June 26 - July 9, 2010 Volume 5, Issue 13 Oakwood Community Church 11209 Casey Rd Tampa FL 33618-5306 813.969.2303 www.oakwoodfl.org The mission of Oakwood is to... Seeds for Growth So that with one heart and one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6 This was the passage for our middle school students in the Sunday morning class about a month ago. The verses before this talk about how the Scriptures are the authority. When it comes to things that are not clear in the Bible, we should consider others. Those who are mature will show love to those who are weak. Christ is the example who gave no consideration to pleasing himself. Transform ordinary people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Oakwood is a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America. To think that my example is to be willing to die for those around me. Dear Father, help us to put other people before ourselves. Help us to love and sacrifice for others. Help our leaders to do what is best for us all. I pray that our middle school students would watch our adults set the example. May we fulfill this verse as we come together with one heart and one voice to acknowledge how much you mean to us. May Oakwood have a good reputation for how we love each other. Help us to grow in things that please You. All for Jesus, Mike Richards Inside this issue: Prayer Opportunities 2-3 Oakwood Mill 3 WIN Sunday 4 Congregational Meeting 4 Broaden that Vision! Too often a teen s summer becomes all about ME.but here is a chance to broaden their vision and demonstrate God s love in practical ways in our own community. On Friday, July 16 th, we will be rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty as we work together cleaning up the yard of a needy family. Interested? Save the date more info to follow! Summer @ TreeHouse 5 Marriage Matters 6 Summer @ PowerHouse 7 Calendar at a Glance 8
Page 2 Volume 5, Issue 13 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. Please sign up following the service on June 27 to pray for a teen or a leader attending Challenge 10. Our desire is to have one person commit to pray for one teen or leader each day of this coming week. Also, please sign up to pray for one of the Team Tampa XI members. More information and a prayer guide are available at the Prayer Table. Challenge 10 Remember to pray for God to equip the teaching team, musicians, artists, and trainers, and use them as vessels of grace Students to grow in their knowledge of God. Two church plants that will be happening during the week of Challenge. Pray for God to use the students to be a great blessing. Students to see themselves as leaders and to understand how they can influence others with the truths they will learn this week. Team Tampa XI Remember to pray for Physical, mental, and spiritual health of our team members Final preparations and completion of lesson plans Full financial support Tree House Remember to pray for Our teachers in Tree House. The theme for this summer is Mythbusters: God Is Bigger. They will teach the children that God is truly bigger than anyone or anything they may have to deal with in life. The students as they are challenged to hide God s Word in their heart with Scripture Memory Verses. Our Oakwood Family Scripture Memory Challenge Over a twelve week period you will be challenged to memorize four verses that support the focus for praying for Our Oakwood Family: An Undivided Heart ~ Spiritual Growth ~ A Spirit of Unity ~ A Servant s Heart Psalm 86:11 Colossians 1:10 Roman 15:5 Ephesians 4:12-13 Scripture memory cards will be available at the Prayer Summer 2010 table at the back corner of the worship center. Join the challenge! Our Oakwood Family Memory Verse #2 (for June 27-July 11) ~ Pray for Spiritual Growth ~ Colossians 1:10 (NIV) And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God
Page 3 Volume 5, Issue 13 Support Our Troops Remember to pray for Geoff, Joe and their families while they are away serving our country. 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 http://www.motomail.us. Your email will be printed at his base and delivered to him. His address information for MotoMail is FPO AE 09510-3873, 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, email him at johnfrum@hotmail.com. Please do not forward chain mail to this address only personal messages. Oakwood Mill - Coming this Fall Oakwood Mill is pleased to announce that 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 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 Contact the Church Office to register for this class. Seating is limited so please register as soon as possible.
Page 4 Volume 5, Issue 13 World Impact Now Coming July 18 It is our desire to have several Sundays throughout the year where we focus on what God is doing around the world through missions. On Sunday, July 18 we will focus on campus ministry. We will hear exciting reports from John and Kerri Schneider serving with Campus Crusade for Christ a network of vibrant, growing movements on 1,029 campuses exposing millions of students to the gospel each year. We will also hear reports from Dave Hawes and Roy & Debbie Garren who serve with The Navigators a ministry dedicated to helping people navigate spiritually. Today, tens of thousands of people worldwide are coming to know and grow in Jesus Christ through the various ministries of The Navigators. Don t miss it! Save the Date: Hot Cuban Meal Family Style Oakwood s Missions Commission invites you to join us in Powerhouse directly after the July 18 WIN Sunday service for a great opportunity to share a meal with our Oakwood family and our campus ministry missionaries (John, Kerri, Dave, Roy & Debbie). You ll have an opportunity to speak with our missionaries, ask questions and learn more about how they are making a World Impact Now! A hot Cuban lunch will be served for $6 per person for those who register and pre-pay through their community group leader or at the Information Center in the lobby by July 11. Brown Bag lunches are welcome for those who prefer to bring their own lunch. Free Mac n Cheese will be available for Tree House children (through 5th grade) who have a refined palate. Potluck Dinner & Congregational Meeting The Oakwood family is encouraged to join us Sunday, July 11 at 5:30 PM for a Potluck Dinner. Those families with the last name beginning in A-L, please bring a large covered dish and a dessert. Those families with the last name beginning in M-Z, please bring a large covered dish and a vegetable or salad. Singles may bring one main item. Congregational Meeting (6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.) The elders will communicate to the congregation the direction of Oakwood s Worship style. Your elders have listened to Oakwood s people carefully, prayed earnestly, researched, and discussed fully to arrive at the decisions they will present. Let us pray that the direction will glorify God, strengthen our effectiveness in leading our congregation in heartfelt worship, provide worship that is culturally relevant, and will be contagious to those in our community whom we bring as our guests. Romans 15:5-6 (NLT) May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Child care will be provided for infants - 5 th grade. Pre-registration is required. Contact Pam through email: Pam@oakwoodfl.org or phone: 265-4722, or register at the welcome center in Tree House. Sunday Prayer 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.
