus said, 
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 
from Matthew 5

In our shared hunger,
We see that we are the same.
For ourselves, our friends and our enemies:
Provide our needs,
Give us today our daily bread,

In the hatred and violence we hold in our own hearts,
We see our shared need for your love to take hold,
We can taste our need to give and receive forgiveness.
Bring healing.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

 

—

 

The Psalmist sang: 
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. 
from Psalm 23

John testified: 
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 
from John 1

Paul taught: 
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 
from Romans 12

Jesus said, 
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. 

Then he prayed: 
Father, do not take them out of this world; protect them from the evil one. 
from John 16-17

Jesus, we trust you,
We follow you.
Teach us that you are with us,
Even in the valley of the shadow of death.
Show us how to overcome evil with good,
Darkness with light.

Jesus, lead us
Not into temptation,
Deliver us from evil.
Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
Forever and ever.
Amen
Come, Lord Jesus, come.