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Greetings Oak Hill Church,
It is good to be a part of God’s family as His Church. It is a humbling reminder to both recognize and realize that each of us have a place to believe and belong together. We are united in the reality that we are sinful, messy people who have been redeemed and cleansed by the radical love of God shown to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. We live in the present of this ongoing and renewing work that the Holy Spirit is performing everyday in each of our lives. We connect and share our lives together in ways that demonstrate humility, gratitude, and community and we live out of the hope that we have because of God’s love and faithfulness to each of us. When we really sit back and think about it, God is extremely generous to us. He is exorbitant in His desire to give us more than we deserve and bless us in ways beyond our imagination. Even when our lives seem to be falling apart or we feel like we are barely hanging on. Even when challenging and difficult circumstances are thrown our way, His promises hold true and His commitment to us remains firm. How good is that!?! It is out of God’s gifts to us that we give. It is out of His generosity that we are invited to be generous. If you were with us this past Sunday, we shared about some exciting updates regarding Overflowing Hope. Overflowing Hope is one of the ministry branches of Oak Hill that seeks to reach out beyond our walls to share the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is connecting with our broader community both right in our own neighborhoods and around the world as we connect our lives with others. This year, Oak Hill has committed to allocate four quarterly gifts from our Overflowing Hope fund to support various projects, groups, and organizations that embody this sense of “Going” with the Gospel. Our Going Team has spent time praying about and processing how these gifts can best be used to further and build God’s Kingdom during these unique days and our attention focused on our own immediate context in the Twin Cities for this quarterly gift. For this 2nd Quarter Allocation, we have committed to the following partners:
Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth In-Person Worship
In Christ, Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board
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Greetings Oak Hill Church,
What are some things that you are thankful for? This might seem like an odd question as November and Thanksgiving Day are still months away, but what sorts of things come to your mind? I know I have been in a reflective mood this past week and the Lord has really given me eyes to see, notice, and appreciate things in my life that I am extremely thankful for. I think of my wife and kids and the joy that they bring to my life. I am thankful for the close relationships with family and friends that have been renewed or strengthened even during these past months of quarantine and social distancing. I am thankful for the many ways that God has provided and cared for me. I am thankful for you as my brothers and sisters in Christ. I am thankful for the opportunity and ability we have to gather together both in-person and online as the Church. On Sunday, June 28, we will be continuing in our series on the Psalms and we will be looking into the Psalms of Thanksgiving. Our very own Josiah Militzer will be bringing God’s Word to us and I am super excited for you to get to hear his passionate and genuine spirit as he shares the message this Sunday. We will each have the opportunity to be reminded of God’s great and mighty deeds that He does for us each and every day. It is out of His care and provision for us that we respond in thanks to Him. Many of you know that this past Sunday, we were able to host our first in-person worship service since COVID made its presence known this past March. It was such a joy to share in this experience together and I hope and pray for more days like this in the weeks ahead as we continue to navigate this time together. We will continue to need to be patient, gracious, and flexible as the landscape changes week-to-week with the pulse and recommendations that are being encouraged. Please know that we are doing our best to create a situation that is appropriately safe for those of you joining us in-person. Please also know that we are doing our best to provide our worship service in an effective way online for those that will be continuing to worship with us in this way. Even though we may have a different viewing platform for our worship services, we are all united in Christ. In Him and because of His Spirit living inside of us, we are one. Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth In-Person Worship
In Christ, Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board Greetings Oak Hill Church,
I am excited to be writing this update to you with the news that we will be given the opportunity to resume our in-person worship services this Sunday, June 21. It is kind of hard to believe that it was three months ago that we last met together face-to-face as the unknown and uncertainty of the coronavirus began to impact our normal rhythms and routines. Even though we have not been able to meet in-person these past weeks, the Lord has still continued to work and move in ministry within and beyond our church. I am extremely thankful for the team of staff, volunteers, and leaders within our church family that have stepped up in some amazing ways to help lead and serve us as a congregation in these past months. I am humbled and thankful to be a part of this church and this team that joyfully gives of their time, energy, and gifts to serve the Lord, love His people, and help build His Kingdom. A special note of thanks also goes to you as our congregation for all of your grace, patience, and understanding as we have continued to navigate these times as well. This has not been a perfect process nor a flawless season, but God is greater than our imperfections and faults. His grace and power go well beyond where we are lacking. We are so grateful for