Page 5 Volume 5, Issue 13 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! June 27 July 4 July 11 July 16 July 18 July 25 August 1 August 8 August 15 August 22 August 29 Visitor Sunday get $50 in Kids Bucks for bringing a 1st time visitor 4 th of July Lesson and Celebration Splash Sunday Prepare to get wet at Children's Church NOTE DATE CHANGE Friday Night Family Fun Night 7 PM, New Veggie Tales Movie SWEETPEA BEAUTY VEGGIETALES Kid s WIN Sunday & Poster Sunday (More info to follow) Bucks for Posters Double Bucks Sunday Family Prayer Meeting at 9 AM (more info to follow) 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 email. If we do not have an email or what we have is incorrect, please let the Welcome Center in the Tree House know the correct information.
Page 6 10 Things Happy Couples Do Tim Manzer Some couples just have to seem to have that extra something that makes their marriage great. But exactly what are those secrets of happily married couples; what they do that others don't? Read on for 10 activities that happy couples do. Volume 5, Issue 13 past mistakes. Once the misdeed is forgiven it is also forgotten. 6. Say I love you. "I love you," is a very important sentence for happy married couples they like to tell each other. When you say the words you are reminding your spouse and reaffirming for yourself of the love that you feel. 1. Go to bed together. Going to bed at the same time shows that you want to experience the closeness that can only be found in bed. Some amazing conversations occur in bed. 2. Have shared interests. Sharing your interests & ideas with life partner is one of the activities of happy Couples. Stay together find things that they both enjoy doing. It could be biking, hiking, running, etc 3. Hold hands. Holding hands shows that you are still in love. That you cherish just touching your partner and need that connection whether you are walking through a store or just sitting on the couch. Holding hands and walking side by side shows that you feel it is important that you are together in the things that you do. 4. Focus on the positive. Remaining positive is one of the important secrets of happy married couples.. Everyone has something that they dislike about their spouse whether it is that he bites his fingernails or she spends too much money on clothes. But couples that are happy focus more on the positive things about their spouse than the negative. They look not at the few things their spouse does wrong - but all of the things that they do right. 7. Communicate. Communicate to stay connected with spouse. Communication is a secret to remain a happily married couple for years. Couples who can talk to each other stay together. Being able to communicate means that you can share the good things and discuss problems without getting angry. It also means that you probably talk to each other throughout the day. 8. Compromise. Sometimes you will disagree and that's when compromising comes into play. If both spouses learn to give then both will be happy. 9. Share affection. Giving affection through hugs, kisses, and touching, is important. It creates a bond and keeps the romantic feelings alive. 10. Show respect. Each spouse needs to respect the other and their desires. Mutual respect means that consideration is taken for the others feelings. From My Wife/Husband Is A Gift From God. 5. Forgive. One of the hardest things to do is to forgive. But couples that are happily married forgive freely forgive each other. Not only do they forgive each other, but they also do not bring up
Page 7 Volume 5, Issue 13 For all 6th-12th Grade Students School s Out Party Sunday, May 30 Giant Slip n Slide & 1,000 Water Balloons 5:00-7:30 PM Dodge Ball Thursday, June 10 Movie Night Thursday, June 17 Father s Day Sunday, June 20-No youth activity planned Q-Zar Lasertag Thursday, June 24, 6:00-10:00 PM 7807 N. Dale Mabry $15 pre-pay Mike by June 20 to receive your wrist band or you pay at the door Busch Gardens Saturday, July 10 Meet at the gate @ 9:00 AM Cost: price of a ticket or use your pass Paintball Shooting Gallery Thursday, July 15 Miami X Youth Mission Sunday, July 18-Sunday, July 24th Movie Night Thursday, July 22 Tubing @ KP Hole Park Saturday, July 31 Meet there @ 8:00 AM Park fee: $3 plus Tube/Shuttle $9 or Shuttle only $7 For Information & Directions visit: www.kphole.com Challenge 10 Conference Saturday, June 26-Saturday, July 3 Night of Worship Sunday, June 27 5:00-7:30 PM Movie Night Thursday, July 1 Sunday, July 4 No youth activity planned Unless noted as no youth activity planned, youth will meet every Sunday night from 5:00-7:30 PM Garret say, Let s play volleyball after youth meetings on Sunday night. Parents are welcome to play volleyball as well.
Oakwood Community Church 11209 Casey Rd Tampa FL 33618-5306 813.969.2303 www.oakwoodfl.org 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 June 24 - Youth - QZar Laser Tab June 25 - Family Veggie Tales Movie Night June 26 - July 3 - Youth at Challenge 2010 June 27 - Sunday Prayer (9:00 AM OCC Library) - Youth - Night of Worship July 1 - Youth Movie Night July 4 - Sunday Prayer (9:00 AM OCC Library) - Blood Pressure checks after Worship July 10 - Youth @ Busch Gardens July 11 - Sunday Prayer (9:00 AM OCC Library) - Potluck Dinner @ 5:30 PM & Congregational Meeting @ 6:30 PM 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 e-mail to Office@oakwoodfl.org. Article deadlines and publication schedule is: Deadline Publication date News for dates including July 2 July 7 July 10 - July 23 July 16 July 21 July 24 - Aug 6 July 30 Aug 4 Aug 7 - Aug 20 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 email 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.