Weekend to Remember

Dear Parents,

    This is from the folks at Family Life. It is a marriage enrichment event called Weekend To Remember. A number of Live Oak couples have taken part in them in the past and highly reccomend them. Read on for more details.

We now have the hotels locked in for next springs’ WTR’s.  Please let your church staff know the following dates to get these posted on your churches calendar to help avoid potential scheduling conflicts:
April 13-15, 2012               Worthington (Fort Worth Renaisssance) ($159 per night)
April 27-29, 2.12                Embassy Suites, Frisco TX ($115 per night)
My records show that you attend Live Oak Community in Lubbock, TX.  If the information is incorrect, please let me know.   To create your own personal group name, go to www.familylife.com/group, fill in requested information and create your group name (be sure to use a user name and password that you won’t forget).  Your group name will be good for one year.  .  When couples use your group name they will save 50% ($159) per couple and be a part of your group.  Couples can attend any WTR in the US and be a part of your group and save 50%.  For every 5 couples joining your group, you will receive a free registration that you can use or you can gift to another couple.
If you have couples who can’t wait until next year to attend a WTR, they can attend one of our fall WTR’s.  Go to www.familylife.com/weekend and click on state that they might attend to see the fall schedule.
Now would be a great time to order HomeBuilders studies for your small group. Through September 6, all HomeBuilders small group studies and Preparing for Marriage are 25% off! Get started by clicking here.  After your group is completed, be sure to invite those in your group to attend a future WTR.  This is how Lana and I got to our first WTR 18 years ago.  See what can happen by inviting couples to attend.
Again, thank you in advance for your willingness to impact marriages and families for generations to come.
Fighting Alongside You to Strengthen Marriages,
Bob Richardson
Bob
Field Ministry Representative
FamilyLife
800-404-5052 ext 2317
214-618-6462

Pancakes/Promotion & Welcome Kindergarten!

 Pancake Wrap-Up!


Pancake/Promotion Sunday was so much fun! We appreciate all the Live Oak Student Ministry and adult volunteers who helped make it such a yummy morning! Team THC hopes that everyone had a great first day of school. We want you to know, we are praying for your families- as we know that new beginnings can be exciting and challenging at the same time.    

Hooray for Kindergarten!
It's a big deal for a little person! Transitioning from a classroom in the the Acorn Club ministry to a new classroom in the Tree House Club ministry is worthy of celebration! Your little one is growing up and we are blessed to get to be here for this season of the journey! It's a privilege, we don't take for granted. 
We understand that you might have mixed feelings about your little one starting kindergarten. Most of our THC teachers are parents too, and can identify with the range of emotions that go along with milestones like starting kindergarten. We want you to know that we care about you and that we are here to talk with you and pray for you anytime- but especially in this time of transition.
We also want you to know that we are thrilled about having your little one join our ministry. Our teachers love sharing Jesus with children and they are all especially excited about seeing the new faces of your children this Sunday in the Tree House Club! We just know they are going to make our time in the THC so special- just by being here!
Remember that your little one will go to room 109 (the theater room) after Miss Jenny gives him/her a Bible in the adult worship service. Our friendly K-1 teachers and students have planned some engaging activities-  sure to help your child connect with his new classmates! If you have questions mom and dad- don't hesitate to ask. That's what we are here for. Serving Christ by helping families is our passion.

Much love in Him,
Jeannette

Pancakes, Cotton Candy and 81 Foot Inflatable Obstacle Courses... Oh My!

It's a BIG week in our little Tree House Club!

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE IS THIS FRIDAY- AUGUST 19th FROM 6-9 PM. LIVE MUSIC, 81 FOOT INFLATABLE OBSTACLE COURSE, COTTON CANDY, TATTOOS- ALL FREE- SO BRING EVERYONE YOU'VE EVER MET!    

Hooray For Pancakes!

This Sunday at 9:30 and 11:00 we are serving pancakes hot off the grill to celebrate the start of the new school year- just as we have done here in the Tree House Club for over ten years, now! Please join us in our annual tradition! Make sure your little one is here on time and brings a friend or two (or three or four...the more the merrier!) Check in to your classroom first and then we will all make our way down to room 106 for breakfast after everyone gets settled in. If your child is entering kindergarten he/she will not "promote" up into the THC until the 28th after the Bible presentation in the adult service that the Acorn Club hosts. Please check with Jenny Findley for details on that. 

If your child in entering the 1st grade he/she will go to room 109.

2-5 Boys will be in 107.

2-5 Girls will be in room 108.

If your child is entering the 6th grade he/she is welcome to enter the gender appropriate room in the THC and join the Live Oak Student Ministry at their programs and events and whenever they wish.     

We are looking forward to the new school year and all the great things that are happening here at Live Oak this fall. In particular, we are excited about the new curriculum we are launching in September! We are using "D6" which was inspired by Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Please go look it over at www.d6family.com We believe you will like what you see! The strategy of D6 is to strengthen the link between church and home. There are a number of resources available for families including a FREE weekly e-mail called "SPLINK" that contains scriptures to study and suggested family activities/object lessons for the parents to lead. The themes and scriptures will always match up with what we have taught in the Tree House Club. Additionally, quarterly magazines for teens and adults and workbooks children are available for purchase. All of these resources not only make it easy but actually more likely that your family will have regular faith talks in your home.