the ways that you have continued to support the mission of God and the mission of Oak Hill Church both financially and with your time, presence, and encouragement in various ways. According to the survey that we sent out a couple of weeks ago, our church leadership feels that we are at a place where we can resume coming back together in small groups for our worship services. We recognize that not everyone is at a place where they feel comfortable being in a group setting at this time and that is both understandable and appropriate. This is why we will continue to offer video recordings of our worship services on both our website and our YouTube channel. We will be doing our best to create a space and an experience that follows appropriate guidelines and safety measures to help ensure safety and precaution as we gather in-person. Many of the steps we are taking have been adopted and a part of many of the places that we have been living and operating in for the past months (stores, businesses, churches, etc.) There is a Congregational Protections and Protocols Plan that is attached to this email which will provide further information and clarity on some of these safety measures and details. Also, please take a look at the Resuming In-Person Gatherings section that is a part of this update as well. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul writes these words to the believers: Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:2-6 NIV) As a body of believers, we are encouraged to live in the reality of these words as well. As we have navigated our lives through the past three months each of us have no doubt had to rely on the grace, strength, and hope found only in Christ. The reality is that our gentleness, patience, and faith have been tested in various ways over the past weeks, but these words in Ephesians 4 still ring true. Paul writes that we are one; we are unified by the Spirit of God that is alive and living inside the heart of each believer and we are called to place our hope, trust, and confidence in this “oneness” that God creates in and through His church. There is a unifying power that is at work and it is a power that brings peace. As we look to resume our in-person worship services this Sunday, June 21 there will no doubt be a wealth of opportunity for us to live and rejoice in the power of this unity as brothers and sisters in Christ. We must also take care to notice that there will also be a wealth of opportunity for us to become divided and frustrated as well. Paul’s reminder and encouragement to us is that we would allow God’s Spirit to work in our hearts and lives to build unity. Our hope and prayer as a church is that we would each humbly and gently enter into this next phase together, as one, with an immeasurable amount of grace, patience, and love for each other as we strive to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth Resuming In-Person Gatherings
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In Christ, Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board Greetings Oak Hill Church,
There is immense benefit to repetition. Think about anything you have done or tried before for the first time. Perhaps many of you cannot remember some of these early times, but at some point you learned how to walk, to tie your shoelaces, to ride a bike, to drive a car, to write your name, to make a meal. How? Probably through repetition. The sheer number of attempts, tries, and experiences all paved a way to familiarity, comfort, and confidence in those tasks that you were learning to do. Now, as true as this can be, the opposite is also true. As a former basketball player and coach, I know that repetition is key to developing a consistent jump shot. A basketball player must shoot hundreds upon thousands of shots to build the muscle memory necessary to help give them success in any game or contest. For those of you who have been away from the game for a while, there should be no surprise that when you pick up a basketball after not shooting one for several years, the results won’t necessarily be pretty. We benefit from doing things that are good for us often. All of us have felt the reality of this during these past months. So many of the activities we used to do, be involved in, and have a part of our repetitive routine have really changed and been altered. The things that we used to do more often maybe now happen less often and we feel the effects of it. Whether it is getting a haircut, going to the gym to work out, or even going to dinner with a friend, we feel the gap and the hole that exists when we don’t do those things relatively often or in the way we are used to having them done. Much of these same feelings can be shared as the Church; as a body of believers. So much of our faith journey has been tied into attending a worship service with fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. Many people attend weekly Bible studies or small groups, we socialize with one another, we collectively gather to build relationships and encourage one another. We repeatedly come together to connect our lives with one another and with our Savior. We do this often because it is both good and beneficial for us. All of us have felt this time apart in various ways. Many of you have shared about the isolation and loneliness that can creep in or think about the close friends and our collective church family that you are missing dearly. And it is in this that we are met with this reminder once again: God never intended us to live this life on our own. He never designed the Christian walk or faith journey to be done by ourselves. It is out of this reality that we live and share life together as best we can during these unique times. On Sunday, June 14, from 6:00-7:00 pm, we will have the opportunity to share in something that we are invited to partake in often: The Lord’s Supper. Jesus instructed His followers to partake in this meal often. And as often as they did this, they were to remember Him; they were to remember His love for them, His sacrifice for them, and the hope that is found only in Him. We get that opportunity to share and remember that as well. Each of you are invited to a Drive-up Communion service this Sunday evening from 6:00-7:00 pm. Some of our elders and I will be hanging out in the church parking lot and we will be ready and available to serve you this special and significant meal. The idea would be to drive your vehicle into the church parking lot where we will have several designated spots for you to park. Once you park, we ask that you remain in your vehicle and one of us will come and share in communion with you. This will be a great opportunity for us to connect a bit with you, encourage you, pray with you, and share in this Sacrament as fellow believers in the Lord. A few things to note:
