Seeds for Growth. Back to Basics! The mission of Oakwood is to... Inside this issue:

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1 Aug 7 - Aug 20, 2010 Volume 5, Issue 16 Oakwood Community Church Casey Rd Tampa FL The mission of Oakwood is to... Seeds for Growth Back to Basics! WOW! The first six months on the job have flown by! The number of hats to be worn is impressive. Before I assumed my new position, I appreciated what Paul, Chris, Pam and Mike did on a weekly basis but now even more so. In the busyness of ministry multitasking, time management is a constant challenge. I am finding that, sometimes, even ministry can be a distraction from a personal relationship with the Lord. I have been reading a number of good books recently that have given me a new perspective of reaching people for Christ. In one of our recent staff meetings, Chris said something that made me say ouch. He and I have been reading many of the same books and enjoyed thinking about how the information could impact Oakwood. However, when he said that we needed to be reading THE Book as much as any other book, I realized that I had been spending considerable time reading what others said about our culture and how the church could have an impact. I felt the need to spend more time in the Bible seeing what the Timeless One had to say about such things. If we believe that all scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. If we also believe it corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right (2 Timothy 3:16), then why aren t we spending more time learning from the One who knows the deep stuff inside us? Do I really believe the Word of God is sharper then the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow? Do I (and you!) also believe it exposes our innermost thoughts and desires? (Hebrews 4:15) Some of you may ask how I get started in reading. Some have used the let the Book fall open and read from there method. God can use that I am sure. But as a simple person, I like to have a sense of direction in my reading. There are a number of devotional books available. Oakwood provides one of the best for free. Our Daily Bread has been a great source of help in setting our minds on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. (Phil. 4:8) Pick up a copy in the Information Center next Sunday. Continued on page 2 Transform ordinary people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Oakwood is a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America. Inside this issue: Growing In Community 2 Summer Prayer 3 Prayer Opportunities 4 TreeHouse 4 Oakwood Mill 5 Finance Seminar 5 Oakwood Updates 6 WIN Report 7 Marriage Matters 8 Calendar at a Glance 9

2 Page 2 Volume 5, Issue 16 Growing In Community - LIFT Jeff Baker We are excited to let you all know what the Lord is doing in our Community Group. Our group consists of young married couples and we are getting to experience married life as the Lord intended by serving others. Some of the projects that we have completed are painting and doing work at the pregnancy ministry. We have some upcoming community projects with the Metropolitan Ministry feeding their residents and handing out back packs to under privileged children. As a group we have had various social nights where we either go bowling or eat dinner at one of the group members houses. We have completed a study on the book of James and are currently involved in a study on communication in marriage. Overall, we feel like our group is developing a level of transparency and openness that is allowing us to experience the love of Christ. We feel that we are having great fellowship amongst each other and fostering life-long relationships. God Bless, The young married couples Seeds For Growth - continued from page 1 I have also enjoyed the challenge of Scripture memory this summer. Psalm 119 tells us that we can hide God s Word in our heart that we might not sin against Him. There is something significant about this. God uses these verses to refine our lives and help us as we deal with daily living. How are you doing with the three passages so far? Have you seen them as prayers for Oakwood? Psalm 86:11 tells us to pray for a teachable spirit and an undivided heart. In Colossians 1:10, we are to pray that we live a life worthy and pleasing. That is not what I want. I want to be blessed and have health and stuff. Also in the verse, we are to pray that we grow in the knowledge of God. Maybe if I prayed more often to know God and spent more time in the Bible, I would be able to pray Colossians 1:10 more consistently. Romans 15:5 encourages us to pray for a spirit of unity as we follow Jesus Christ. Be sure and pick up your scripture memory card from the back table in the Worship Center. I would challenge each of us to hide these passages in our heart so we can grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus! Dave Dorsey Director of Ministries GroupLink Sunday Prayer Coming September 12 Watch for more details about new Community Groups starting this fall and how you can Grow In Community by joining one We don t often know how prayer works but we know that it changes things. God directs us to talk with Him regularly. Linking with God and other believers is even more powerful. The Bible talks about where two or three gather to pray, it takes on a more significant meaning. Join us on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM in the church library to pray for 40 minutes leading up to the family time of worship and join us as we ask God to help us love Him more.

