November 14, 2019
Celebration Worship
November 17

Join us at 8:45AM or 11AM on Sunday for a special time of worship as we celebrate the completion of the first book in James Bryan Smith's The Good and Beautiful series . We have loved hearing about the wonderful and transformative conversations that have taken place in your Sunday School classes and small groups, and look forward to celebrating that together in worship.

If you missed some of the sermons, or would like to hear them again, they can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.
Advent Workshop - December 1
Workshop, 4PM-4:45PM
Worship, 5PM-5:30PM

Join us for an afternoon of activities and worship as we prepare ourselves for the journey through Advent. There will be an opportunity to make a special Christmas decoration that will help you and your family focus on the true joy of the season. There will also be craft and storytelling stations for children. We will end our time with worship which will include a Moravian Lovefeast (cider and hot cross buns). We are asking that each family make a $5 donation at the Advent Workshop to offset the cost of supplies. Please click the button below to let us know if you plan to attend the Workshop and/or Worship.
Family Promise Challenge

Judy Mobley's Sunday School class has devoted themselves to providing night hosts every Friday for our 2020 Family Promise rotations, and want to challenge other Sunday School classes to commit to a particular day of the week to serve as night hosts! Or perhaps you and your spouse/child/friend are willing to commit to stay one night for each of the 2020 rotations. We already have one family who has committed and would love for a few others to join them. Who will accept the challenge and commit to our Family Promise families in 2020? Our host weeks are February 23-29, May 31-June 6, August 9-15, and November 1-7. Please contact Karen Neal at 704-458-5333 or nealkaren@bellsouth.net for details. You may also click on the button below to sign up.

Our next Family Promise host week is December 1-8. This is an opportunity for us to extend hospitality during the Christmas season to families who don't get to go home each day to colorful lights and festive decor. We still need four overnight hosts (two on December 1 and one on December 7). If you can help, please click the link below.
While Andy Williams is singing "It's the most wonderful time of the year," we are singing it's the most joyful time of the year! This Advent season is all about JOY at OBC. From our Advent Workshop and Moravian Lovefeast, to special music presentations by our children and adults, to our Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion Worship you will hear, see and experience the JOY of God in our midst. For details about all the opportunities during Advent, please click the button below.
America Recycles Day 2019
November 15

The Oakland “Green Team” is working hard to make our church more sustainable and to educate our members about things they can do to be good stewards of God’s creation. Recycle bins have been placed in Sunday School rooms and in other spots around the church. You can recycle paper, plastic bottles, jugs, chipboard, cardboard, carton, and cans in these bins. Trash that is not put in a recycle bin goes to a landfill (York County Trash goes to the Screaming Eagle Landfill outside of Columbia) where it is buried and never has a chance to be useful. Trash that is placed in the recycle bin is made into something new to be used again.

We have started using ceramic mugs for coffee on Sunday mornings. Please choose to use the ceramic mugs instead of the styrofoam cups and return the mugs to the Fellowship Hall. We have also started composting. Composting is nature’s way of recycling. Food scraps and yard trimmings make up 20 to 30 percent of what goes in the landfill and can be composted instead. You may have noticed our “Earth Machine Composter” behind the dumpster in the church parking lot. We are composting coffee grounds, tea bags, and kitchen scraps from our Wednesday night suppers. If you would like to buy a compost bin like this for your home, a limited number are available for $50 which is half-price retail through the City of Rock Hill. Call (803)329-7027 and ask for Elizabeth Morgan if you’d like to buy one.

We are launching a glass collection station behind our church dumpster. At the present time, glass is not collected in recycle bins in the city of Rock Hill, but can be taken to a York County Collection Center for recycling. One of our members, Tom Taylor, has volunteered to take our glass bottles, jugs, and jars to the Collection Center for us. You may put your glass from home in the green tub behind the dumpster in our parking lot. Did you know that if glass is not recycled it will take 1 million years for it to decompose? Please remember that “We are God’s hands, Stewards of all his bounty” and do all you can to “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.”
Coffee with the Pastor
November 24, 9:45AM