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In Christ, Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board Greetings Oak Hill Church,
To say that this past week has been a whirlwind might win an award for “Understatement of the Year.” I’m sure that many of you are both aware and familiar with the eye-opening events that have taken place around our country and right here in our own Twin Cities. The circumstances surrounding the tragic death of George Floyd began a string of activity that has captivated our state and our country in unprecedented ways. But these circumstances that we are witnessing go well beyond a singular event or a specific situation. The scenes that are playing out before our very eyes have immense depth and perspective to them that many of us simply cannot imagine or truly know. I know that many of you have been experiencing a tsunami of feelings and emotions that are connected with what has been going on in recent days. Fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, confusion, guilt, empathy, remorse, and sadness are just the beginning of a wide list that I know many of you are dealing with and that I have felt myself. It is simply heartbreaking to see the devastation, hurt, pain, and destruction that is on full display around us. In my previous emailed response from a few days ago, I talked about this brokenness that we are seeing unfold. This brokenness of humanity shows up in many ways. It shows up in the divisive ways that we treat each other. It shows up in the rebellious attitudes that we each have against God due to our sinful nature. It shows up in our disobedience and the innate destructiveness that is in each of us as human beings who need a Savior. Broken people cannot fix broken situations. Thankfully, God does not leave us broken. He gives us grace. He gives us mercy. He fixes us up in His righteousness and perfection. Only He can mend our lives. Only He can remedy this hurt and pain. Only He can fix what is broken. This brings us to another word that I am often hearing in the ongoing dialogue of these events: “justice.” People are wanting justice for George Floyd. People are wanting justice against those who are burning and looting buildings. We all want justice to be served in some form or fashion as it fits our personal description and understanding. Usually, this cry for justice comes after an act of what we would consider to be injustice. Often times, our definition and understanding of justice involves some form of punishment or restitution. Someone must pay for the wrongs. Someone must answer for the injustice that they have caused or created. God’s Word also gives us a lens and a renewed perspective on justice for us to take notice of and consider. The reality of this whole injustice vs. justice argument first begins in your life and in mine. Because of our wickedness, brokenness, and sin, each of us have committed an incalculable amount of injustices against God. In His perfect nature and character, God, who is holy, demands justice. The debt is heavy, and the punishment is death. Let that sink in for a moment. We stand as guilty with no possible reason or excuse to avoid what we have coming for the wrong that we have done. And yet, God does something to address our injustice against Him. A good pastor friend of mine wrote this in reference to this amazing act of grace: “From a Christian perspective, justice is not about restitution but restoration; it is about the cross. It is about the brutal death of an innocent [person] to atone for the guilty. Jesus ends the cycle of destruction by offering forgiveness when punishment is deserved.” God sent His Son to take our punishment. God sent Jesus to bring us restoration. God sent Jesus so that we could be reconciled to Him. God sent Jesus so that we could be forgiven. The cross is where God’s perfect justice was carried out for us. Jesus reverses our punishment and gives us grace. In these times we are living in, there is no shortage of frustration, anger, conflict, and bitterness. As believers, we must look to God’s Word and trust Him to act in the best way. God’s Word is clear: Jesus has dealt with our injustice. He has paid for it. Justice was served at the cross for you, me, and everyone. We can be thankful that we have a God who operates on a whole other level of what is just, right, and true and He will bring about this restoration. May our prayer be for this restoration to come to bring peace to this situation. May our prayers, actions, and attitudes be motivated to see reconciliation spring up. May this violence and divisiveness that we see around us be meet with grace and forgiveness, the kind that can only be found through the cross and through our Savior. May He do a mighty work to bring this reconciliation in our lives and in our communities. Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth Oak Hill Staff Update
In Christ, Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board Greetings Oak Hill Church,
