H. Henry Williams

Mid-Week Memo

Hi Five Oakers,

There are several things I want to share with you today.

#1 – Get a recap of the Easter service with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#2 – Big weekend coming on Saturday and Sunday. Parents of K-6^th graders RSVP here for the family workshop in the Community Life Center. Go to first or second hour and worship as a family for the other hour. We've planned a couple of kid friendly stations and other family friendly elements for all the services. Saturday nighters, this is worth coming back for, but please come to Saturday night. We need you there.

#3 – Another big weekend coming next week. Incredibly powerful stories of deep transformation as MN Adult & Teen Challenge comes to Five Oaks on May 4/5 for all three services. This will be powerful, and you really need to pray right now about who to bring to this event. Think families who are struggling with drugs, alcohol or other addictions.

#4 – Here are your comments/questions from the Communication Cards:

• Agents of redemption – thank you for such a personal, specific message! A big piece of my life’s puzzle was put in place today – you are a gift!
• Thank you Pastor Henry for revealing to us and reminding me of my roll in “redeeming” other people! Thank you for helping me want to be bold despite the rejection that I might/(will) receive from this world. It is worth it! 
• Great message Henry! Inspiring! Nice closing set. 
• First songs timing hard for group singing/worship. Rescued, Ransomed, Restored by the grace of God. Praise God! Thank you Henry for the message! [Yeah, we moved it to the prelude on Sunday.]
• Come Thou Fount – odd rhythm – kind of hard to sing with the counter melody. Next two David Crowder songs – great! Ending music was wonderful. 
• Keyboard sounded funny first song (synthesizer?). Come Thou Fount – strange rhythm if people were to participate.
• Please sing the standard version when singing old hymns so we can sing along! First song – really a bummer! Where are we at with search for praise leader? 
• Not sure if I just missed it, but I couldn’t find the verses for today’s message on the worship guide. [I didn’t make the deadline. I do recommend you pick up an outline each week.]

#5 - Here’s the sermon in 10 Tweets, “Signposts of Redemption,” Exodus 6:2-9; Romans 10:13-15:

1. Survivor Tree Video as a metaphor of redemption.
2. If you are redeemed, you are a signpost of redemption.
3. God has rescued you. The primary symbol of redemption for the rest of the Bible is this Exodus story of God’s rescue.
4. When the New Testament speaks of redemption, it has the completion of the Exodus story In mind.
5. We've been rescued from darkness (Col 1:13-14, awful things we've done (Titus 2:14) & from emptiness (1 Pet 1:18).
6. God has ransomed you. What did it cost God to rescue Israel from bondage? Nothing…until his Son becomes the Lamb who takes away our sin.
7. God uses redeemed people to redeem people. Invest in people far from God. It will cost you.
8. When Jesus spoke of redeeming lost people, his own already-redeemed people scoffed and rejected him.
9. When the Survivor Tree was planted, believe it or not, some people complained that it didn’t fit.
10. “I could crawl into this little pen & die right here. If you could say you worked for 9 years for something special, that's it.”

Looking forward to the weekend (and better weather)!

Blessings, Pastor Henry

Off the Cutting Room Floor

As I mentioned during my message, I had to leave some sermon material on the cutting room floor for time's sake. Basically, I would have liked to talk more about redemption as restoration. Here's what I cut from my manuscript:

Redemption always involves restoration.

The goal of redemption is to recover what’s been lost, to restore what’s been ruined, and to return what’s been taken captive.

The Survivor Tree was restored—it not only lived, it was replanted where it once stood, at the site of the Twin Towers. At one time it was buried under the concrete, steel and glass of the two towers that fell on it. It was lost and ruined and held down. And there it is today again. It was restored.

And that’s what Christ did. Look at what Paul says in Galatians.

⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7)

Look what shaped his language and understanding.

²² Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, ²³ and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” [Purposely ambiguous term meaning service or worship.] (Exodus 4:22-23a)

We are restored into a personal relationship with God. And the restoration of our relationship is only the beginning. We are restored for service and worship. We are being restored for doing good.

