Lent is a time of preparation and reflection as we anticipate the resurrection. It often includes intentional times of fasting, praying, and almsgiving. If you'd like to engage with this significant time in the church calendar, check out the video or the reading plan below. Remember- it's all about relationships, so find ways to engage with other folks too! Also, feel free to leave comments or questions below.
Lent Reading Plan:
https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/lent?version=NIV
#xmarksoaklife
Oak Life Insta Scavenger Hunt
As part of our "X Marks The Spot" conversation, and as we reflect on Jesus' teaching that "where your treasure is, there your heart is", we're doing something a little different and fun. We're doing our first ever Insta-Scavenger Hunt. Here is the info- should be fun:
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to complete this photo scavenger hunt by next Sunday. When pictures are posted use the hashtag#xmarksoaklife. If you don’t have instagram, you can email your pics to chris.oaklife@gmail.com or post them on the Oak Life facebook page. There will be two prizes: one for the most items completed and one for the funniest overall selfie (you’ll get something from the something store:)).
Locations:
At Lake Merritt
At Peets Coffee
The New Parkway (you can do today)
With a favorite person
With your favorite food
With something Oakland
With the Bay Bridge.
With some one from Oak Life
With something you treasure
Continuing the Conversation regarding Ferguson
On Sunday at Oak Life we had one of the most encouraging gatherings so far. After a week that was filled with both the blessings of Thanksgiving and challenges of division in our country, we sensed God leading us to reflect on the recent events in Ferguson together as these events are being deeply felt by our community and city and have implications for our faith. Even though this could have been a polarizing discussion, our time together was filled with humility, vulnerability, hope, and unity. The gospel truly has the power to transcend all of the boundaries and divisions we've created. What a great witness Oak Life can be to our city and nation as we continue to live out the gospel as a church and create a culture of listening and grace!
We know that these conversations must continue for healing to take hold, so we asked our friend Dr. Liz Lin to put together a few resources for us to go deeper. There are also a few other resources here including a video Matt put together for our Sunday gathering and a link to some videos from Project Peace. We're working on a few other ideas to keep things going (including posting the podcast soon) so stay tuned! Here is the list from Dr. Lin, you can check out her blog here (http://mynameiselizabeth.com):
(Just a heads up- this list is put together in order to continue this discussion, we may not agree with everything in these resources. One of Oak Life's values is Intellectual Engagement after all!)
Reading on Theology/Race/Power:
Disunity in Christ, by Christina Cleveland
Divided By Faith, By Michael Emerson and Christian smith
Unpacking The Invisible Knapsack By Peggy Mcintosh (4 pg PDF)
The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb, by Eric Lew
The Case for Reparations, by Ta-nehisi Coates,
Black Like Me, by John Howard Griffin
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Cultural Intelligence: Improving your cq to Engage our Multicultural World, by David Livermore
Disunity in Christ, by Christina Cleveland
Film:
The Color of Fear
Project Peace Lectures on Race and Faith:
http://www.projectpeaceeastbay.org/Race-And-Faith
Reactions in Oakland (filmed by Matt Evearitt)
Operation Cranberry Sauce
Let the Feast Begin.
On Sunday Oak Life began a conversation we're calling "No Reservations". It's all about the meals Jesus shared with those around him. Our hope is to reflect on the reality that God is inviting us all to a forever-feast with Him as we enter into sacred meals with each other, with strangers, and as we seek to meet needs in our community. Make sure to check out some of the ways you can be a part of this conversation throughout the week below!
BRANCHES (how we go out together):
Generosity: As a church plant, we need the support of everyone to grow into the church we sense God calling us to be. You can donate online to Oak Life here: http://www.oaklifechurch.com/generosity/
Operation Cranberry Sauce: On Saturday November 22nd Oak Life will be partnering with our sending church, CrossWinds and Fair Oaks Church to feed 5,000 people in the East Bay with Thanksgiving meals. The New Parkway Theater will also be partnering with us by opening up their space and letting the theater lobby be a distribution center. In order to pull this off we need two things from the Oak Life Community. First, we need to pay for the 40 meals we will be distributing. We've already raised over $400 towards the $1,040 it will cost- that means we only need about $600 to pay for the rest of the meals. This is a great opportunity to make a difference in our community- so please donate. You can donate by going to our generosity page and making a one time donation of $26 or a multiple of $26 (that helps us track that these donations were for Cranberry Sauce). Second, we need volunteers to help distribute the meals on Saturday November 22nd at the New Parkway between 9AM-Noon.