Being the sports fan that I am, my attention has been tuned into many of the talks and discussions surrounding the potential return of live sports in the weeks and months ahead. Even if you could care less about when or if the NBA or MLB will return, the reality is that we can all think of things in our lives where a void has been created due to the coronavirus pandemic. To borrow a common sports phrase that might accurately sum up this experience that we have all been facing in the past months: “There is no playbook for that…” A playbook is pretty essential to any successful team. The playbook houses a wealth of information, strategy, and direction that gives a team a recipe for success and victory in any given match or game. Not having a playbook can lead to some very interesting and unknown outcomes. Having a playbook can bring predictability, security, and assurance. In the days that each of us have spent navigating the changing times, this saying has kept popping into my mind. There clearly is no playbook for what we are going through and experiencing. This was unexpected. Not too many of us have ever gone through an experience like this before. Each of us as individuals, as families, and as the church have had to just do our best to react, plan, and move forward as more information is known, more directives and recommendations are passed along, and as the Lord continues to lead and guide us through this time. With all that to be said, our team of leaders at Oak Hill has continued to seek the Lord and process what our next steps could look like in the weeks and months ahead. There has been a lot of recent movement and information given that gives us further indication of what our post-COVID world could look like as we emerge from shelter in place. One thing is obvious: Things will be different. Nearly every aspect of our lives will look differently than it did before. Whatever thoughts we might have had even two weeks ago about timelines and guidelines have probably been reshaped. The same goes for us as Oak Hill Church. We have tried to do our best to continue to balance caution and faith. Our intent is to continue to be good citizens as members of this world and of God’s Kingdom. Our desire is that we would be led by God’s best timing, ways, and procedures. While we have not been perfect in that, He is still very much guiding this process for us even when we don’t always get it right. As we continue to pray, process, and prepare for resuming our in-person gatherings, worship services, and other various ministries, would you join us in praying about these decisions and all of the details and logistics that need to still be worked out? We all need to be bringing this before the Lord as we seek to honor Him and honor one another in these discussions. There is no time like the present for us to be unified and supportive of one another. We all need to extend a fresh dose of grace and truth to one another that is supportive, encouraging, and understanding as each of us process what this looks like for us as individuals, as families, and as a congregation. The Apostle Paul encourages us with similar words as he reminds the believers in Ephesians 4: Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Let this be our prayer and pursuit as we walk through this together as a group of sinful people radically changed and renewed by God’s grace. May He guide us, strengthen us, and shape us as His children. Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth Oak Hill Staff Update
Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board Greetings Oak Hill Church,
I am sure that there have been many lessons, reminders, and realities that have become reinforced or cemented in your minds and hearts during these weeks of sheltering in place. As we collectively begin to move the dial seemingly back to some semblance of normalcy (whatever that may mean), it will be interesting to see how some of these learned principles go with us. For example, you may have grown accustomed to this new rhythm that we have been on. In speaking with many of you, the additional time to not have to be running around chasing schedules, due dates, and timelines has been a welcome relief. For others, the increased time investing in family has been refreshing (Of course, you may also be ready for a break from some members in your family, but looking back you will definitely have appreciated this time nonetheless…) Even the inner introvert in all of us might have appreciated these quiet moments to one degree or another as well. Regardless of where you are at on the spectrum, one of the true joys for me during this time, and one that I have heard countless times from others, is the greater connection that each of us are experiencing with God’s Word. Whether you were in a normal rhythm of going to His Word and taking in the promises of Scripture or not, there is no doubt that this time has given each of us the opportunity to be strengthened in our faith or be still before the Lord and take in what He is trying to show and teach us during this time. We have all had opportunities in these past weeks to be shaped by a fuller realization of His power, His provision, and our reliance and need for who He is and what He does. Like all of the previous things I have mentioned, I hope that this does not phase out once we come back into a post-COVID world. I hope and pray for me, and for you, that this time would bear fruit in thankfulness to God for how He carried us through these times and a reminder of the power and presence of His Word that guides our lives, calms our hearts, and refreshes our spirit. This week, we continue in our series on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossian Church and we get to Chapter 2, which houses our theme verses for this series. In verses 6 and 7, Paul writes: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Let our prayer be that we have been built up and strengthened in our faith during this time and let our lives coming out of this be continuously shaped by the gift of faith and new life that allows us to overflow in thanksgiving to those around us for what has been done for us and given to us by Christ. Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth Congregational Meeting Tonight
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In Christ, Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board Greetings Oak Hill Church,