Titus 2:14 (NIV) – [Christ] gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

When God gives the law to Israel he says that by keeping it they will show the world how good and wise God is.

⁵ See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶ Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ ⁷ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? ⁸ And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

Mid-Week Memo

Hi Five Oakers,

There are several things I want to share with you today.

#1 – Get a recap of the weekend service with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#2 – On Sunday, April 28, we’re doing something very different and very special. There will be no Sunday school on Sunday morning for K - 6th grade. Instead, parents are invited to join the kids for a parenting and family workshop in the Community Life Center. And K - 6th graders are invited to join their families in the worship center. Choose either hour for the workshop (two identical back-to-back sessions are offered) and attend the service the other hour. We’re keeping all those kids in mind as we plan our worship for that week. This is one of the ways we partner with parents in the discipleship of their kids.

#3 – Don’t forget the detour this weekend. You can’t get to us from the north on Radio Drive. You have to come up from the south. I already know it will take me a few days to remember, and I go to the building daily! Good luck to you on remembering.

#4 – Here are your comments/questions from the Communication Cards:

• Thank you for sending the book on Christian spirituality. I’m reading it through the second time.
• Awesome! 
• Can you give us an update on the search for the new worship leader? [The search team is still plugging away at it and interviewing two individuals this week.]
• Tim, fantastic sermon, so practical! Thank you for the encouragement to continue in the “trenches” for God. I am blessed as God uses me as His nation! 
• Loved to see a women lead in prayer! 
• I feel so blessed to worship with Five Oaks today after nearly a year away. God is clearly at work here. The church just continues to flourish and honor God and bless this community. 
• Ken, nice job with announcements! Good job on “Glory to God”. Tim an excellent message. I really like it when week to week we reinforce the theme for the series. God does not custom make his mission for us, we are custom made for God’s mission. That gal soloist can really sing! 
• Appreciate the singableness of most of worship today. 
• Tim, feel free to lead us in a Sunday School song. The truths from a young age are so relevant! There is power in voices raised.
• Thanks Tim for preaching important truths – about Prosperity gospel message and that the U.S. is not God’s chosen nation – but God’s people, Christians, are. 
• Love worshiping with Oh God song. Great job band. 
• Great singing ladies! 
• Awesome job Libby! Loved hearing your passion and leadership! 
• Thank you for the Bible and the book “Purpose Driven Life”. 
• What a gift the two female singers are today! 
• Great service Tim! Henry I am loving this series! 
• Beautiful song Kara! 
• Is there an update on our worship leader search? 
• Loved that we got to “meet” one of our elders on stage. Great job Libby and all worship team. Amazing teaching Tim! Thank you! 

#5 – $7,127 raised through the auction! Amazing! Thank you to all the businesses and individuals who donated items. Thanks to all the Five Oakers who bid high and often. This money helps send our youth to one of the most transformational experiences you can imagine—the Challenge conference with over 5000 other youth from around the nation. We’re not the largest church represented by far, but we usually have one of the largest of groups represented because this auction makes it affordable. Thank you and God bless you all. And by the way, the Cuban meal went for the highest bid ever thanks to two very determined people. This food better be really good!   

#6 – Here’s the comment we received back from the cards we send first-time guests:

4/3 - I truly felt welcomed – it is a very kind and warm atmosphere.  I will be coming back!  I have attended my church for 20 years and never felt the sense of community that I did at Five Oaks.  Thank you. [Wow! Way to go Five Oaks!!! That doesn’t happen by accident.]