YEAH! Homeless Support staring: Once a month, starting November 15th, OakLife will be providing a meal for the YEAH! Homeless shelter. To sign up for the for the November 13th meal- go here. Also, if you would like to help serve the meal and volunteer on site you'll need to attend one of the YEAH! orientations. You can email Jenna for any and all info regarding YEAH! (jenna.weight@gmail.com)
Leadership Think Tank Forming: Over the next few weeks we'll be inviting folks to be a part of a monthly conversation about the vision, plans, and various issues connected to our community. If you'd like to be a part of this think tank- email Chris. Our first conversation will be Wednesday November 12th at 7PM- location TBD.
ROOTS (how we go deep together):
"No Reservations" Reading:
If you'd like to go a little deeper with this conversation we've got some suggestions.
-Reread the Gospel of Luke paying special attention to meals.
-A Meal with Jesus by Tim Chester
-Subversive Meals by R. Allen Street
-Eating Your Way Through Luke's Gospel by Robert Karris
Tuesday Night Life Group: Each week everyone is invited to this group. Usually we meet at the Quad house for dinner, discussion, and prayer, but this week we will be doing our once a month fun night. Come hang out with us at The New Parkway Theater for Bingo Night tonight! We'll be meeting there at 6:45 to get some food and hang out- then Bingo begins at 7:30. This is a great chance to bring some friends to an Oak Life hang out AND meet some folks in our community. Let us know if you have any questions!
Community Dinner at Jenna's Wednesday Night: As part of our "No Reservations" conversation, Jenna Weight has opened up her place to a community dinner on Wednesday. Below is the info from her and you'll need to email her for the address (jenna.weight@gmail.com ):
"I'm going to make vegetarian potato soup and rolls- if someone can bring salad and someone dessert, if that works in your email! Or email me to see what to bring.
If you want to put 630 or 7 for a start time but that people can come over to hang out anytime after 6 that works for me!"
No Reservations
This Sunday, November 2nd, we'll be starting a series called "No Reservations" where we look at the life of Christ through the meals he shared with those around him.
In additon to unpacking meals as sacred, we'll also be working with some other groups to provide meals for those in need.
On Saturday November 15th we will be providing dinner for the YEAH! Homeless Shelter, and on Saturday November 22nd we're partnering with The New Parkway to provide 40 Thanksgiving meals for families in our community.
As we engage the sacred meal, we will be reflecting on the reality that Jesus is the bread of life. He is the one that satisfies our deepest of hungers- the hunger for God.
Make sure to come and be a part of what God's doing in and through Oak Life!
Values- Creation Care
During our Sunday morning gatherings at The New Parkway we're currently having a conversation about our values. This past Sunday we discussed our values of Creativity, Intellectual Engagement, and Creation Care. These are all values that we hope to live out as we seek to love one another and our community.
So we asked Sadie from our community to put together a list of Creation Care ideas that each of us might be able to implement in our day to day lives. The goal is to start with one of these ideas and grow from there. Make to to check out the podcasts to learn more.
Sadies Creation Care Idea List:
1) Throw trash in trash receptacles not on the ground
2) Reuse containers/packaging/papers/etc.
3) Buy in bulk
4) Buy used
5) Don’t buy the new version of electronic products just because it is the newest
6) Only buy things when you need them
7) Don’t buy single use items if you can help it
8) Bring your own bags to the store
9) Use the green bin/compost
10) Don’t overwater your lawn
11) Turn your yard into edible, native, or drought-tolerant landscaping
12) Eat less meat
13) Buy food that isn't packaged if possible (eat more fresh foods)
14) Buy food/products that come from your area
15) Make your own food (eat out less, eat less prepared/packaged food)
16) Make your own coffee/latte/tea in the mornings
17) Grow some of your own food
18) Save the water while you are waiting for the shower/bath water to get hot enough
19) Turn off lights when you leave the room
20) Open your windows and use fans instead of running the AC
21) Put on/take off layers of clothing instead of adjusting the temperature
22) Shower less
23) Wash your laundry w/ cold water
24) Use eco-friendly soaps/detergents/body products (all that stuff goes down the drain and into our waters)
25) Use less antibacterial soaps/gels
26) Try natural cleaning products before taking out the big guns (bleach, Drano, etc.)
