11209 Casey Rd ACORN Tampa FL …...Oakwood Community Church 11209 Casey Rd Tampa FL 33618-5306...
Transcript of 11209 Casey Rd ACORN Tampa FL …...Oakwood Community Church 11209 Casey Rd Tampa FL 33618-5306...
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:
Members Vote 2
Metropolitan Ministries 2
Missionary Commissioning 3
Year End Giving 3
Oakwood Mill 4
PowerHouse News 5
Kids Page 6
Calendar 7
Dec 19, 2015—Jan 8, 2016 Volume 10, Issue 25
ACORNACORNACORNACORN
Find us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/OCCTampa
I know that I am not alone when I admit I have a self-focused wish on my mind for
this Christmas. By way of dramatic contrast, at the very first Christmas, several
people rose above their natural desires. Instead, they made remarkable choices of
faith. Like them, this Christmas and beyond, we too can make choices that will
delight God, enrich the lives of others, and profoundly alter the focus of our lives
and our destiny. ~ Pastor Paul
Join us for these special pre-Christmas services and use the invitation cards avail-
able at the Information Center to invite someone to join you.
Dec 20 10:30 AM—The Shepherds’ Remarkable Choice
Dec 24 6:00 PM—The Wise Men’s Remarkable Choice
Christmas Eve Service & Bonfire. Our service will begin
in the Worship Center*, followed outdoors by a candle
lighting ceremony including singing of Christmas carols
and refreshments. Bring a lawn chair if you’d like to sit
around the fire while visiting and enjoying refreshments.
Please bring cookies to share during our refreshment time.
You can drop them off in PowerHouse before the service.
*We are moving a portion of our Christmas Eve service indoors this year to ac-
commodate some of our church family who have allergy issues and for some who
have difficulty with the uneven ground around the bonfire area.
Volume 10, Issue 25 Page 2
Voice of the Martyrs.. .Action Packs Currently, Voice of the Martyrs is distributing Action Packs to persecuted believers in
Iraq, Pakistan and Sudan. Included in the packs are blankets, towels, soap, sheets, jackets,
sweaters, t-shirts, socks, hats, gloves and foam balls. Our goal is to have you, the Oak-
wood Church Family, help us purchase the 480 items we will need to fill 40 Action Packs.
If you want to know more about how you can participate in this outreach ministry stop by
the table in the back corner of the Worship Center. You can do the shopping for a specific
item(s) or you can donate money and we will do the shopping for you. On January 17 you
will have opportunity to help us fill the Action Packs and pack them to be shipped to
Voice of the Martyrs.
Thanks to those of you who have already shopped for specific items or donated money.
We appreciate your support.
The Prayer Team,
Terri Johnson, Eileen Rexroad and Sandy Wyatt
Metropolitan Ministries We have been blessed to serve at Metropolitan Ministries at Thanksgiving and Christmas
for a number of years. We have the opportunity again to serve on Wednesday, December
23 from 3:30—6:00 PM. We will have a sign-up sheet at the Information Center in the
lobby. We need 20 volunteers to serve those who are in need during the holidays.
This is a great opportunity for Community Groups or families to serve together.
Members vote on December 20 This Sunday, December 20, Oakwood members will vote on the Proposed 2016 Budget as
well as recommended elder and deacon candidates. If you have any questions, please con-
tact one of the elders or deacons.
If you will not be at Oakwood on December 20 or you prefer to vote in advance, you may
vote via the ballot emailed to you by forwarding it to [email protected] by noon on
Friday, December 18, with your name clearly identified in the email.
Holiday Office Schedule
Due to the holidays and staff vacations, the Church Office hours between Christmas and
New Year’s are limited. If you need to come to the office, please call before you come to
make sure someone will be there.
Volume 10, Issue 25 Page 3
Year End Giving Just a reminder…
To be credited by the IRS for a 2015 tax deduction, all year end gifts must be received or
postmarked no later than Dec. 31, 2015. Praise God for our partnership in the ministry of
Oakwood! Praise God for gifts given in faith, joy and Love!
Online Giving Did you know that you can make financial contributions to Oakwood through our web-
site? You can give one time or set up for recurring donations. Visit www.oakwoodfl.org
and click “Give Online” on the right side of the menu on the home page.
Opportunity to Serve the Church & World
Naomi’s Daughters is a ministry for single moms that provides clothing to the moms and their
children. The Oakwood family, along with others in the community, provides donations of cloth-
ing, food and money to keep this ministry moving forward.
Current needs –Clothing and shoes for infants to adults; school supplies
Pantry needs: cereal, canned goods, rice, pasta, paper goods, personal care items, etc.