3/10 - Appreciated intentionality of worship service to pull each listener into intimacy with our GOD, with its 4 ‘phases’ and stations.  Loved.  Refreshed by worship music, felt refreshed by Pastor Henry’s Bible teaching.  Kept engaged whole time by his content and style.  Very pleasantly greeted MULTIPLE times.  Really enjoyed the service.  Fruitcake Alert: Only thing that I really detest, hate, don’t like, dread is the Greet Your Neighbor part.  No matter that we’re given an ‘opener’, Greet Your Neighbor is awkward.  Especially for kids (and I really want my 13 year old to not feel awkward), it’s awkward for my sister to the extent she wouldn’t attend with us til A) it was over or B)it was a wedding or funeral.  I’m ridiculously distracted by dislike of it; I’m ridiculously tempted to choose seating accordingly.  Seemingly unnecessarily since we are well-welcomed and couldn’t be invisible.  Yea for the lovely greeters!  Of course I can make myself buck up, reach out, jump through the hoop of Greet Your Neighbor, and my kids will do the same.  But it is a discipline and downside that seems unnecessary given the profuse and warm greetings upon arrival – no one could feel invisible or left out.  It’s EASY to feel left out in a Greet Your Neighbor, wondering if you’re the only stranger.  I’ve come across the No Toucher (awkward) the I-just-blew-my-nose-now-I’m-shaking-your-hand, There’s awkward waiting and fake smiling if no one’s available.  I feel pressure to not neglect anyone, especially kids.  Not to mention the days I came as a sheer act of will, and now I have to paste on fake friendly.  Eek.  I will do the right thing and quit being me, me, me and reach out to my neighbor.  But if that neighbor is anything like me they’d wish there was one more worship song in its place.  Hope there is something constructive here amidst my personal fruitcakeyness. [I love the way you put this and I feel your pain. Okay, I don’t actually feel your pain because for me, something like a greeting time is easy. But I know of others that feel like you do and the anxiety you suffer over this is real. The reality is that our greeting time is the reason why so many people greeted you outside of the greeting time. We know this because we’ve experimented with no greeting time and the comments from guests take a very dark turn. I think it's because we’re only human and turn inward without the constant, real, tangible reminder not to. That’s what greeting does. If we could find another way of creating this atmosphere we would drop the greeting time and end the misery for a few of you who hate it and experience a lot of anxiety over it. And, yes, we know some of our guests hate to be noticed. But we live in a day where the majority of people looking for God or a church home want connection. The old philosophy of letting guests be totally anonymous is being dropped to reach the new seeker. So we are choosing to err on this side of the equation. I truly thank you for sharing this, it makes me think and re-think what we’re doing, and maybe we’ll have a breakthrough some day on how be a welcoming community without a formal greeting time. If you know of a church that has succeeded at that, let me know.]

# 7 – Check out the online version of a recent Pioneer Press article on our own Melissa Borner, ‘Cottage Grove breast cancer survivor brings humor to blog, humaneness to work.'

#8 – I’ve got some great memories of the Father/Son retreats my boys and I attended. They do too. In our first year they were recognizing fathers and sons who had the longest track records of attending and my oldest turned to me and said, “Dad, lets do this every year and be one of the longest.” Well, we did it several years until high school wrestling made it impossible. Our Journey Men’s ministry is participating in a Father/Son retreat on the weekend of May 3-5, so check it out here.

Lois and I were in Minnetonka over last weekend and attended a wonderful church in Hopkins. But we missed you. And we love you and are looking forward to worshipping with you this weekend.

Blessings, Pastor Henry

Mid-Week Memo

Hi Five Oakers,

There are several things I want to share with you today.

#1 – Get a recap of the Easter service with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#2 – Some of you noticed the signs last weekend about Radio Drive closing soon. We’ll be sending out information about that very soon. We knew work was coming and that the plan was to only close the road when a new tunnel was built and Hargis Parkway would serve as a detour. The plans changed on both fronts and no one informed us. They admit it was an oversight and have agreed to put up a sign or two south of us informing traffic that the road is open up to the church. It’s very disappointing and troublesome for us that the road coming from the north is going to be closed for 8 weeks, but the city’s reasoning is sound. We will have to make due. The detour is Woodlane to Military to Radio. We will post maps on our website and inform people on our phone message.