27) Don’t take antibiotics or hormones unless you need them (extras get peed out and negatively effect the environment)
28) Use less plastic
29) Blow your nose w/ a hankie instead of tissues
30) Walk or ride your bike (bike parking in front of The New Parkway)
31) Take public transit
32) Borrow books from the library
33) Give usable items to thrift stores instead of throwing them away
34) - recycle and compost as much as possible (stuff does not break down in dumps)... find out what is recyclable and compostable (more than you'd think)
Sprouted!
Last Sunday was the culmination of years of praying, preparing, not sleeping, dreaming, gathering, and surrendering. It was the day we marked as our "sprout" day- the launching of Oak Life Church.
So many people have been a part of this unfolding story- a story that's just beginning. It was so rad to see all the support from our community as we came together to celebrate our beginning. At the end of the gathering we prayed together the prayers we have collected on leaves over the last few weeks. These prayers are at the heart of our community and represent our hopes, dreams, and longings for what Oak Life might be.
If the last season is any sign of what God's doing in and through Oak Life- then some incredible things are in store for us:
Oak Life Prayers.
-That we would open our doors to all providing for those in need in the ways they need it
-That members would find their gifts to contribute to our community
-That we would grow
-That Jesus would be at the center and become real to people
-That we would grow deeper in community
-That we would walk in faith, hear God’s voice, support each other
-That we would grow, branch out, come closer to God and others, that we would never forget where we came from.
-Christ let Oak Life be a bastion of hope and positivity in Oakland. Let us be a service to the community and bless this place
-Prayer for children's ministry, for the YEAH! group, for our small groups, that we would make time to help others out.
-That we would grow and attract cool, creative, and unique individuals.
-That lives are changed.. One person at a time, one life at a time, that we grow.
-Bring lost or sad people the hope of Jesus
-Comfort that allows for honesty and grace
-For inclusion
-For the freedom to challenge and ask questions
-For friendship
-Obedience to ChristPr”ThF
-For community and growth
-To keep Christ and community at the head, exemplify true meaning of Church for all to see!
-Help the poor, help the poor, help the poor
-That folks find Him
-For Oak life to be an awesome party
-That we would inspire people
-That we would give hope and reach those who would never go to church without Oak Life.
-That we would be a Gospel centered community
-That we would embody God’s love and resurrection
-That we would embody hospitality and a resurrected life, for ministry and healing that goes beyond our power, that is a testament to God’s power
-For community, for growth, for love
-For love, composition and hope for all
-To live life together intentionally
-I pray that lives will be transformed here.
-We pray for inclusiveness, diversity, and community- for LOVE
-That Oak Life will be a source and story of Christs redeeming love and the power of forgiveness
-That we would fill people’s hearts with love, support, companionship and meaningful worship
-That we would be an inclusive community- not getting in Christ’s way.
-Help this community share your love
-For a positive impact in this city
-For Jesus to be known by more people
Sprouting
For the last few years an idea has been planted in our minds and hearts. An idea to create a space where God's love would connect with our lives in a way that overflows through every aspect of who we are and into the streets, homes, and buildings of our neighborhoods.
This idea became a seed and found its home within our spirits and in our relationships. Centered on the new reality that Christ brings- that death, darkness, sorrow, isolation, and sin do not get the last word- that the empty tomb is the last word- this seed has been rooting deeper and deeper into our communities.
We listened to the subtle voice of God, heard through our conversations, prayers, and silence, and the seed began to form into something new. Each week we became slowly more recognizable. God has been making us into his own. We are becoming a church.
Our identity was forged over coffee around town, in apartments on Sunday nights, at local festivals as we sold drink tickets, during spoken word poems at a local cafe, between bean bags being tossed along Lake Merritt, at Soul-ful youth centers, in the blankets and jackets given out of the trunks of our cars, through our singing and prayers on the third floor of an apartment off Broadway, and every day as we've gathered together around the gospel.
