Staff Picks

When you walk into a bookstore, they always have their "Staff Picks" or "Employee Favorites." It's a fantastic idea however most times we've never met the employee or staff member so don't know if we can trust their taste, not to mention there's hardly ever a Christian book to be found. So, I thought it might be beneficial to compose a list of the books the Staff is reading right now, or "Church Staff Picks" for those of you that are looking for a way to fill your time now that mid-week ministries are on break.

Rob Neuschwander, Senior Pastor's Pick

Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford

The most important and influential source of information about the Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony, this landmark account was written between 1630 and 1647. It vividly documents the Pilgrims' adventures: their first stop in Holland, the harrowing transatlantic crossing aboard the Mayflower, the first harsh winter in the new colony, and the help from friendly Native Americans that saved their lives.
No one was better equipped to report on the affairs of the Plymouth community than William Bradford. Revered for his patience, wisdom, and courage, Bradford was elected to the office of governor in 1621, and he continued to serve in that position for more than three decades. His memoirs of the colony remained virtually unknown until the nineteenth century. Lost during the American Revolution, they were discovered years later in London and published after a protracted legal battle. The current edition rendered into modern English and with an introduction by Harold Paget, remains among the most readable books from seventeenth-century America.

Amazon, Paperback-$7.81

Becky Neuschwander, Senior Pastor's Pick

 Talking With God by Francois Fenelon

François Fénelon was a seventeenth-century French Catholic archbishop who rose to a position of influence in the court of Louis XIV. He became a wise mentor to members of the king’s court, his writings preserved by the many people whom he counseled. These words have inspired Christians of all backgrounds for centuries with their frank honesty, spiritual wisdom, and unflinching response to truth.

Amazon, Paperback-$12.10 

Robbie Neal, Youth Pastor's Pick

 

When God Talks Back by T.M. Luhrmann

Through a series of intimate, illuminating interviews with various members of the Vineyard, an evangelical church with hundreds of congregations across the country, Tanya Luhrmann leaps into the heart of evangelical faith. Combined with scientific research that studies the effect that intensely practiced prayer can have on the mind, When God Talks Back examines how normal, sensible people—from college students to accountants to housewives, all functioning perfectly well within our society—can attest to having the signs and wonders of the supernatural become as quotidian and as ordinary as laundry. Astute, sensitive, and extraordinarily measured in its approach to the interface between science and religion, Luhrmann's book is sure to generate as much conversation as it will praise. 

Amazon, Paperback-$13.43 

Karissa Neal, Youth Pastor's Pick

Loveology by John Mark Comer

Loveology is just that—a theology of love.
With an autobiographical thread that turns a book into a story, pastor and speaker John Mark Comer shares about what is right in male/female relationships—what God intended in the Garden. And about what is wrong—the fallout in a post-Eden world.
Loveology starts with marriage and works backward. Comer deals with sexuality, romance, singleness, and what it means to be male and female; ending with a raw, uncut, anything goes Q and A dealing with the most asked questions about sexuality and relationships.
This is a book for singles, engaged couples, and the newly married—both inside and outside the church—who want to learn what the Scriptures have to say about sexuality and relationships. For those who are tired of Hollywood’s propaganda, and the church’s silence. And for people who want to ask the why questions and get intelligent, nuanced, grace-and-truth answers, rooted in the Scriptures.

Amazon, Hardback-$15.92

Reyna Burkett, Childrens Pastor's Pick

The Search for Significance by Robert McGee

Robert McGee's best-selling book has helped millions of readers learn how to be free to enjoy Christ's love while no longer basing their self-worth on their accomplishments or the opinions of others. In fact, Billy Graham said that it was a book that "should be read by every Christian."
In this re-launch of this timeless classic you will:

• Gain new skills for getting off the performance treadmill
• Discover how four false beliefs have negatively impacted your life
• Learn how to overcome obstacles that prevent you from experiencing the truth that your self-worth is found only in the love, acceptance, and forgiveness of Christ

Discover what two million readers have already discovered: that true significance is found only in Christ.

