Oak Leaf August 2011

Oak LEAF
East White Oak Bible Church
AUGUST 2011
VOL. 30 | NO. 4
ALL CHURCH PICNIC
Sunday, September 11 • Comlara Park • Worship Service 10:30 AM • Baptisms 11:45 AM • Lunch at Noon
as we worship together as
Joinoneus
congregation under a
huge tent!
Afternoon Activities Include
Lunch and Fellowship
Sand Volleyball
Boating and Hayrack Rides
Mechanical Bull
Children’s Inflatables
Bluegrass music and more!
musicalThe guests
King Family
Comlara Park is located minutes from
the church to the North.
Maps & Directions at ewo.org
All regularly scheduled activities at East White Oak will be cancelled on September 11.
ON NEPHEWS
Scott Boerckel, Senior Pastor
I don’t know why, but I’ve been thinking about extended family
lately, most particularly my nephews. The Bible does not say a
“lot” (there is a pun here that adept folk will appreciate) about
the relationship between uncles and nephews, but what it does
say is challenging to me. In at least four instances in the Old
Testament, uncles are portrayed as advisors and/or mentors to
their nephews. The first such instance is between Abraham and
Lot (and now you know the pun!). It seems that Abraham went
out of his way to bless his nephew, even when Lot did not possess the maturity to comprehend the blessing. Abraham took
Lot with him when he left Haran for the promised land (Genesis
12:4). Imagine how much wisdom can be imparted (and gained)
from such extended travel together. Abraham deferred to Lot
rather than create conflict when the success of
both men caused trouble (Genesis 13:1-18). Then,
when Lot ran into trouble, Abraham came to his
defense and rescued him (Genesis 14, especially
verses 11-16).
A second uncle/nephew relationship is not as
kind and blessed. Laban both mentored his
nephew Jacob and took advantage of him. The
relationship between Laban and Jacob is complicated, and it teaches us that family relationships
can be both complicated and used by God for
purposes not seen at the moment. Of course,
this relationship became even more complicated
when Jacob married two of Laban’s daughters.
Laban’s deception toward Jacob serves to teach
the nephew more than he ever wanted to know
about his own deception.
continued on page 2
East White Oak Bible Church • 11922 E. 2000 North Rd., Carlock, IL 61725 • 309-454-3833 • www.ewo.org
ON
NEPHEWS
continued from page 1
The third uncle/nephew relationship has enough in it to
make us curious about knowing more. Saul had an uncle
who was keenly interested in Saul’s comings and goings
around the time that Saul was anointed king (see 1 Samuel 10:14-16). There is enough here to see a significant
relationship, particularly in family business, but there is
also enough to see that Saul was wary of telling his uncle
everything he knew.
The fourth uncle/nephew relationship is between King
David and his uncle (whose name was Jonathan, not to be
confused with David’s friend of the same name). David’s
uncle served the court as a counselor, a man of understanding, and as a scribe (see 1 Chronicles 27:32). It seems
that David trusted his uncle to give good advice and to
take responsibility at court.
One significant New Testament uncle/nephew relationship is that between the Apostle Paul and his unnamed
nephew (Acts 23:12-22). The regard that Paul’s nephew
had for his uncle and the implicit trust that Paul had in his
nephew is evident. Paul’s nephew risked his life for his
uncle, and Paul put his own reputation on the line in sending his nephew to the Roman authorities.
I really like my own nephews. One is studying to be a
dentist, but more importantly, he is bold for Christ on his
campus. One is a cadet at the United States Military Academy, but more importantly, he takes Christ into that arena.
One is an accomplished violinist, but more importantly,
his eagerness to serve Christ and others is a blessing to
all. One is a youth pastor, but more importantly, he is
very conscious of “keeping watch over himself” (Acts
20:28) so that he can minister God’s truth to others.
One is a missionary intern this summer in southeast
Asia, but more importantly, he is the most amazing
evangelist who is always ready to give an answer to
anyone who asks about the hope he has in Christ.
One is very adept at fixing stuff (and at the business
of selling stuff he fixes up), but more importantly, he
wants humbly to serve Christ with his gifts. One is
extremely gifted in many artful ways, whether it is
music or writing or drawing, but more importantly
he wants to use these gifts to encourage the body of
Christ. One is a professional filmmaker and film editor; another is an amazing athlete. I’m excited to see
how each of my nephews will use their lives for Christ.
Yep, I really like my nephews.