#3 – Here are your comments/questions from the Communication Cards:

• Thanks Dan and folks for a really nice worship set. Loved talk about Jesus being at the center of our lives. Henry this series in Luke has been fantastic and transformative for my family. Thanks for the great message prayer card idea. Thanks also for challenging and exciting us about this next series. Great closing song!
• Savior King – powerful truth in the lyrics.
• Great opening set! We love you Dan. Great response set! Concert quality! 
• Music good. Solo great. Last song. Started a little rough rhythm, hard to follow at first. 
• My Savior King – beautiful. Thanks for great leadership of worship, Dan! So moving! Loved it!
• I miss Justin. 
• Liked last song. Okay Henry, will do! 
• Great message Henry! Thank you! 
• Just wanted to thank you for the Men’s Ministry. It is a wonderful ministry!
• Henry, thank you for the way you bring the scriptures alive in my life!
• What are we doing when the road is closed! That message was so great!
• With the blocking off of Radio Dr. will there be an alternate route to get to Five Oaks? [See #2 above.]
• You missed an important part of our mission – vs. 24:49. We are indeed with power from the Holy Spirit. [You must have been writing this note while I was talking about it. Ha, ha. Actually, I only called attention to it but did not expound.]
• As a visitor, I was sad there were no musical notes to read as we sang, so I didn’t sing. No hymnals?!
• I had a light bulb moment today… realizing that I’ve always known I’m custom-made and not cookie-cutter made! It will help me go forth better today!
• What a wonderful custom-designed personal message and challenge. In search of a mission. A great small group study topic, too – which is coming! 

#4 – In case you weren’t here when we played this in the service, this is a video that will be featured in our new website and you can use to introduce people to Five Oaks.

#5 – It’s the last weekend for the silent auction! Some great stuff there and a great cause. Don’t miss it.

#6 – Sign-ups for small groups continue this weekend.

#7 – Loving our new Story of God group. Great discussion last night. I keep learning something new each time I do this. And it was so great to hear from some of the folks what had motivated them to do it. One person shared that I had said SOG is a great thing to do if you’re searching for hope and she’s needing some hope right now. God’s story, a better understanding of his character and a better understanding of his Word brings joy. No doubt about it!

#8 - Here’s the sermon in 10 Tweets, week one of “The Mission of God” series, “It’s all Part of the Plan” (Luke 24:13-52):

1. God doesn't custom-make a mission for you like you do for your kids when they're bored. He does something infinitely better.
2. 2 disciples headed out of Jerusalem on the day he was to rise in Jerusalem. Even after hearing he's alive! They're walking away from hope
3. Jesus gives them room to talk. We’re surrounded by people walking away from hope. Walk with them. Give them room to talk.
4. Jesus shows them from the Bible that the whole Bible points to him, his death and his resurrection.
5. He reveals to the disciples through the Word & breaking of bread.
6. There's no better way to introduce people to Christ than getting them into the story of God in his Word.
7. Chester: Their eyes are opened around the table because the Scriptures were opened to them on the road.
8. Jesus adds one more element in the upper room. The whole Bible is not just about  him; it's also about the continuing mission through us.
9. The apostles never repeat the Great Commission from Jesus but they continually recall the Great Commission from the OT.
10. Your mission isn’t custom-made for you; you are custom-made for God’s mission.

#9 – Here’s the comment we received back from the cards we send first-time guests:

3/31 - Easter – it was a very nice service.  Enjoyed meeting all of you.  Thank you.

See you all on the weekend!

God bless you, Pastor Henry

Mid-Week Memo

Hi Five Oakers,

There are several things I want to share with you today.

#1 – Get a recap of the Easter service with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#2 – What a great weekend of worship and the proclamation of the gospel story through our Good Friday and Easter services! It was all an incredible spiritual meal for my soul.