Amazon, paperback-$11.98 

Anja Shoun, Worship Pastor's Pick

The One Year Bible, NIV

The best-selling One Year Bible, which helps you read the entire Bible in as little as 15 minutes a day, has been updated in a new look and comes in both portable compact size and full size. The One Year Bible divides God's Word into daily readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, creating an achievable, unforgettable devotional experience.

 Amazon, paperback-$13.48

Christmas Eve Services 2014

We have our own building this year which means Christmas Eve Service actually on Christmas Eve, YAY! It's always a fun time every year to get together and worship the Lord and remember what it is that makes this holiday season so wonderful. We have an hour long service comprised of a few Christmas songs, a sharing of the word, and candle lighting. This year, we'll have two services, one at 4:00pm and one at 5:30pm. At 5:00pm, we'll have about 30 minutes of fellowship and food, so please bring some Christmas cookies/goodies to share as well.

2013 Candle-Light Service

2014 Holiday Break

Our Mid-week ministries are on break for the holidays but we have many events to look forward to this December.
Monthly Haiti Meeting
Monday, December 1st at 6:00pm
Decorating for Christmas
Saturday, December 6th at 10:00am
Ladies Christmas Dinner
Friday, December 12th at 7:00pm, $12
Staff & Board Christmas Party
Friday, December 19th at 7:00pm
Ignite Student Leadership Christmas Party
Sunday, December 21st at 6:00pm
Christmas Eve Services
Wednesday, December 24th at 4:00pm and 5:30pm

Our regular mid-week ministries will kick back up again the week of January 4th. We're very excited about starting 2015 with Women's Bible Studies, Men's Bible Studies, Family Nights, Parenting Classes, Youth Ignite Clubs, Leadership Meetings, and Mission Trip Meetings. Like our Facebook page and visit our website to be kept up to date on all the different ministries coming up in the new year.

Expanding Without Building

Our children's classrooms are packed! A great problem to have, but none the less, a problem that needs a solution. The solution we've come to is to  create another classroom for Sunday mornings and during mid-week ministries. To do this, we have two options: to build a new structure or to place an already existing structure on our land. Due to permits, building restrictions, and cost, the most cost and time efficient solution for us is to purchase an already existing structure and put it on the church property. We've been looking for available Single-wide offices for a few months now and have recently seen one on Craigslist that looks exactly like what we're looking for. We don't have the budget readily available to purchase it however so we are asking for 2 things from you.

1. Pray with us. This building is being sold by a large company that is looking to clear it off of their land. We're going to ask for it to be donated as a tax deduction by the company or for it to be sold for a fraction of the asking price. You can pray with us that this request goes well or that if it doesn't, another Single-Wide Building becomes available.
2. Financially Support this Purchase. Our church is growing but our income is not, meaning that our operating fund does not have the excess needed to go out and buy a single-wide at this time. But it is a very large need for our church. If you're interested in financially being a part of this purchase, you can mark your donation and put it in the offering on Sunday mornings.

 

Craigslist Posting 

Preparing for our Youth Leadership Conference

The teens annual Youth Leadership Conference monies are due this week and to help fund this trip, some of the youth baked goodies and sold them after Sunday services on November 16th. The youth were blown away by the generosity of our church body as they made almost $200 off of home made cookies, popcorn, cupcakes, and goodies.
The Conference is not until February, however getting our funds turned in in the next few weeks guarantees us host homes while we're in Walla Walla.

Our group will be leaving on Thursday, February 26th and traveling to Life Church in Walla Walla. We will arrive on Thursday Evening and will get signed in and head into our first session. The first session is usually comprised of approximately 1 hour of spirit filled worship and about an hour long message from a main conference speaker. After this session, we get to head back to our host homes, meet our host families, and discuss what we heard that first session.