“I want them to know in success
or failure, good times or bad,
their uncle is in their corner.”
More than what they accomplish, however, I appreciate my nephews for who they are—how God wired
them. I want them to know in success or failure,
good times or bad, their uncle is in their corner. I will
never have to launch out with an army astride camels
to rescue one of them, but I do want to be an uncle
like Abraham. They may never have to warn me that
I’m about to get assassinated by the enemies of our
Savior, but I think that they each would act like Paul’s
nephew, if I ever got into such troubles.
As I look at the Bible’s view of extended family, the
privilege and challenge comes to me to pray for my
nephews, to do what I can to model a life of following
Jesus Christ, and to mentor them with kindness and
encouragement as the Lord gives me the opportunity to do so. May I encourage you to do the same
with your extended family? Your influence for Christ
extends further than you might imagine.
Someday, I’ll have to tell you about my nieces. 
So grateful for the family of God here at East White
Oak!—Pastor Scott
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SPECIAL GUESTS
TUESDAY
AUGUST 30
6:00 PM
EAST WHITE OAK BIBLE
CHURCH BANQUET ROOM
Men, invite your
friends to join you for
a great meal, fun, and
fellowship.
$10
per person
PLEASE PAY IN ADVANCE
WMBD-TV
Sports Director
Kurt Pegler
Kurt joined WMBD in 1987 He has served as
the television voice for Illinois State men’s
basketball since 1993 and the television
football voice for the Redbirds since 1999.
Former Major League
Baseball Player
Brian Shouse
A Bradley University Hall of Famer, Brian
spent over 20 years in professional baseball accumulating over 460 Major League
appearances as a left-handed relief pitcher
with six different teams.
PRICE INCLUDES STEAK, BAKED POTATO, CORN ON THE COB, SALAD, DRINK & DESSERT
All reservations must be received by Sunday, August 28. Stop by the Men’s Ministry table in the
hallway, or contact Jeff Fritzen. (454-2186 | [email protected])
East White Oak Men’s Ministry
NEW THIS FALL
College/Single Adults
IGNITE IS CHANGING!
Beginning Sunday, Aug. 28th Ignite will no
longer meet during the 9:00am hour. Instead,
we will share lunch together (free) after the
second service in room 172, followed by a
time of Bible study and discussion that will
conclude around 2pm.
All college and single adults 18-29
are welcome.
Men’s Fraternity provides men with an encouraging
process to teach them how to live lives of authentic
manhood as modeled by Jesus Christ and directed
by the Word of God. All men are welcome!
Wednesdays, beginning September 14
Location: Jacob’s Well (304 Jersey, Normal)
5:45 AM: Coffee, Pastries, Fellowship
6:00 AM: Men’s Fraternity Begins
7:15 AM: Head to work
A table will be available to sign up and purchase
books—more information coming soon!
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GOD’S MERCY IN
DISASTER
Crosses and flags are prevalent symbols of hope
widely displayed amid the ruins.
In the seconds before a massive
tornado barreled into his home,
Melvin — hunkered down in
a back room — heard glass
breaking all around him and felt
an eerie rush of wind.
Chuck Blystone
Melvin, who was not injured even as his Joplin,
Mo., house was heavily damaged, believes that
experience was from an army of angels swooping
down just ahead of the tornado to provide protection.
It was that curious contrast between the destruction all
around us mingled with strong evidence of God at work that
invigorated our faith.
Volunteering invariably ends up feeling like a selfish
pursuit as I realize how blessed I am by the experience.
Among the blessings of serving in Joplin:
It would be hard to ignore God’s hand in the May
22 twister. Think about it: 7,000 homes were destroyed as the tornado blazed a mile-wide swath
through a third of this city of 50,000 people. With
winds blowing at 200 mph, it moved a nine-story
hospital off its foundation. Blocks of houses were
ripped from their foundations; 14 miles of houses
were damaged.
— Serving alongside so many who reinforce what it
means to be part of the body of Christ, and making
friends along the way. Sixty thousand volunteers have
helped out in Joplin since the tornado hit.
Yet just 159 people were killed by the storm.
Countless stories are being told about sites where
nothing was left of a house but the part people
were in — a closet, a bathroom.
Even three weeks after the storm, as my daughter,
Carly, and I had a chance to volunteer in Joplin in
mid-June, it was hard to look over miles of splintered debris and believe that the death toll could
be so low. It’s a strong statement of God’s power.