3 Page 3 Volume 5, Issue 16 Our Oakwood family is encouraged to participate in Prayer Summer 2010 ~ June 6-August 29 This summer prayer initiative will guide us as a family to deepen our love for God, build and strengthen our relationships with others, and to serve others through prayer. Visit the table in the Worship Center for more information and weekly updates. How has God answered your prayers as you ve prayed for an undivided heart, for spiritual growth, and for a spirit of unity? How has your relationship with Him changed? We d love to hear from you. You may your response to office@oakwoodfl.org. "Remember that memorizing verses is not an end in itself. The goal is not to see how many verses we can memorize, the goal is godliness. The goal is to memorize the Word of God so that it can transform our minds and our lives." Dr. Donald Whitney Scripture Memory Card #4 is available at the back table in the Worship Center. We will focus on memorizing Ephesians 4:12-13 (Aug 8-Aug 29) as we pray for a Servant s Heart. Ephesians 4:12-13 (NIV) 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Challenge Team & Team Tampa XI Pot Luck & Trip Reports Sunday, August 29 at 5:00 PM Come and hear how God answered prayer and worked in and through our teens and adults as they represented Oakwood, Candlewood, and the Lord Jesus with excellence and love.

4 Page 4 Volume 5, Issue 16 Support Our Troops Remember to pray for Geoff, Joe and their families while they are away serving our country. Also, watch for updates as both are anticipated to be back stateside in September! Geoff Andrews, son of Bob & Karen Andrews, is currently stationed in Afghanistan. He has very limited internet access: 30 minutes at a time on a military PC after waiting in line. Anyone who would like to write to him can use Your will be printed at his base and delivered to him. His address information for MotoMail is FPO AE , B Co. LSP, LCpl. Andrews, Geoffrey Ross. Once you've set up your free MotoMail account it's very easy to use. Joe Angelo will be in Bahrain for six months, serving with the Navy component of Central Command (CENTCOM) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He will be supporting engineering and construction efforts within the CENTCOM area of operations. To send notes of encouragement to Joe while he is away, him at johnfrum@hotmail.com. Please do not forward chain mail to this address only personal messages. Summer at The TreeHouse Our TreeHouse ministry for children two-years-old through 5th Grade has some fun plans for the summer. Don t miss any of them! August 8 August 15 August 22 August 29 Crazy Hat Sunday Wear the hat get $25 in Kid's Bucks Prize for best hat!!!! Surprise Sunday Dress Up Sunday Wear your Sunday Best get $25 in Kid's Bucks Watch for announcements about this special event. Dates and events are subject to change. Notices will be sent home each week and/or by . If we do not have an or what we have is incorrect, please let the Welcome Center in the Tree House know the correct information.

5 Page 5 Volume 5, Issue 16 Oakwood Mill - Coming this Fall Foundations of Apologetics This fall we will offer a new class on Apologetics using Ravi Zacharias DVD series titled Foundations of Apologetics. The series is designed to introduce a comprehensive range of apologetic arguments and strategies and features lectures by members of Ravi s Ministry team of apologists, including Ravi Zacharias himself, Michael Ramsden, Alister McGrath, Amy Orr-Ewing, John Lennox, Stuart McAllister, and L.T. Jeyachandran. This rigorous curriculum will allow the student to become adept at recognizing the many worldviews influencing our culture and equipped to challenge the assumptions of these worldviews. The study will include compelling topics such as Faith, Reason, and Integration; God, Evil, and Suffering; Seeing and Exploring Cultural Connections; and Reasoning from the Scriptures. Complete with an in-depth workbook, the studies foster not only knowledge but also the skills to communicate that knowledge in a way that is winsome and effective. Topics to be covered are: Introduction to Apologetics: Conversations That Count Truth and Reality The Existence of God Establishing a Worldview The Trustworthiness of the Christian Scriptures The Uniqueness of Christ The Oakwood Mill is the Adult Education Ministry of Oakwood Community Church. All Classes are held in the Education Center from 8:45-9:45 AM on Sunday mornings beginning September 12. Register by contacting the Church Office at office@oakwoodfl.org, or fill out the registration form that will be in the weekly Worship Program. Please indicate the class you plan to attend; as well as any children that will need childcare so we can plan appropriately for them. The Trinity and Apologetics Pluralism: Do All Religions Lead to the Same Goal? Faith, Reason, and Integration God, Evil, and Suffering Seeing & Exploring Cultural Connections Reasoning From The Scriptures JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE - Acts and the Epistles - Part I (Women s class) Women are invited to join us for a guided tour as we journey through Acts and the epistles. Using a simple reading plan, participants will be encouraged to read through these New Testament books. We will explore key elements of each book, see how they fit together into the larger picture of God s story and discover what they mean for our lives today. Contact Andrea Cress for more information ( or acress@tampabay.rr.com) Finance Seminar Need help with your finances? The Crown Biblical Financial Study will be held on Saturdays from September 11 - November 29, 9:00-11:00 AM in the Oakwood library. This 10 week study will help you learn how to reduce your debt and increase your savings. Topics include: Getting Out of Debt, Spending, Saving and Investing, Budgeting, Giving, Earning Money, and Training Children. Requirements for the class: meet weekly for 2 hours, and approximately 2 hours of work outside the class each week, including scripture memory and praying for other class members. Register by contacting the Church Office at office@oakwoodfl.org, or sign up at the Information Center in the lobby. There is no childcare provided for this seminar.

