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The Refuge | Our Dreams Are Different

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The Refuge | Our Dreams Are Different.

Acts - Origins of the Church in Action

Tomorrow morning we'll be reviewing our study of Acts 7 as Stephen the Martyr takes care of business! 

Stephen's story starts the wheels of Saul and his story which will encourage us in how God moves in us all - No matter our baggage or our sin against others or ourselves or God - And he redeems us (Ch. 9). He molds us, and he gives us new names on our hearts that no mankind can ever remove. (Jer. 31:31)

Acts 7-9 is an exciting section of scripture as worldwide missions to all who will hear and God draws near kick off and the Church as we know it today took shape here in these pages. The study of the origins of the church as we know it will continue tomorrow as it does every Sunday @ 9am at Oasis Church in Meigs at the Middle School. 

See you there! Walk-ins welcome!!!

Josh

On Twitter @josh__lynch

Oasis Church On Twitter: @oasismeigs

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oasismeigs

 

 

Oasis Sunday Morning Gathering

Here is a look at a typical Sunday morning at Oasis Church Meigs.

Bible Study - Bring It!

Last Sunday morning, we kicked off a study in the Book of Acts. We had a humble beginning with a few folks, yet it was a good time of reflection on the introduction of the book.

Smiles and I will be studying with you every Sunday morning from 9am-10am. I've been reading, re-reading, and praying over this text for the past few months, and I know Smiles and I are both passionate studying with the body of Oasis in the months to come in the Book of Acts. 

The only thing you'll need to bring is your bible and something to take notes with. We have a white board in Pam's room to graciously utilize (thanks Pam!). If you're setting up and you get bored, come on in. If you're worried about childcare, don't be--April's taking care of childcare in the gym (thanks April!). 

If you're concerned that you wont be able to attend them consistently because you overslept, or because you're in the band every other week--no worries. Walk-ins are welcome.

Like Chad mentioned at house church on Wednesday regarding future house churches, come prepared to engage in conversation about Acts and study the Word.

Here are a few themes that will be recurring throughout our study that you'll want to take note of as you're reading through Acts:

• Holy Spirit
• Salvation (Kingdom of God)
• Spreading the Gospel (Strategically spreading the Gospel, as well as naturally Witnessing what's been experienced.)
• Unity of Believers

I'm not going to give out any handouts or record the study, so I hope to see you there. 

So again, to paraphrase Chad:

Bring it!

Updated Content & Resources

Check out the latest sermons on the Media Page or on the Oasis Facebook page.

This is the Power Point that went with yesterday's Oasis Gathering teaching:

Download Cheerful_willing

This is a bulletin from yesterday's gathering:

Download Bulletin_090510

Snow has come and gone, Oasis will gather...

It is the eve of Sunday, February 7. Super Bowl Sunday. We've just been hit by the biggest snowstorm this area has seen in some time. We were wondering how the roads would be by Sunday, and thankfully the snow had stopped early enough for the state and county road crews to get out and clear them. They even moved the snow from the Meigs Middle School parking lot. I am thankful.

So, tomorrow Oasis will gather to worship and be challenged by the Word of God. And as promised to the youth last week, we will look at Lazarus from John chapter 11.

Christmas Eve "Behold The Lamb Of God" Presentation

This Thursday night (Christmas Eve) from 6:00pm until 7:00pm at the Meigs Middle School Cafeteria in Pomeroy the Oasis Church worship team will present an artistic journey through the Bible, beginning with the book of Genesis and ending in Bethlehem where Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was born into the world.

The presentation is called Behold The Lamb Of God, and it is one of the most moving and entertaining worship experiences I have ever had during the Christmas season. This will be the 3rd year Oasis has produced this event, and it gets better every time, as more elements, arrangements and instrumentation are added each year. We hope you will set aside one hour on Christmas Eve to join us for this event. It is going to be a very special evening... for more reasons than one.

~C Stewart

New Fall Small Groups

This week begins our first round of small groups for the new season. Below you will find all of the information for the three groups we will be offering during the first two months (through the end of October). If would, please take some time to look over the short descriptions of each group, pray about it, and reply to let us know which one(s) you will be attending. That way we can pass a number on to the host homes to help them prepare for how many to accommodate. You are certainly welcome to attend more than one, and you are welcome to change your mind. We just like to have an idea of what to expect, since we are utilizing people's homes for the group meeting.

Thank you very much! We are excited about this year's small group meetings, and believe it will be a great blessing to the people of the Oasis fellowship.

Parenting With Godly Wisdom

Tuesdays, 6pm to 8pm

Chris & April Stewart's house

60 Nurad Road Athens, OH

Directions: Take 33 north to the Richland Ave exit. Then take 50/32 west. Turn right onto County Road 19 (Radford Road). Approximately 1/2 mile you will turn left onto Nurad Road. Stay on Nurad all the way to the back of the neighborhood. You will go down a dip and around a sharp corner (to the left). Stewart's house is a cedar house at the corner of Nurad and Louise (you will see Louise twice, stay on Nurad the first time you pass Louise).

Description: This group will focus heavily on the Scriptures, seeking God's instruction to parents about His desire for how young men and women are raised in the family. It will be a challenging study, and will include much discussion and helping of one another through personal testimony and experience. Children are welcome to attend. Each meeting will begin with a brief meal (shared, participants are encouraged to bring something of their choice). The meal will be for the purpose of fellowship and getting to know one another better. At 6:45pm the study and discussion will begin, and it will conclude promptly at 8:00pm in order to respect the fact that it is a school night.