As we neared Joplin that week, Carly played one
song over and over: Laura Story’s “Blessings.” The
song became the soundtrack for our Joplin experience. Among its words:
“Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?”
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Grace’s sister church, First Baptist Church of Galena, Kan.
(just eight miles away), has been housing volunteers.
During the week we were there we worked with people
from Arkansas, Texas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky,
Tennessee and North Carolina.
Whole neighborhoods were leveled, and stripped trees are the
only thing left of the horizon in some areas.
As the city struggles to get back on its feet, churches across
the country are partnering with Joplin churches to represent
Christ to the people there. Grace Baptist Church, which itself
was damaged by the tornado, immediately took a leading
role in meeting needs. The church of about 200 people adopted a zone of 450 homes and committed itself to serving
those residents.
Grace sent out teams of volunteers to pray with residents
and find out about their needs. They have then worked to
meet those needs, which have included covering holes in
roofs, boarding up windows, moving debris to curbs, cutting
down damaged trees and stump removal. The church also
set up three semi-trailers in its parking lot filled with food,
toiletries and clothes for those in need. It has served 20,000
meals to displaced residents and volunteers and completed
1,800 relief projects.
— Being blessed by the positive outlook of people who
have lost so much. With temperatures in the 90s every
day, offers of water and Gatorade were a welcome and
common boost to spirits. At one point while we were
helping a man clean his yard for a couple of hours, a
church group, the Salvation Army and the Red Cross all
came by with offers of cold drinks.
— Being reminded that life is fragile, and not to be
wasted or taken for granted.
— Receiving the thanks of so many, even when our
contribution was small. The people of Joplin are
receptive to the Gospel. We walked 40 or so blocks
canvassing neighborhoods without encountering
anyone who refused an invitation to pray with them.
— A free tetanus shot.
God also has used volunteering opportunities to
change hearts. One fellow volunteer, who came to
Joplin as a jobless man from North Carolina, said
through tears that working alongside Christian
teams has changed him, and that he’ll “never be the
same.” He said he may move to Joplin.
— Realizing how blessed I am for the things I have, and
being reminded what’s important. One man eating a meal
at the church said he and his family were at his mother’s
house in a nearby town when the tornado destroyed their
apartment. They had no insurance. “I have nothing but my
car and the shirt on my back,” he said.
— Realizing that so much of what I have isn’t a true need,
and how unimportant “stuff” can be.
Carly Blystone helped move debris to the curb for pickup.
The car was already there. Someone taped a “Cash for
Clunkers” business card to the underbody of the car.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
Grace Baptist Church plans to send out teams of volunteers on into next summer. They also are looking for
donations for sheds (storage is in great demand), cleaning supplies, diapers, etc. For more information on
volunteering or donating, go to www.gracebaptistjoplin.com.
5
Open to the community!
Wednesdays, 6:15 - 8:00 PM
Beginning September 7
13 weeks | For Ages 5-12
DC4K provides a safe, fun, place where your children will
work through the healing process after separation and divorce.
Children will learn to understand their feelings, express their
emotions appropriately, develop coping skills, and discover hope
through the power of Jesus. Dinner is provided. A $15 donation is suggested. DC4K will meet at the same time as the adult
DivorceCare program. Nursery is available.
For more information or to register your child for this ministry, go to ewo.org or contact Andrew & Kim Woodman ([email protected])
A Look Back
at Outreach
Efforts
Today, many of us may be more aware of our distant
missions outreach efforts than we may be of our
outreach in nearby areas. Through the years of the
East White Oak fellowship, there have been several
successful local outreach efforts to encourage us. As
we remember them, let’s think about how we can support the chuch’s current efforts in west Bloomington
and other local outreach ministries.
Missions Sunday School
Perhaps our earliest local outreach efforts began
when Pastor Peter Schantz (our first pastor) organized
a “Missions Sunday School” in Normal. He moved
there in 1910 to lead this group, which developed into
the present Normal Mennonite Church. Some years
later, East White Oak’s second pastor, Rev. Emanuel
Troyer, moved to the Normal Mennonite Church as
their pastor.
Radio Ministry
In 1934, the radio ministry outreach of our Pastor R.J.
Zehr began over station WJBC on Sunday mornings.
6
“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.” Isaiah 61:3
Fall Sunday Morning Children’s
Ministry Programming
Exploring Children’s Ministry
Sunday, August 14, 9:00 AM
Sunday, August 21, 10:30 AM
Are you interested in serving the children of East White Oak? Come
to room 173 to discover how you might become involved in this ministry that is rich in spiritual blessings! Explore curriculum and hear
about opportunities available to serve God and His children.