 Please sign up today to receive the free SPLINK weekly e-mail and order as many of the age-appropriate at home resources that you'd like from the D6 web-site. 

  

If you would like to use the at home resources, but feel they are out of your family's budget please let me know. jeannetteg@live-oak.org We have a had a  few families say that they would provide these resources for families in our church who need them. I will make sure that you get them if you want them.

On the other hand, if you are a family who would like to bless another family who desires to use the D6 tools that accompany the curriculum, let me know that too. In this economy, I imagine we have a number of folks who would appreciate your partnership in this endeavor. 

Our team loves serving your family. Thank you for allowing us the privilege. As always, we invite YOU to join our team!    

Much love in Christ,

Jeannette Gist

             

What's Up In The Tree-Hizzy This August

One of our favorite lil guys at the picnic/baptism

August 14th 4:00 in the OC
THC Current and Prospective Volunteer Meeting 
Childcare Provided if you RSVP to Jeannette Gist at jeannetteg@live-oak.org

August 14th 5:30 in room 106
THC Parent Meeting
We'll take a look at our new curriculum, talk about fall small group childcare and promotion Sunday! 
Childcare Provided If You RSVP to Jeannette Gist jeannetteg@live-oak.org

August 19th
Friday Night Live 
BrInG yOuR fRiEnDs!
Kids will have 81 foot inflatable obstacle course, train rides, cotton candy and tattoos!

August 21
Promotion Sunday (the last Sunday of summer break) 
Pancake Breakfast in the THC- BrInG yOuR fRiEnDs!

THIS FALL
The THC Needs  K-1 TeachersSee Jeannette Gist about serving in your child's classroom once a month.  

Baptism & July Summer of Service Events

BAPTISM

If your little one has accepted Christ as his/her savior and would like to follow Him in believer's baptism, please see me. We are hosting our annual picnic and baptism soon and would love for your child to be baptized if he/she is ready. My two oldest children were baptized at the picnic and baptism several years ago and I can tell you, that it was really special to my children and to us as a family to have so many members of our Live Oak community present and supporting my children's professions of faith. I remember watching Alexa-Rae reading "her story." I just kept thinking, "That's my girl! That's my girl!" I imagine that's kind of what God was thinking when was Christ was baptized and He said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 17:5

There is really nothing like knowing your children have embraced your faith and have begun a relationship with Christ. Did you know that THC aged children, statistically, have the best odds they ever will of becoming believers. (32%) After age 14, the percentage that your child will become a Christ follower drops to 6%. We really gotta' "bring our A games" when it comes to passing on our faith to our children, mom and dad! We are working on some exciting things for the fall, that we really think you're going to love, because they will not only help make it easy but, actually more likely that you will have regular faith talks in your home. Stay tuned... :)       

 POOL PARTIES REPORT

Thanks for attending them!We had such a great time at the THC swim parties on the 26th! The water was cool and such a welcome sight on a day when the temperatures outside climbed above 109 degrees. Everyone enjoyed the fellowship with the kids and our THC teaching teams. Special thanks to the Salsky family for hosting the girl’s luau and to all of our teachers and families for being willing to be available on a Sunday afternoon for some fun and fellowship.

Update on June S.O.S. Dates

Our S.O.S. (Summer Of Service) is well underway! We are having so much fun learning how to serve our neighbors in the Tree House Club. In June, we cleaned, baked and made cards for the residents of the Ronald McDonald House. We also organized the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Slide Road. (Although, I must admit, it was difficult to keep Miss Emily Covington focused with so many shoes to try on and admire!) We got to learn about the important work that these two organizations do, and we were happy to get to be part of it.

JULY S.O.S. DATES

Please consider bringing your family to join us for our July S.O.S. dates! On the 7^th, at 12:30, we’ll serve lunch to the summer campers of “The Bridge.” We will be serving them at the park across the street from Bodyworks Family Sportsplex (5217 82^nd Street) E-mail Jeannette (jeannetteg@live-oak.org) and tell her whether you’d like to bring a dessert (enough for 10) or beverages  (enough for twelve) to accompany our pizza lunch. THC teacher and director of the summer camp at the Bridge, Tommy Burkhead, will tell us about the important work the Bridge does in our community. If you are available in the morning please plan to attend the 9:30 am $1.00 showing of Ramona and Beezus at Tinseltown on 82nd. If you RSVP and let me know you are coming, I'll buy your tickets. :)  

July 14^th  at 11:00 am, we will go back to the Ronald McDonald House to bake and make cards for the residents, again. Please e-mail Jeannette to RSVP. We will go eat lunch afterward. 

PLEASE RSVP  on S.O.S. dates and movie to let me know you are coming!

Blessings,

Jeannette Gist