Donations can be left on the back porch of the gray house at the front of our property. Tax Deductible re-
ceipts are available.
Please pray that we can continue to reach people in this ministry and show the hands and feet of the Lord to those
who come through our doors.
Prayer Guide
Our Prayer Team works each month to provide a guide for specific prayer requests. Dur-
ing December you will have a weekly Prayer Request printed on the Announcement Sheet
in your Worship Program.
Missionary Commissioning
Be sure to mark your calendars so you don’t miss our Commissioning Service on January
3 for Jose & Maria Cariaga.
Jose & Maria will be serving with ReachGlobal, the missions arm of the Evangelical Free
Church of America.
Volume 10, Issue 25 Page 4
Education Classes December 27 Please note that there will be no Oakwood Mill, PowerHouse or TreeHouse
classes on Sunday, December 27 at 9:15 AM. Classes will resume on
January 3.
Winter/Spring 2016 Classes New Class begins on January 10
Oakwood Mill is the Adult Education Ministry of Oakwood Community Church. Three adult education
classes are being offered on Sunday mornings at 9:15 AM in the Education Building. Register by filling
out the form in the flier that will be in your Worship Program this Sunday or pick up a flier at the Informa-
tion Center in the lobby.
Comparative Religions Leader: Arnie Mejias & David Turner
This class will summarize the world religions through the lens of world views, or the perception of the na-
ture of God. Therefore, it will be a blend of religion and philosophy. The class will begin with an evalua-
tion of world views on the nature of God and then discuss the general beliefs of each religion under these
views. Where possible we will attempt to demonstrate the ethical implications of each of these systems of
belief and how they impact a society’s behavior.
Some of Classes will discuss:
Atheism and Secular Humanism
Deism – It’s history and connection with the Renaissance, Rationalism and some of America’s Founding
Fathers
Theism: Distinctions and similarities between Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Pantheism and the Eastern Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age Religions
Process Theology (Panentheism) and Finite Godism
Polytheism
Cults
The study of Daniel and the Connection Class will continue during the Winter/Spring session. The present
topic for the Connection Class is “How In the World Can I Live the Christian Life?” They are now look-
ing at "12 Myths About the Christian Life."
Middle School and High School classes will continue to meet at 9:15 AM each Sunday.
In consideration of our volunteer staff, we will be happy to provide childcare for nursery age and a class
for the 2 Year Olds-4 Year Olds and a class for Kindergarten-5th Grade if we have three or more committed
weekly for each age group during the 9:15 AM hour. This commitment will be for at least three out of four
Sundays each month.
Volume 10, Issue 25 Page 5
PowerHouse Schedule Dec 20—Student led Christmas
Dec 27—Youth Lock-In—5:00 PM—Dec 28, 7:00 AM
Questions? Contact Doug or Cam
Jan 3—No PowerHouse Meeting
Jan 10—Regular Evening Meeting
PowerHouse Lock-In
Page 6 Volume 10, Issue 25
Kids Corner
Oakwood Community Church
11209 Casey Rd
Tampa FL 33618-5306
813.969.2303
www.oakwoodfl.org
Calendar at a Glance
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…
Jan 1 Jan 6 Jan 9—Jan 22
Jan 15 Jan 20 Jan 23—Feb 5
Our Vocation & Volunteer Staff
Lead Pastor - Dr. Paul B. Phair
Director of Ministries & Coordinator of Children’s
Ministry - Dave Dorsey
Director of Worship Arts - Andrew Reilly
Director of PowerHouse Ministry—Doug Cress
Associate Director of PowerHouse Ministry—Cam
Whipple
Office Manager - Martha Dorsey
Secretary—Melanie Hoglievina
Office hours:
Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Education Classes : Sundays - 9:15 AM
Worship:
Sundays—10:30 AM
Our Elder Team
Mark Beale
Edson Bustamante
Pete Kluck
Paul Phair
John Schneider
Rob Weyand
Our Deacon Team
David Conner
Larry Giannone
Brian Johnson
Luke Piazza
Gigi Yuen-Reed
Mike Wyatt
Missed a Sunday message? Listen online @ www.oakwoodfl .org/messages/
Dec 20—Compassion Offering
Dec 24—Christmas Eve Service & Bonfire
Dec 25—Christmas Day
Church Office closed
Dec 27—No Education Classes @ 9:15
Jan 1—New Year’s Day
Church Office closed
Jan 10—Winter Oakwood Mill classes begin
Board Meeting following Worship
PowerHouse Food Bag Ministry
Jan 12—STW Missions Team Meeting