Sunday Morning Fall Registration
Beginning Sunday,
September 18
Your child will “move-up” on September
18! In early September, look for a letter in
the mail listing the program, time, room
number and teacher that your child is assigned to from September 18 through the
end of May.
Sunday, August 21, 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Howard Frink
As we in our congregation watch and participate in
Pastor Larry Van Gundy’s outreach ministries in the
west side of Bloomington, we should encourage and
support these efforts—seeking to follow the leading
of our Lord.
ACORN CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
These broadcasts became daily in 1936 and continued
until our Lord called him home in 1971. In those years, he
came to be widely known as the area’s Radio Pastor.
Road Rallies
Annual Radio Rallies were major events at East White Oak
in the mid 1930’s and early 1940’s— until World War II
gasoline rationing, these rallies brought many visitors to
hear well-known guest speakers, local community leaders,
music and other ministries.
El Paso Church Plant
In recent times, a community Bible study group was organized in El Paso by our then youth pastor/church planter,
Wesley Ooms. In 1991, Pastor Wes became the full-time
pastor of this daughter church in El Paso—Community
Bible Fellowship.
Television Ministry
During later years of Pastor Jeff VanGoethem’s ministries
with us, our Sunday morning services were recorded and
broadcast later in the day by a nearby TV station.
These are principal examples of our local outreach ministries through the years. Hopefully, awareness of these earlier local outreach efforts will encourage us to think about
how we can be supportive of the current outreach to west
Bloomington today.
We need up-to-date information to help us minister to your children! We are asking that all children 2 years old (by August 31, 2001)
through the 6th grade who attend Sunday morning programming
complete a new registration form. To speed up your registration on
August 21, you can download the registration form at ewo.org and fill
it out at home!
Cruisin’ With Paul Summer Finale
Sunday, September 4, 9:00 AM
Please drop off and pick up your 1st - 6th grader IN THE GYM on Sunday,
September 4! Children will review their summer with the apostle Paul, participating in different challenges that show Paul as a Survivor in Christ who
ran the race with perseverance and finished glorifying God!
BIRTHS
DEATHS
Kinzie LeeAnn
July 13
Daughter of Dustin & Mendy Toland
Steve Marrochello’s step-father
Richard
June 30
Luke Steven
July 14
Son of Steve & Jessica Woods
John Kauffman’s mother
M. Loretta Kauffman-Funk
July 6
Eli James
July 22
Son of Andy & Cari Wallgren
Elayne Reveles’ grandfather
William Harlan
Everence... Our church is part of the
Mennonite Mutual Aid (MMA) fraternal benefit
association, now known as Everence, which
exists to supply grant monies to churches. East
White Oak’s historic roots in the Anabaptist
Movement provided this opportunity. Everence
is a fraternal organization which invests funds and
sells certain insurance and investment products.
Fraternal organizations are required by law to
supply grant monies to qualifying churches. Our
relationship with Everence will make the church
eligible for grant monies each year. Contact Linda
McClure, church administrator, for information
on any of these grant opportunities.
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Women
of the
WORD
“Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly...”Colossians 3:16
TAKE THE
CHALLENGE
Coming Soon!
The new Women’s Ministry brochure is headed
to your mailbox! Check out our special events,
fall Bible studies and much more.
for more information
about Women’s Ministry,
visit us online
ewo.org
begins August 22
All of the women of East White Oak are invited to
take a fresh look at God’s Word in this 100-day reading challenge. It features 100 readings (50 from the
Old Testament and 50 from the New Testament) and
presents the Bible as one story, in chronological order.
Pick up a reading guide in the hallway or download a
copy from our website!
the new
moms offering moms support
M.O.M.S. is a place where women
come together and spend quality time
learning, growing, and making new
friends. Come for devotions, games,
Christ-like fellowship, food, and topics
related to motherhood!
Childcare is
provided!
$2 per child/wk
Please visit the
Women’s Ministry
page at ewo.org to
download a childcare
registration form for
each child.
ewo.org
Reason # 32:
Read the Oak
Leaf in color.
Mark your calendar!
September 9 | 9:30 - 11:30 AM
Welcome!
September 23 | 9:30 - 11:30 AM
Fun and Fellowship
October 7 | 9:30 - 11:30 AM
Discipline From the Heart, Part 1
more reasons than
ever before to
visit us online!