The Gospel & Oasis 101

Wednesdays, 6pm to 8pm

Mike & Sharon Stewart's house

553 South 4th Ave Middleport, OH

Directions: From Route 7, take Bradbury Road over Middleport hill into town. Turn right onto South 4th Ave. Go almost all the way to the end (to the old Jr. High). Stewart's house is on the right, 3 houses from the end of the road.

Description: This group will focus a lot of attention on group discussion and prayer, as it centers around the essential beliefs and core values of the church. Whether you have taken The Gospel & Oasis 101 class or not, this will be a great opportunity for you to grow in your understanding of the basic fundamental values of Christianity and of the church. The discussion will be open and flexible, allowing for questions and answers on a variety of topics. Children are welcome to attend. Each meeting will begin with a meal for the purpose of fellowship and getting to know one another better ("potluck" style, participants are encouraged to bring something to share).

Worship: Study & Practice

Thursdays, 6pm to 8pm

Jim & Julie Durst's house

31359 Noble Summit Road Middleport, OH

Description: This group will be a primer on worship, seeking the Scriptures for instruction on worship, and putting the knowledge into practice through song and prayer. Children are welcome to attend. Each meeting will begin with a meal for the purpose of fellowship and getting to know one another better ("potluck" style, participants are encouraged to bring something to share).

Reminder: please reply to oasis@bethechurch.com and let us know which of the Oasis small groups you will be attending. You are welcome to attend more than one, or all if you'd like. Have a great week!!!

Concert of Prayer

Yesterday's worship gathering was a refreshing experience, as we focused all of our time on communication with God and edification of one another through a concerted effort of prayer. It is always interesting to see the changes that take place on the faces of people gathered in the room throughout an experience like yesterday. When I first explained that during the morning we will be moving around and praying with one another and for one another, the looks I saw were, "Oh great, I am not gifted to do this," and "Oh no, I knew I should have said I could come in to work today," and "Man, its not really my thing to pray out loud," and a whole host of other looks. But once that initial ice is broken, and everyone steps outside of their comfort zones, the looks on faces begin to change. What I saw was fear became compassion; looks of uncertainty became looks of faith and assurance; stones became waters of grace; disdain and apathy turned to love and mercy.

That's what prayer does. That's what worship does. And that is why concerts of prayer are going to become a regular part of our Sunday worship gatherings. You can expect to experience one every three to four weeks for a while.

Melilla Jones

This precious little girl is the daughter of Travis and Emilie Jones, Oasis members and missionaries to Bulgaria. Oasis has a very special bond with this family, and although we are presently separated by several miles, we will be walking closely with them in the days ahead. You may have heard by now the news that Melilla (3 years old; turns 4 in April) has been diagnosed with Leukemia. Travis and Emilie were planning to move to Bulgaria next month, and now their plans have drastically changed for a few years. In these coming days we will be remembering Melilla in prayer as often as we gather together as a church, and we ask that you, individually and with your family, take time out to pray for her.

Travis and Emilie have begun a web journal at CaringBridge. If you would like to bookmark the page, here is the link. I will allow Travis to tell you Melilla's story. We will most certainly keep you updated with her progress at all Oasis gatherings and via email and bethechurch.com.

Here is how Travis describes Melilla's diagnosis:

In early January 2009 Melilla got a fever and a bad cough. The fever went away, but the cough persisted.

We took her to a pediatrician and she got some medicine for bronchitis...however, the cough wouldn't go away and the fever returned.

We went back to the doctor and they ran some X-rays and blood work to check for pneumonia. However, what they found was that she was anemic and her blood counts were all out of whack.

So they admitted us to the hospital and did a bone marrow test and diagnoses her with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

She is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments at the Childrens Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ.

The prognosis is positive and ALL is the easiest form of leukemia to treat, control, and cure! We've got a long road ahead, but in all likelihood Melilla will grow to have a normal, healthy life.

The faith and peace that the Jones family is displaying in all of this is such an amazing testimony to the grace of God. Travis & Emilie, we are so encouraged by you. We hope that we will be an encouragement and a refuge for you.

+++ Lord God, You reign supreme over all things, over all sickness, over all disease. There is nothing that occurs in this life that takes you by surprise, and we are comforted in the fact that you hold everything in your sovereign hands. You have not left us here to figure out how to handle things in this life on our own. You do not sit back idly and watch us unfold the pages of history. Your hand is doing the writing. Your hand is actively involved in our lives. We know that Your hand is with Melilla even now. We do not know all the answers to all the questions, but we rest assured that You are not far away. You are near. We rest in the knowledge that You love little Melilla even more than her own parents possibly could. Fo you knew here before she was formed in her mother's womb. She has been fearfully and wonderfully made. She is Your child. Travis and Emilie have been so faithful to raise Melilla in the knowledge and love of Jesus. Even at a young age she is a worshipper, in spirit and in truth. We pray that You would agree with the prayers of your people and instantly remove the leukemia from Melilla's body. But even more so, we pray that your people would agree with with You and come to greater realization of Your glory during this time in Melilla's life. Give our brother Travis and our dear sister Emilie the peace which surpasses all understanding. Help them to rest in your grace. Hold them up when they are weak. May they find strength in the Gospel of Christ alone. Be their source. Be their peace. For we pray all of these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. +++