Now, the dirt is beginning to become more shallow and something is piercing the ground. A small, but faithful sprout is starting to emerge. Over time, our roots will grow deeper and our branches wider, as God breathes life into us. Friends, Oak Life Church is about to sprout.
Prayer/Reflection/Word for Oak Life from Darren
Dear Friends,
“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Joshua 3:5.
As we move into a time being birthed, I am reminded that birth is preceded by pregnancy. Are we pregnant; are we filled with faith? Faith that God is going to birth something that is far greater than the good things we could produce on our own?
Can we believe together that we’ll be a part of something transcendent? Something marked by God’s activity – the One whose thoughts are higher than ours and whose ways are not our own?
I don’t want to create a future on our own. I want to be part of ministry that is empowered by God and far exceeds our own capacity to dream, plan, and execute.
I desperately want to see our community follow God as God’s Kingdom advances . . . to participate in that movement . . . to do only the things we see God doing and say only the things we hear God saying - - - TO LISTEN AND OBEY.
I want our community to be filled with faith and power in ways that can only be recognized as GOD. As we’ve gotten to know people in our neighborhood, I’ve become more and more convinced that people are not waiting for a new definition/explanation of Christianity, but rather a DEMONSTRATION of Christianity.
A demonstration of:
the love of God that goes so far to insist that we love our enemies;
the unconditional love and mercy that always and forever says YES to every human being;
the care and concern for the poor and oppressed;
the concrete presence of God with all those who suffer and know brokenness;
the power of God to heal, redeem, and restore - - - AND SO MUCH MORE.
To be demonstrators, we must consecrate ourselves. The context for miracles and wonders is always sacrifice. After all, birth comes with the pain of labor. We sacrifice by setting ourselves apart unto the Lord; by embracing a heart posture that wants to know God and make him known on the earth.
Sometimes consecration means taking that step of faith and watching God do what we cannot do.
And sometimes it means stepping into spaces where either God shows up or we are utterly humiliated.
Darren Kerstien
Open House This Sunday!
Jardel
Tell us about yourself?
Hi, my name is Jardel. I am originally from Brazil, but have lived in the US for most of my life. I have been attending Oak Life Church since the beginning because of friendships made with Chris, Alie, Cory, and Sadie originally at CrossWinds Church in Dublin. CrossWinds was my first church home, and when Chris invited me to become a part of Oak Life, I moved to Oakland and the rest is history. I currently deliver pizza around Oakland and love coffee.
Why are you a part of Oak Life?
I am a part of Oak Life because I enjoy being around other people who love Jesus. It is not always that way when at home or at work, so it is important to me to have a place where I can ask questions and have healthy dialogue about matters of faith and whatever else. Plus, everyone at Oak Life is super cool, and I need to absorb some of that coolness.
What are some of your hopes and dreams for the community?
My hopes and dreams for the community are that Oak Life grows to become a healthy church body and who make a positive impact in Oakland through volunteer activities/ministries. I dream of many new friendships with people in different neighborhoods and a network of Christians in Oakland encouraging each other to love better.
Angelica
Hi! My name is Angelica. Born in SF but raised in Oakland, I spent the past few years trying to find my way back to my beloved City of Oakland. After getting connected to Oak Life Church and establishing friendships I finally moved back in Feb. 2014. When I am not working or hanging out with friends I am usually coaching or playing volleyball.
For fun...
I like to stay active and many of the activities I participate in often include spending time with the friends I’ve made at OLC. When we get together we play Ultimate Frisbee at a neighborhood park with the baristas that make my morning latte. We also run around Lake Merritt with the Green Cormorant Run Club, bake, worship, eat dinner and whatever else is going on in Oakland!
Why I am a part of Oak Life?
During the Sunday morning announcements at Crosswinds Church I listened to Chris Scott talk about plans to start a church in the Oakland/Berkeley area. “Score!” I thought to myself, no more driving to Dublin from Oakland on Sundays. However quickly after meeting Chris I realized there were amazing things in store for the church plant and not just a 5 minute commute to church. I started attending small group and outside of family, I have never felt so accepted, loved and appreciated. OLC members are also passionate about serving their community. Because of the commonalities I share with OLC and my long time desire to be reborn in Christ in November 2013 Chris did the honors of baptizing me at Crosswinds Church! Being reborn through baptism in front of my brothers and sisters in Christ is an experience I will forever be grateful for.
