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 consider-

able 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 Sun-

day.

Continued on page 2

Seeds for Growth

The mission of Oakwood is to...

Transform ordinary people

into fully devoted followers

of Jesus Christ.

Oakwood is a member of

the Evangelical Free

Church of America.

Oakwood Community Church

11209 Casey Rd

Tampa FL 33618-5306

813.969.2303

www.oakwoodfl.org

Inside this issue:

Growing In Community 2

Summer Prayer 3

Prayer Opportunities 4

Oakwood Mill 5

Finance Seminar 5

Oakwood Updates 6

WIN Report 7

Summer @ TreeHouse 4

Marriage Matters 8

Calendar at a Glance 9

Aug 7 - Aug 20, 2010 Volume 5, Issue 16

Volume 5, Issue 16

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 ex-

perience 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 minis-

try. We have some upcoming community projects

with the Metropolitan Ministry feeding their residents

and handing out back packs to under privileged chil-

dren.

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 transpar-

ency 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

Coming September 12

Watch for more details about

new Community Groups

starting this fall

and how you can

Grow In Community by joining one

Growing In Community - “LIFT”

Jeff Baker

GroupLink

Seeds For Growth - cont inued 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 teach-

able 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 ta-

ble 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

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.

Sunday Prayer

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 email

your response to [email protected].

"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) 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until 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.

Volume 5, Issue 16

Support Our Troops

Geoff Andrews, son of Bob & Karen Andrews, is

currently stationed in Afghanistan. He has very lim-

ited internet access: 30 minutes at a time on a mili-

tary 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, Geof-

frey Ross. Once you've set up your free MotoMail

account it's very easy to use.

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!

Joe Angelo will be in Bahrain for six months, serv-

ing 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 [email protected].

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 Crazy Hat Sunday

Wear the hat get $25 in Kid's Bucks Prize for best hat!!!!

August 15 Surprise Sunday

August 22 Dress Up Sunday Wear your Sunday Best get $25 in Kid's Bucks

August 29 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.

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 top-

ics 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 The Trinity and Apologetics

Truth and Reality Pluralism: Do All Religions Lead to the Same Goal?

The Existence of God Faith, Reason, and Integration

Establishing a Worldview God, Evil, and Suffering

The Trustworthiness of the Christian Scriptures Seeing & Exploring Cultural Connections

The Uniqueness of Christ 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 (615-0838 or [email protected])

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

[email protected], or fill out the registration form that will be in the weekly Wor-

ship 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.

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 [email protected], or sign up at the Information Center in the

lobby. There is no childcare provided for this seminar.

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. 12th

Sunday mornings at 8:45 – 9:45 AM in the Oakwood Library

Studying: New Testament: Acts & Epistles

Contact Andrea Cress (813-615-0838 or [email protected])

Women of the Word ~ starting Sept. 14th

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 (813-960-2522 or [email protected])

Just for Joy ~ starting August 18th

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 (813-363-9007 or [email protected])

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.

Shoes for Orphans

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.

Work Days

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.

Potluck & Missions Reports

Volume 5, Issue 16

Campus Crusade for

Christ and The Naviga-

tors are two ministries

making an impact around

the world. Our Oakwood

supported missionaries

John and Kerri Schnei-

der, 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!

World Impact Now

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

Volume 5, Issue 16

“Being a stepmom is much more diffi-

cult than I imagined,” Nancy, a stepmom

of four years shared with me. “Since my

husband and I are excited about our mar-

riage, 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 discour-

aged 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 discov-

ered a few insights on how to succeed as

a stepfamily.

Stepfamilies are Formed Out of Loss According to research an estimated one-

third of children will live in a stepparent

home before the age of 18, and 50 per-

cent will have a stepparent at some point

in their lifetime. Whether death or di-

vorce has disrupted the biological fam-

ily, children often wrestle with the ad-

justment. The family unit typically pro-

vides a child with safety and security.

However, the death of a parent or a fam-

ily divorce is likely to induce insecurity

and fear in a child’s life. Nancy contin-

ues 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 di-

vorce. However, all loss is painful. Kids

who are grieving often display frustra-

tion, 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 dy-

namic.” 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 re-

alities of stepfamily integration.” Many

couples enter a remarriage without un-

derstanding that the kids may struggle or

battle against the marriage. When par-

ents attempt to rush or force a bond be-

tween 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 (www.thesmartstepmom.com)

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.

Thriving In A Stepfamily - Part 1

However, one

of the most

common

misconceptions

about

stepfamilies is

that everyone

will bond

quickly.

Understanding what your stepkids are thinking and why can bring strength to your family.

Laura Petherbridge

Aug 8 - Sunday Prayer (9:00 AM OCC Library)

Aug 9 - Board Meeting

Aug 10 - MISCOM Meeting


- Compassion Offering

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

Oakwood Community Church

11209 Casey Rd

Tampa FL 33618-5306

813.969.2303

www.oakwoodfl.org

Calendar at a Glance

Aug 21 - TreeHouse Work Day



- 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 e-mail to [email protected]. 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 [email protected] and we’ll

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