November 2013 COMING UP 10 Blessings worship series cont. Ladies’ Lunch - Nov. 8 Potluck - Nov. 10 Pancake Breakfast - Nov. 17 Thanksgiving Day Service - Nov. 28 For all our November events see our online calendar at www.oakarbor.org Giving Thanks…by Giving Nourishment By Rev. Derek Elphick “And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks…” Mark 8:6 And so began the feeding of the 4,000 in which the Lord fed the multitude with an endless supply of bread. Bread corresponds to the spiritual nourishment (love) we receive from the Lord. The Lord gives us our “daily bread” so that it can be used in service to others since that is the chief characteristic of love. “The good present with people depends entirely on their service in life” (AC 9296:3). We don’t want to forget all the Lord’s “benefits” because we know others need those benefits as much as we do (Psalm 103). Love, true love, the love found in heaven, can’t rest until it is shared. This Thanksgiving season, think of a moment you received nourishment from the Lord. Perhaps it was the kind action of a friend, or the help you received through a difficult time, or an insight or moment of inspiration. Now think of how you can give nourishment to someone else. Find a way to share the Lord’s goodness and truth with others for “freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). *********** Food donations brought to the Thanksgiving festival service on November 28th will be donated to the Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac, delivered by Jon and Karin Childs. They accept donations of food or toiletry items. Offerings of fruit or non-perishable food items (wrapped to look nice on the chancel) can be brought up during the Thanksgiving church service. Other donations can be placed on a table outside of the sanctuary on Sunday November 24th through Thanksgiving day. Family Potluck Lunch and Celebration After church in the social hall on Sunday November 10th. You are invited! Children will join their families for the lunch portion of the program and then members of the Youth Group will take them off to the school wing for organized games and activities while the adults remain in the social hall for a presentation by the pastor. This will be an opportunity for everyone to hear updates on our programs and services, a time for Q&A, and a time to brainstorm ways we can improve what we do as a church. We will be using an online form at Sign Up Genius to RSVP for this event (details coming soon). Or you can contact the office to RSVP.
Transcript
November 2013
COMING UP
10 Blessings worship series cont. Ladies’ Lunch - Nov. 8 Potluck - Nov. 10 Pancake Breakfast - Nov. 17 Thanksgiving Day Service - Nov. 28 For all our November events see our online calendar at www.oakarbor.org
Giving Thanks…by Giving Nourishment By Rev. Derek Elphick
“And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks…”
Mark 8:6 And so began the feeding of the 4,000 in which the Lord fed the multitude with an endless supply of bread. Bread corresponds to the spiritual nourishment (love) we receive from the Lord. The Lord gives us our “daily bread” so that it can be used in service to others since that is the chief characteristic of love. “The good present with people depends entirely on their service in life” (AC 9296:3). We don’t want to forget all the Lord’s “benefits” because we know others need those benefits as much as we do (Psalm 103). Love, true love, the love found in heaven, can’t rest until it is shared. This Thanksgiving season, think of a moment you received nourishment from the Lord. Perhaps it was the kind action of a friend, or the help you received through a difficult time, or an insight or moment of inspiration. Now think of how you can give nourishment to someone else. Find a way to share the Lord’s goodness and truth with others for “freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).
***********
Food donations brought to the Thanksgiving festival service on November 28th will be donated to the Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac, delivered by Jon and Karin Childs. They accept donations of food or toiletry items. Offerings of fruit or
non-perishable food items (wrapped to look nice on the chancel) can be brought up during the Thanksgiving church service. Other donations can be placed on a table outside of the sanctuary on Sunday November 24th through Thanksgiving day.
Family Potluck Lunch and Celebration After church in the social hall on Sunday November 10th.
You are invited! Children will join their families for the lunch portion of the program and then members of the Youth Group will take them off to the school wing for organized games and activities while the adults remain in the social hall for a presentation by the pastor. This will be an opportunity for everyone to hear updates on our programs and services, a time for Q&A, and a time to brainstorm ways we can improve what we do as a church. We will be using an online form at Sign Up Genius to RSVP for this event (details coming soon). Or you can contact the office to RSVP.
Church Volunteer Schedule Get involved by volunteering at an upcoming Oak Arbor worship service.