#3 – Here are your comments/questions from the Communication Cards:

• Thanks for the reminder, despair and worry need not and should not consume me – I have hope! 
• Wonderful message of hope, Henry!
• Loved Sarah’s faith story.
• Thanks for a beautiful service! 
• Really like the new program!
• Good service, thanks Pastor Henry. Happy Easter! 
• Who am I to think my sins are any worse, I am forgiven!
• Henry, I appreciate the personal antidotes especially the story of Russ and Lynn [from last week]– wow!
• I really needed to hear that my failures don’t determine my destiny. I like Dan’s Mr. Roger's sweater too!
• Great music – How Great Thou Art – wonderful worship. Moving and motivating – faith story. praise God for His goodness, forgiveness, salvation, power and love. 
• Powerful music! Beautiful.
• Sarah, you are a beautiful woman. A beautiful Godly woman. Pastor Henry, thank you for this message. 
• Great choices on worship sets! Thanks for energy and joy in song. Henry, eight words led to difficult destiny – I love it! Thanks God. 
• New program format is great, really like seeing the songs we are going to sing. The map of worship stations is good addition.
• Thanks for the terrific, beautiful opening. Thanks Jesus!
• Great message, Henry. Thank you so much for sharing God’s great news for us with us! Powerful testimony from Sarah Bower – thank you. 
• Happy Easter!
• He is Risen, Indeed! 
• Alleluia! 
• Thank you for the nice service! 
• Pastor, I understood intent of analogy of Pope and beggar, but am not sure if some may have misunderstood it thinking you may be ascribing credit to Pope’s authority, otherwise I can only thank God for all your preaching and teaching. God bless. [Just need to say that I didn’t tell that story in every service because of time issues, in case some of you are wondering.]
• Great service – loved the songs, message and faith story.
• Willing to give it ALL for Him.
• Great time of worship.  Thanks for sharing the faith story!
• Wonderful service.  Thank you.
• Great service! 
• Great service – music and message were perfect.
• Beautiful service Henry – BUT still appreciate the ‘Dark’ service 6 years ago that kept us here.  Worship team was fabulous – I had chills! 
• Really needed the message today.  Thank you Pastor Henry!  Sara’s message was so touching and a great reminder/example that there is ALWAYS hope!
• Thanks for the great service!
• Thank you Henry, and nice Dan L.  Loved story of beggar and Pope.  Sara B’s story, too – choked me up, reminded me to never lose hope.  Have missed church w/all of you! 

#4 – Here’s the Easter Faith Story video. 

#5 – About 17 adults and children indicated a first-time decision to receive Christ and almost as many adults indicated a desire to learn more about beginning a relationship with Christ!   

#6 – Lois and I launched another Story of God small group last night with an orientation and fellowship time. I always look forward to the insights the group members bring from their reading. We discuss our first week of readings next week.

#7 - Here’s the Easter sermon in 10 Tweets, “Risen” (Luke 24:1-12):

1. We deny death’s inevitability; God denies death its power.
2. They came thinking death had defeated but learned that he had defeated death.
3. You can cheat death once or twice, but eventually death catches on and beats you.
4. “…then all who belong to Christ will be raised…” (1 Corinthians 15:23)
5. Our hope trumps our troubles.
6. Neuhaus: The times may be bad, but they are the only times we are given. Remember, hope is still a virtue, & despair is still a sin.
7. Our hope trumps our troubles because it’s based on God’s Word.
8. Your failures don’t determine your destiny. This truth is captured in 8 simple words: But Peter rose and ran to the tomb... 
9. Apart from the resurrection, what do you think would have determined Peter’s destiny.
10. If you're life feels stuck, meaningless, the product of your mistakes, be/ of the resurrection, your failures don't determine ur destiny.

#8 – I feel very sad that we’re wrapping up Luke this weekend. In some ways, though, this next series, “The Mission of God,” is a commentary on Luke 24:47 and we're launching the series this weekend by focusing on last passage in Luke. I’ll explain how so this week. It’s an incredible but often overlooked verse that will send us on a search of God’s mission from the entire Bible and of our role in that mission.  

#9 – Here’s the comment we received back from the cards we send first-time guests:

3/24 We loved the sermon and will come back for Easter. We are new in town from IL.  My church from there (Willow Creek Community Church) emailed me a list of churches and yours was one of them.

See you all on the weekend!

God bless you, Pastor Henry