The most recent edition of the Oakville News is online here. Scroll down for past issues.
The Oakville News, Aug.-Sept. 2011 
Click on the link above to view a .pdf file of the latest edition of the Oakville Church newsletter. Scroll down for text of the newsletter articles.
The Oakville News, Aug-Sept. 2011
John’s Jots
I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mohandas Gandhi
I have seen the above quote a number of places. It is an indictment against Christians, and, unfortunately it is accurate in many cases. I feel it behooves Christians to strive to never have that applied to them. The quote is particularly stinging because it stabs at the heart of what it means to be a Christian – to be Christ-like. That is to be the goal of every Christian – to be like Christ. Striving to be Christ-like in thought, word, and deed is a life long journey.
The question is, where are you on that journey? Are you just beginning in your understanding of Jesus and his teachings? Are you changed by those teachings? Are the majority of your thoughts, words and actions, congruent with the life to which Christ calls you?
So how do we become more like Christ?
Jesus provided a process for becoming more like him and more like the people that God created us to be. That process is called discipleship. Jesus selected 12 disciples – (students/followers/friends/ apprentices) and trained them in how to how to think, talk and act. He then gave them the “Great Commission” to make disciples of all people. That commission is passed on to us.
This Fall, we invite you to join in an intentional discipleship process modeled after the way Christ coached his disciples. It is not just informational, but it is also relational. We will be gathering in small groups in homes so that we develop trusting friendships and learn together what it means to be a disciple of Christ. This wonderful opportunity can completely transform our lives and our impact as a church family.
If you want to join in this journey and be part of an authentic community, doing what Christ calls us to do, fill out the form on the next page and send it in. You can also email the information to us at email@oakvillechurch.org.
Get connected: Real Life Discipleship groups begin this month
Indicate which group you would like to be part of:
| Check one | DAY | TIME | LOCATION | TYPE | FACILITATOR |
| Sun or Mon | Evening | Orr’s home – Corvallis | Mixed | Heather Orr | |
| Tue | 7:00pm | Church (?) | Women | Tami Coon | |
| Sun | Evening | Jan Lowther’s | Mixed | Paul Harmon | |
| Thur | 10 a.m. | Church (?) | Mixed | Pastor John |
This is a 12 week course, beginning Sept. 11.
If the above scenarios won’t work, let us know what will work for you:
| DAYS | TIMES | LOCATIONS | TYPE OF GROUP |
Name: ___________________________________ Phone: ________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________
□ I am willing to host □ I am willing to facilitate
Comments: ____________________________________________________________________
Get your shoeboxes: Operation Christmas Child starts soon
It’s time to start buying gifts and gathering shoeboxes: Operation Christmas Child 2011 starts soon.
Materials have been ordered along with new GO shoeboxes for added convenience: simply fold together, fill, and send on its way! Look for materials in the coming weeks on the display table in Fellowship Hall.
Now is a good time to stock up on gifts — shop the back to school sales and coupon sales for your supplies. National Collection Week is November 14-21—just around the corner.
Questions? Ask Mary Carpenter; she’ll tell you everything you need to know about this great ministry to children around the world. Or, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ online.
Let’s make this the best year yet!
Vacation Bible School 2011 trains up new soldiers for God
Oakville-area kids learned about heroes of the Bible this summer at Oakville’s annual Vacation Bible School.
The theme was “Welcome to Rome: Be a Soldier For God.” About 30 kids attended, spending the week making crafts, playing outdoor games, building in the wood shop, and learning about God.
“The highlight of the week for me was telling Bible stories in what we call the Discovery time,” said Samantha Gilman, who helped lead this year’s VBS.
Plans for 2012 are already started: mark your calendars for June 18-22, when Oakvillians will teach kids about the Fruit of the Spirit.
Oakville members celebrate expanded kitchen facilities
After eight years of working and saving, the Oakville congregation is finally enjoying an updated kitchen with more than twice the space of its old one.
The kitchen expansion, completed in spring 2011, is just one part of a building campaign that had been ongoing since 2003. The recent remodel included adding a 36×26 expansion to the fellowship hall. It more than doubled the size of the kitchen and tripled the upstairs bathroom capacity. It provided more office space, an extra meeting room, and a completely upgraded kitchen.
Work on the kitchen started in January and was completed in March. The kitchen was dedicated with a special potluck held Sunday, March 20, 2011.
Prior to the expansion, the kitchen was no larger than an average home kitchen, which made it difficult for serving the large groups of people who attend the Senior Luncheon, weddings, funeral receptions, and potlucks.
Upcoming Events
Sunday School Kick-Off Breakfast: Sunday, Sept. 11, 9:30 a.m., in the Oakville Fellowship Hall. Enjoy a pancake and waffle breakfast followed by an introduction to the 2011/12 Sunday School program.
Health For Life classes: Beginning Tuesday, September 13, at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Classes cover dealing with negative emotions such as anger, fear and bitterness, to keep them from affecting your health. We will have 10 classes, usually lasting 2 ½ hours each. Please bring your Bibles. For locations, to register, or if you have questions, contact John and Ruth Meyer at 541-754-4014, or at oregonlighthouse@alyrica.net.
Women of Faith: Friday and Saturday, Oct. 7-8, at the Rose Garden in Portland. The Women of Faith 2011 conference, “Over the Top,” features speakers including Patsy Clairmont and Sandi Patty. Musical guests are Mandisa and Selah. Tickets are $89 if purchased through Teen Challenge; a portion of the price benefits Teen Challenge. Call 541-491-1002 for more information.