6 Page 6 Volume 5, Issue 16 Get Into The Word - Women s Bible Studies Are you looking for an opportunity to dig into God s Word yourself? Our women s Bible study groups will soon be back in session with new studies this fall. Through the rich teaching presented and the warm fellowship of women, you ll be inspired to get into the Word. All women are encouraged to join in: Journey Through the Bible ~ starting Sept. 12 th Sunday mornings at 8:45 9:45 AM in the Oakwood Library Studying: New Testament: Acts & Epistles Contact Andrea Cress ( or acress@tampabay.rr.com) Women of the Word ~ starting Sept. 14 th Tuesday evenings at 7:15 9:00 PM in the Oakwood Library Studying: The Life of Christ (Jesus Ministers In & Around Galilee) Contact Sharon Pruden ( or pruden@biblebasics.org) Just for Joy ~ starting August 18 th Wednesday afternoons at 4:45-6:00 PM in the Oakwood Library Studying: Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith Normally a closed group, JFJ is open for new women to join during this 6-week study. Contact Trisha Emerson ( or trisha16@tampabay.rr.com) Work Days Mark your calendars now for two upcoming work days to spruce up our facilities. August 21 - TreeHouse Work Day. Your help is needed to get TreeHouse spruced up and ready to minister to our children for our Fall Kick-Off. Sign up at the Information Center or contact the Church Office. September 18 - Work Day on the Gray House Watch for more details as we get closer to these dates. Shoes for Orphans Oakwood is partnering with The JOY FM in collecting shoes for orphans in Guatemala through the month of August.. You can help by bring in NEW leather or canvas athletic shoes of any size. There are bins in the lobby, PowerHouse, TreeHouse, and the office for you to drop off your shoes. Potluck & Missions Reports Be sure to put August 29 on your calendar as you don t want to miss our Potluck Dinner and reports from our summer Mission Teams - Challenge (Youth) and Tampa Team XI (Czech Republic). Watch for more details.

7 Page 7 Volume 5, Issue 16 World Impact Now Campus Crusade for Christ and The Navigators are two ministries making an impact around the world. Our Oakwood supported missionaries John and Kerri Schneider, Dave Hawes, and Roy and Debbie Garren were our guests for our July 18 WIN Missions Sunday. Thank you to all who came to support and encourage our campus ministry missionaries! Notes of Thanks! Thank you so much for allowing us time to share about our ministry yesterday. The lunch was so nice delicious and a nice atmosphere to talk. The discussion time was nice and casual too a bit of a family feel. Well, we are family! Thank you for all your hard work in putting this all together. We really appreciate you! Thank you for the gift as well. You are so generous to us! Your support is so important to us, and we are so thankful to be a part of the Oakwood family! God bless you all! John & Kerri We had a great time yesterday.thanks for making us feel so welcome, for all of your help and for the check it is very much appreciated. ~ Roy & Debbie Garren