Hopes and Dreams
My number one hope for Oak Life Church is that we never lose sight of our original calling, to serve those often forgotten or rejected. And to be a place where no matter where you are in your faith journey you feel welcomed and safe at Oak Life Church.
Here we Go!
I cannot believe in just a few weeks we’ll be starting to gather at the New Parkway Theater. It’s been a crazy journey of God leading us, opening doors, shaping us, and calling us to what He’s doing here in the East Bay. And it’s still just beginning!
Sunday night we shared hopes and dreams for what Oak Life might become. It was so beautiful to hear the heart of our community and how God is shaping us to be a refuge, a place of creativity, a community of reconciliation/peace/justice, and to reflect God’s love that has no conditions to a world that needs it.
We’ve only got 2 more vision meetings at our apartment so make sure you can make it and be a part of what God is doing!
Below is the outline/plan of the next few weeks as we get closer to launching our gathering at the New Parkway. Be praying and be Stoked!!!!
Here is the breakdown of dates we went over on Sunday night which outline our schedule for our launch please be joining us in fasting on Thursdays and praying at 9:28 for this!:
8.24.14- Vision Sunday at CrossWinds. This will be a chance for our main sending church, CrossWinds, to pray for us and send us out. If you can be there this day, please try so that our CrossWinds family can give us the best send off possible! We will show up at CrossWinds at 8.
8.31.14 – First Sunday at the New Parkway. On our first Sunday morning gathering (10am), we’ll do some worship, prayer, communion, and practice setting up.
9.7.14- Oak Life Open House at the New Parkways. This Sunday will be a chance for us to invite people who might be interested in hearing about Oak Life. These people might be family or friends or people from CrossWinds. We’ll do some worship, share the vision, and highlight different ways people can help us get started as a church!
9.14.14 and 9.21.14- For lack of better words, we’re calling these two Sundays “Soft Launch Sundays”. Basically we’ll be gathering at 10 am and getting familiar with how a worship gathering looks for us.
9.28.14 – Oak Life Launch Day! After a year of God forming us as a community, this will be the official launch of our worship gathering at the New Parkway Theater. It will be a special and memorable time as we enter a new chapter of our story. The service will be at 10 am and we’ll do our best to invite our friends and family to join!
In order for a church to get planted, it has to be a community effort. So as we get closer to launching our service we are looking for people to join in a few different areas:
-Set Up Team
-Worship Team
-Kids Team.
Please be praying about how you might be a part of what God is doing in and through Oak Life Church!!!
So stoked!!!!
Chris Scott
Roots and Branches
As we continue to shape and form as a community one of the images that keeps popping up for us as Oak Life Church is the imagery of roots and branches. For our community there is a very important rhythm to who we are: an inward movement and an outward movement. Our roots are the things that anchor us and that we go deep in. Our branches are the ways we extend out into our community to provide perch and branch for those around us. This last week we were able to catch examples of our roots and branches being formed.
First, we gathered for another time of worship, communion, encouragement, and prayer at Aileen’s place. I can’t tell you how encouraging it is to experience worship together as a community and know that God is moving in our midst. Roots:
Then we sponsored a benefit show for The SOLD Project and their work in preventing human trafficking. Over 60 people came out! It was another incredible night of building friendships with our city, supporting local artists, and raising some funds for a great cause. Branches:
As we get closer and closer to launching a weekly gathering at the New Parkway Theater, I can’t wait to see how our Roots and Branches continue to grow! In fact, this week we’ve got two more awesome examples of the Oak Life rhythm: Our first annual spiritual retreat, and a community block party that we’re volunteering at.
We would love your help for the block party. It’s Tuesday August 5th, and we’re hosting a “Community Stuff Exchange”. It’s kind of like a book exchange, except with stuff. Basically, people can bring in stuff to donate and take whatever they want. The only catch is it can’t be crap. If you’ve got stuff to donate (household items, kitchen supplies, paintings, etc.) come by on Tuesday night and be a part of the exchange. Or you can bring it to our Sunday evening gathering if you’d like.