If you are like me, you like it when things are buttoned up and sure. I appreciate when all the details and facts are ironed out and fully understood. There’s a certain level of peace, comfort, and confidence that comes when the uncertainties are erased, the loose ends are tied up, and there are no unanswered questions or “what-if” scenarios to be played out. Now the reality is that this is not how real life typically plays itself out. Not too many of life’s circumstances and situations are like this at all. One of the challenges within all of this is that in those times of uncertainty, we can try to assume control of our own lives and the circumstances surrounding them. Far too often, you and I can be tempted to try and take the reins and attempt to hold things together in our lives. And when we do that, we often realize our inadequacies and our inabilities to really offer much control or stability. Have you been there? I know I have many times. This week, we continue in our study of the book of Colossians and we focus in on verses 15-23 of Chapter 1. We see Paul’s reassuring reminder and encouragement for the believers to continue living in and out of their faith which is “established and firm.” There is immense hope that the power of God’s Word and the Gospel creates in our lives. There is a supreme amount of comfort, peace, confidence, and clarity that resides in a Source that is outside of ourselves. Paul points us to the reality of Who is in control and sustains our life. When we are tempted to think that it is up to us, Paul points us to Someone bigger and greater: it’s Jesus Christ, the Son of God! In verse 17, Paul tells us this about Jesus: “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” This verse brings an immense sense of relief to my life. The fact, truth, and reality are that I can’t do this on my own, but I also don’t have to. Everything holds together in Christ. He literally holds everything, all my worries, doubts, fears, challenges, successes, and joys, together in His hands and He alone sustains all that is happening within me and around me. I hope that brings us immense comfort today to know that God’s control and His ability is far above what we can muster up on our own and exactly what we need to trust and hope in. Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth Online Services
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Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board Greetings Oak Hill,
The final week of April is upon us and as we close another month of living in this new normal, I hope that each of us can reflect on just some of the many ways that we saw the Lord work, move, and show His faithfulness to us even amid some challenging and uncertain times. As Drew shared with us from this past Sunday as we wrapped up our sermon series looking at the unchanging character and nature of God, Jesus is our Rock that provides an unshakable and sure foundation for us to place our lives. It is this and only His foundation that keeps us steady and assured as so much of our lives have been shifted in these unprecedented times. We can have confidence, faith, and trust that this Rock will be unmoved in giving us what we need to grow and strengthen our faith in His grace and truth. It is in this idea of growing and strengthening our faith that we move into looking at the book of Colossians for the month of May. Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul to a group of believers who were needing the assurance and reminders of the trust they can have in the truth of the Gospel. It alone has the power to save and the ability to give true life. Even though we are bombarded with lots of messages that are in conflict with the message of Scripture, we can be “rooted and established” in what we have been taught and know to be true as believers in Christ. In Colossians 2, Paul writes: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” This is our hope and prayer too in these times: that we would find ourselves clinging and sinking our roots into the one true source that supplies and offers all we could ever need for life, that we would grow and be strengthened in our faith, and that we would overflow in thankfulness to the Lord for what He has done and continues to do in our lives. Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth Online Services
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In Christ, Pastor Ben and the Oak Hill Elder Board Greetings Oak Hill,
It’s almost hard to believe that we are already nearing the end of April. Time has been funny to keep track of in these shelter-in-place days that we are living in and so some days feel faster while others seem to drag on. Even amidst all of these changes and the new rhythm that we are experiencing, I hope that you have found some opportunities to hone in on some of the positives that have been in place during these unique days. Perhaps this has been a welcome change in what normally would have been a rapid pace that a normal week would throw at you. Perhaps you are enjoying the extra family time or had some new opportunity to tackle a house or yard project that you had been putting off. Perhaps you have found some time to intentionally connect with a friend or family member that you had not talked to in a while. Perhaps you have been able to take some time to allow God to speak to you and teach you about your continued need for and reliance upon Him. It is in moments like this that we are brought to a renewed understanding that He is in control, that He is able, and that He is at work. This week we will wrap up our sermon series that has been walking us through and highlighting the immense character and nature of who God is and what He does. We have seen His reliability when things get tough, His dependability that provides us assurance in the challenging times, and His love and care for us to meet our needs as we walk in step with Him. I hope you have been as blessed as much as I have to get to walk through these reminders and many more as we have been in God’s Word together this past month. The power and assurance that God’s Word brings to us gives us perspective and trust as we navigate these days and weeks ahead together. Connecting Lives in Grace and Truth Online Services
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