On Day 2, February 27th, we wake up and head to Session 2 of worship and another message. After our morning session, we have a break where we eat lunch and have a prayer meeting. Session 3 follows lunch where in the past we  have experienced different things: group breakouts where we can choose a topic to hear a message on, spoken words delivered by teenagers, the opportunity to be prophesied over, or have questions answered by a panel of pastors. We then have a dinner break and come back for Session 4, which in the past has been our longest, most meaningful session filled with worship, the sharing of God's word, spiritual and sometimes physical healing, and prophesying.

On Day 3, we will say goodbye to our host families and hit our last conference session of worship and a message before returning home.
The theme of our Leadership Conference this year is "Liberate the Streets." Below is the vision from G3, Life Church Youth Group's, Youth Pastor, Cole Massey.
"The Bible reveals a mandate  for our generation to bring light into darkness or in our definition: liberate the streets. I dare you to believe that our schools can be saved, our families can be restored and impossible situations can be overcome by the power of Jesus liberating our streets. For thousands of years, men and women have laid down their lives as warriors in this battle. Now is the time to rise and run for the revolution. Join an army of young people who are passionate about change, focused on God's plan and mobile in our efforts to liberate the streets" -Cole Massey
#Liberate the Streets

How to Pack an OCC Shoebox

Step 1 to packing your shoebox is, you've probably guessed this one, get a shoebox. You can grab an actual shoebox or can buy a plastic Rubbermaid that's shoebox sized (usually available at the Dollar Tree or Walmart) . You can wrap your shoebox if you choose but make sure you wrap the lid and the box separately, meaning you can still open the shoebox after its wrapped.

Step 2 is to decide which gender and age group you would like to pack a box for. Download this Box Label, cut out either the boy or girl label, check the box next to the age you're packing your box for, and tape it to the top of your shoebox.

Step 3 is the fun part, filling the box. There are the toys that every child will love to play with and immediately be excited about. You can also pack things to meet practical needs, such as: rope, silverware, toothbrushes, combs, clothes, warm socks, mittens, and hats, school supplies, etc. Some bigger items can always be condensed as well if you pack them carefully. For example you could include a sports ball if it's deflated and has a pump enclosed. For more ideas on what to pack in your box Click Here.

Step 4 is covering your shipping cost. You can give your $7 online and track where your box goes by Clicking Here. You could instead put a $7 check written to "Samaritan's Purse" with "OCC" on the memo line in an envelope in your shoe box on top of your goodies.

Step 5 is to pray over your box, pray for the country that your box is going to, pray for the family the box will impact, and pray for the child that receives your box.
The last step is to bring your box to church on Sunday, November 23rd so we can get it to a drop-off facility.

Craft Day

Craft Day at the church last Saturday was fun for all involved as we made Old Fashioned Christmas ornaments. Thank you to all the ladies who helped us to create these beautiful decorations, please feel free to also join us to help decorate the church and enjoy a Ladies Christmas Dinner.
Christmas Decorating: 
Saturday, December 6th at 10:00am
Ladies Old Fashioned Christmas Dinner:
Friday, December 12th at 7:00pm, $12

Thursday Night Spiritual Warfare

Educate yourself on Spiritual Warfare this Thursday evening by joining us at the church at 6:00pm. We have childcare, dinner, an awesome time of worship, and get practice engaging in warfare as we gather together to pray for one another. We aim for 30 minutes of dinner and fellowship time and then 20 minutes of worship, 20 minutes of teaching, and 20 minutes of small group prayer.

One of the excellent things about this series is that although each lesson focuses on a topic of spiritual warfare, they're not linked to the point that if you haven't been able to make one yet, you'd be lost if you dropped by one week to check it out. 

Last Thursday Evening (Oct. 30th) was our 5th week of the series and we focused on authority.
If you couldn't make it or you'd like to re-listen, you can view the PowerPoint notes and/or listen to our Podcast by clicking the link below.
 Thursday Evening Podcast