8 Page 8 Volume 5, Issue 16 Thriving In A Stepfamily - Part 1 Understanding what your stepkids are thinking and why can bring strength to your family. Laura Petherbridge However, one of the most common misconceptions about stepfamilies is that everyone will bond quickly. Being a stepmom is much more difficult than I imagined, Nancy, a stepmom of four years shared with me. Since my husband and I are excited about our marriage, we assumed the kids would be happy too. But they re really struggling and I m not sure what to do. As a stepmom of more than 24 years I understand her concerns. A few months into my second marriage I was discouraged by the complexities associated with being a stepmother of two boys aged 11 and 13. Learning how to function in a blended family has been a process for all of us. Along the journey we ve discovered a few insights on how to succeed as a stepfamily. Stepfamilies are Formed Out of Loss According to research an estimated onethird of children will live in a stepparent home before the age of 18, and 50 percent will have a stepparent at some point in their lifetime. Whether death or divorce has disrupted the biological family, children often wrestle with the adjustment. The family unit typically provides a child with safety and security. However, the death of a parent or a family divorce is likely to induce insecurity and fear in a child s life. Nancy continues to explain, After my husband and his former wife divorced, his kids moved to a different neighborhood plus had to change schools. They attend a new church causing them to lose good friends and a familiar routine. All of this loss has caused them to be angry and sad, and I m an easy target for their grief. It s not uncommon for Christians to falsely assume that a stepfamily formed due to the death of a parent is easier on the children than a remarriage after divorce. However, all loss is painful. Kids who are grieving often display frustration, depression, or belligerence. It s crucial for a stepparent to understand how loss can shatter dreams and instill long-term anxiety. A Healthy Stepfamily Takes Time About 75 percent of those who divorce will eventually remarry. However, one of the most common misconceptions about stepfamilies is that everyone will bond quickly. If I had this to do over again, I d wait to remarry, Don states. My wife and I both brought children into this second marriage. During our six months of dating everyone got along great, however once we got married that all changed. It s been three years and the children still resent the new family dynamic. Stepfamily expert Ron Deal shares, The average stepfamily takes seven years to integrate. Parents want to believe their kids will be okay, thus the power of hope blinds couples to the realities of stepfamily integration. Many couples enter a remarriage without understanding that the kids may struggle or battle against the marriage. When parents attempt to rush or force a bond between stepchildren and stepparent, it creates tension and sets the marriage up for failure. See the next issue of The ACORN for the conclusion of this article. Laura Petherbridge ( is a speaker and author of When I Do Becomes I Don t : Practical Steps for Healing During Separation and Divorce (Cook) and co-author of The Smart Stepmom: Practical Steps to Help You Thrive (Bethany House). Copyright 2010 by the author or Christianity Today International/Kyria.com.

9 Oakwood Community Church Casey Rd Tampa FL Our Staff Lead Pastor - Dr. Paul B. Phair Director of Ministries - Dave Dorsey Director of Worship Arts - Chris Lehmann Minister of Youth Development - Mike Richards Director of Children s Ministries - Pam Kilbride Office Manager - Martha Dorsey Secretary - Mary-Lynn Reilly Office hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Calendar at a Glance Aug 8 - Sunday Prayer (9:00 AM OCC Library) Aug 9 - Board Meeting Aug 10 - MISCOM Meeting Aug 15 - Sunday Prayer (9:00 AM OCC Library) - Compassion Offering Aug 21 - TreeHouse Work Day Aug 22 - Sunday Prayer (9:00 AM OCC Library) Aug 29 - Sunday Prayer (9:00 AM OCC Library) - Church Potluck & Missions Update The Oakwood ACORN is a bi-weekly E-newsletter from Oakwood Community Church, published to keep our church family and friends informed about events and people at Oakwood. Articles may be submitted via to Office@oakwoodfl.org. Article deadlines and publication schedule is: Deadline Publication date News for dates including Aug 13 Aug 18 Aug 21 - Sept 3 Aug 27 Sept 1 Sept 4 - Sept 17 Sept 10 Sept 15 Sept 18 - Oct 1 Do you know someone at Oakwood with a noteworthy achievement? Send the information to Office@OakwoodFL.org and we ll include it in a future article. If you have received this in error or want to be removed from our e-newsletter distribution list, please hit the reply button and put unsubscribe in the subject line and you will be removed immediately.