Please contact the church secretary at (248) 652-3420. November 2013
www.oakarbor.org
Date Usher Greeter Refreshments Nursery Teacher
Pre-School Teacher
1st - 3rd Teacher
4th - 6th Teacher
7th - Highschool
Teacher
Youth Group
Nov. 3 DPE
Worship, Holy Supper 10:30 am
Marc Edwards Rita Steen Francis & Heidi vanLoosbroek
Natalie Steen Deb Alrutz Denielle Schnarr
Amy Elder Sulie Tyler ***
Nov. 10 DPE
Worship, 10:30 am
Kirk Barry Susan Kendig Pam Steen Sue Elder Amy Elder Shara Barrett Pam Steen Jon & Karin
Childs
Youth Weekend in Kitchener
Nov. 17 G. Odhner
Worship, 10:30 am
Greg Clay Cara Clay Bob & Karen
Heinrichs Ann-Marie McCardell
Kim de Chazal Shara Barrett Liane de Chazal
Pam Steen Jon & Karin
Childs ***
Nov. 24 DPE
Worship 10:30 am
Craig Steen Donna
Donakowski Jane Synnestvedt
Julie Elder TBD Amy Elder Rachel Mahrle Suzanne Green
Jon & Karin Childs
Tyler/Buikema
Nov. 28 DPE
Thanksgiving 10:30 am
Tom Steen Sherry
McCardell
Dec. 1 DPE
Worship, 10:30 am
Tom Steen Rita Steen Francis & Heidi vanLoosbroek
Karen Kostick Denielle Schnarr
Donna Donakowski
Rachel Mahrle Sulie Tyler ***
4
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
NOVEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
Alex & Nicole Sandström
November 5, 2011
Bob & Marcia Bradin November 13, 1965
Robin & Susan Kendig
November 18, 1967
Tom & Rita Steen November 23, 1956
Don & Suzanne Cochrane
November 25, 2011
Craig Steen & Donna Donakowski November 28, 1992
Emmett Goulding Nov.3
Sue Elder Nov.5
Jeff Buikema Nov.7
Danae Elder Nov.9
Gay Elphick Nov.9
Clara Odhner Nov.12
Jennie Pafford Nov.12
Sullivan Brock Nov.13
Kevin Wille Nov.13
Suzanne Green Nov.15
Martha Childs Nov.17
Carl Owens Nov.19
Todd Elder Nov.25
Kirk Barry Nov.30
Thanksgiving Service
Pancake Breakfast Come and enjoy a hot breakfast before church on Sunday November 17th. The Oak Arbor School 5th-8th graders will serve you in the social hall, from 9 AM - 10:15. Please make a donation in the basket when you arrive. Proceeds will fund field trips. Thank you! Upcoming Christmas Events: details to follow! Family Craft Night - Friday December 13th, 6 PM Nativity Enactment - Sunday December 22nd, 6 PM Christmas Eve Family Service - Tuesday December 24th, 5 PM Barrett Family Update After the past 6 years of some hard times, the Barrett family is feeling the Lord's many blessings now. They finally are having a successful pregnancy and Shara has already passed the half-way point, just moved into a bigger house to accommodate for their growing family, Hannah gets to ride the bus to her new school now, and Clark recently was promoted to Colonel in the Michigan Army National Guard (which is the rank just before General)! Their new address is: 1376 Kingspath Dr. Rochester Hills, MI 48306. Phone numbers and email addresses remain the same: 248-650-8292 and [email protected].
General Church Education [email protected] - 267.502.4949 The staff of the (heretofore) General Church Office of Education is pleased to announce that we have changed our name to simply General Church Education. Along with the new name, we have a new logo, which you may have already seen in use on some of our most recent projects. As General Church Education, we will continue to serve two primary uses: to provide support for General Church schools and to develop and distribute religious educational programs for Sunday schools and homes. If you’re looking for information on these uses, please give General Church Education a hail!
