Oasis Weekly Update: October 2007

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Mark Your Calendars

Mark your calendars! We have planned some great events in the coming weeks:

Sunday, November 18: Youth Sponsored Thanksgiving Dinner immediately following worship.

Sunday, December 2: Christmas Caroling with party at church afterwards.
Stewardship Sunday

Sunday, December 16: A Christmas Production: "A Cricket County Christmas Cruise"
Dinner will be at 5:30 pm
Production to follow! Actors and Actresses needed!

Monday, December 24: 5:00 pm - Christmas Eve Service

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

I Refuse To Lead A Dying Church Study

After six weeks of studying, reading and learning together, the group has learned some significant things and we want to share some of them with you.

We decided early on in reading the book that we do indeed Refuse To Lead A Dying Church! The Oasis on West Elm United Church of Christ has a bright, mission filled future ahead of it, IF, we chose to live out this unique calling.

So, what did we agree to?

We refuse to lead a dying church.
We agreed to draw a line in the sand and refuse.
We refuse to simply go thru the motions and play church.
We refuse to help our church gracefully into the grave.
We refuse to channel our best ministry energy into community or justice endeavors that are detached from our congregation's life and ministry.
We refuse, ever again, to lead a dying church.

There are six critical choices:

Choosing Life over Death
Choosing Community over Isolation
Choosing Fun over Drudgery
Choosing Bold over Mild
Choosing Frontier over Fortress
Choosing Now Rather than Later

Over the next six weeks, I will be sharing some of the significant learnings and how they impact the future of our church and the direction we choose to go in the future. Check back for updates and feel free to make comments and ask questions.

Together, may we REFUSE TO LEAD A DYING CHURCH!

Monday, October 29, 2007