Rachel Glenn, on behalf of the General
Church Education team
Harvest Moon Hoedown Friday, November 1st 7 - 9 PM Please come for a fun family evening of square dancing in the Oak Arbor Social Hall. Paul Ott, a professional caller, will lead us in some lively square dancing. Refreshments will be provided. Questions? Contact Julie Elder ([email protected]). No experience necessary. Grab the kids and come on down! Student play, Saturday November 2nd, 7 PM As part of her independent study, Oak Arbor School 8th grader Ava Elder is directing a short play called “The Inventor’s Daughter” to be performed in the Social Hall. The play is a comedy about a widow and her daughter trying to make use of the father’s leftover inventions. It’s about 35 minutes long, and all the actors are student volunteers. Refreshments will be served after the show. Ava was mentored in this project by Karin Childs, and would like to invite everyone to attend! Too Much Halloween Candy? Oak Arbor School will collect extra candy to be donated to an organization that sends care packages to troops overseas. The collection box will be outside the main office on weekdays (9 AM - 3 PM) and Sunday mornings, starting Friday Nov. 1st until Monday Nov. 11th. Thank you! Ladies Lunch One Friday every other month, 11:30-1:00 in the Social Hall. Come enjoy social time and good food with your friends. No agenda, it’s purely for fun. Bring a friend! Our next Ladies Lunch will be on Friday November 8. Lettuce, salad dressing, fresh bread and butter, coffee and tea will be provided; bring a salad topper to share (chopped veggies, nuts, croutons, etc. whatever you have in the house). If you have small children, bring them along, and they can play with toys while you get to visit with friends. Any questions, contact Kim de Chazal at [email protected] or 248-650-9092. Looking forward to seeing you there! The "Loss and Found" bereavement support group, meets on the second Thursday of each month. Our next gathering is on Thursday November 14th in the church Parlor, from 7:30-9:00 PM. Join us to have a chance to speak about a loved one who has died, and about navigating life without that loved-one's physical pres-ence. Questions? Contact Karin Childs:
The School is a busy place! I hope you are checking out the Oak Arbor School Facebook Page where we regularly post pictures and information about the activities going on here at the Oak Arbor School. Please like our page and share our pictures with your friends! Recent classroom activities include a trip to the Stony Creek Nature Center for the younger students, a trip to Canada to visit a sister school in Kitchener Ontario and Niagara Falls, a visit from the Glenview New Church School 5th - 8th grade students, and a fun trip to Fogler’s Pumpkin Patch. The annual Harvest Party was a great success complete with a Harry Potter sorting hat and fresh pressed cider! Thank you to the staff and volunteers who plan these events and make them happen! It certainly creates a vibrant and lively learning environment for the students. The Faculty also had a Professional Development Meeting in October. Gail Simons and Melodie Greer from our parent organization, the General Church Office of Education, visited the school to support the teachers and presented a useful seminar on using the Atlas Curriculum Mapping System to the staff. It is nice to connect with teachers from other New Church schools. Conferences have been held and parents learned about their student’s progress this year. Coming in November- Ava Elder and her cast will present a play on Saturday, Nov. 2nd as the culmination of her Independent Study Unit. The School will participate in a record setting cup stacking event as part of the PE Curriculum, and the 5th - 8th grade students will offer a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Sunday, Nov. 17th, before church. Thanksgiving The school will be closed beginning Wednesday, Nov. 27st and will reopen on Monday, Dec. 2. We are thankful for the opportunity to be with the children every day, and educate them in light of the Lord’s Word, so with grateful hearts, we wish you all an enjoyable time with your family and friends over the Thanksgiving Holiday. ~Mandy Steen and the Staff at Oak Arbor School
PE News: Sport Stacking Only 2 weeks away until November 14th - the Guinness World Records Day! Oak Arbor is going to be part of the new record for the World’s Largest Sport Stacking Event. In order to participate we are committing to 25 or more stackers who all each stack for at least 30 minutes that afternoon. Parents, family and friends are invited to come and join in on the fun. It will take place from 2:00-3:00 in the Social Hall. There is a possibility that there will be some media present. This is a wonderful opportunity to be involved in something exciting that is much bigger than ourselves. I would love to have a few parent helpers to man a station. Please let me know if you would be willing to do this. More importantly, it will be FUN. Speed Stacking has so many other benefits as well. Studies confirm that it improves hand-eye coordination, ambidexterity and increased fitness levels. Kristin Pitcairn PE Instructor
Mrs. Pafford and her students at the Stony Creek Nature Center