Guests are invited to come together in the Fellowship Hall at 9:45AM on Sunday, November 24th for a conversation about how to be a part of OBC, mission options and opportunities for their family. If you know of people who may be interested in learning more about OBC, please invite them to join Pastor Jeff in the Fellowship Hall on the 24th.
The clothing side of the Ministry Center will be closed on Tuesday, November 27 and Saturday, November 30, in observance of Thanksgiving by our volunteers. 
Basketball Clinic
January 10, 17, 24, & 31

Four and five year olds are invited to participate in our OBC basketball clinic. This clinic which will take place on Friday evenings (January 10, 17, 24 & 31) will give participants an opportunity to learn basic basketball skills, gain confidence, learn teamwork and have fun with friends. The clinic will be coached by Krista Hayes and other awesome helpers. The cost is $15 which includes a shirt. To sign up, please click below.
Have you made the switch?
Church Life App ends December 31

Your Church Life App and online portal will no longer be accessible after December 31. If you have not started using Breeze, our new Church Management Software, now is the time!

Click below to connect to Breeze. If you are yet to download this app, click "Breeze Instructions" below to get started. If you have any trouble logging in please email Leigh (lreynolds@oaklandchurch.com).
Update from the Property Development Committee

The Property Development Committee has spent over five years evaluating the best way to establish safer parking for our young families and senior adults. The committee has presented several options to our fellowship, but the neighborhood behind the church has not agreed because of zoning changes. 

After a discussion with the deacons, we are now suggesting that all parking be on the upper lots (on Ebenezer) and only a playground on two of the three lower lots (on Alexander). This would solve storm water issues for the neighbors, provide a safer and more level parking lot, and provide an expanded playground for our children. After we have a general discussion with some of the neighbors, we will bring a full plan for the fellowship to review, discuss, and hopefully support. Our final steps will be to ask for support from the neighborhood and then to seek funding support from the fellowship. Please pray for our committee as we attempt to find long term solutions. 
Sullivan Support

Below are a couple ways you can help support the educational efforts of Sullivan Middle School while making a difference in the lives of students and teachers.

  • Reading Buddies - you would listen to students read and help them with basic comprehension. You would be reading with a student who is reading below grade-level and needs one-on-one help.
  • Greeters - you could be the smiling face that helps a student begin their day on a positive note. You simply stand in the hallway from 7:45-8:15AM and welcome students with a smile and a kind word.

Both of these opportunities are based on your schedule (not everyday!). If you have questions, please contact Kelly Scott (scottks@winthrop.edu). If you are willing to help support Sullivan click below to sign up.
Global Missions Offering

As of the end of October we had collected $22,856 toward our goal of $30,000 for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's Global Missions Offering. Thank you to those who have given to help support the great work of our field personnel around the country and abroad. Even though Mission Month is over, if you have not given to this offering, it's not too late. If you would like to make an online donation, click the link below and put "Global Missions Offering" in the comments line.
Taste of Oakland Cookbook

As a part of our celebration of Oakland's 70th anniversary we are creating a "Taste of Oakland" Cookbook. Just imagine how many friendships have been formed, hearts have been nurtured, and stomachs have been filled while enjoying pot-luck meals at OBC!

Just like a pot-luck meal isn't complete without each person's dish, our cookbook will not be complete without each person's favorite recipes. Please submit up to four of your favorite recipes (appetizer, side dish, main course, breakfast, dessert, bread, etc) by December 31. You may email your recipes to cookbook@oaklandchurch.com. We are so excited for this Taste of Oakland and look forward to seeing your recipes! 
#growingatobc

We invite you to help share our story this year by posting pictures from events (Sunday School, Worship, Bible Study, Meals and more) and including in your caption #growingatobc. We would also love for you to tag us on Facebook and Instagram @obcrockhill when you post pictures from OBC.
November 20: Meatball Subs, Chips, Pickles, Salad Bar, Dessert
December 4: Taco Bar, Chips and Salsa, Refried Bean, Salad Bar, Dessert
December 11: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas, Salad Bar, Dessert
December 18: Spaghetti, Salad Bar, Dessert

Dinner begins at 5PM each week
 
Pricing for dinner:
Adults: $6.50 (6th grade and above)
Children: $3.50 (5th grade and under)
$25 max per family
Click the button below for an electronic copy of our current Ministry Guide. Within the Ministry Guide you will find an outline of our goals for the year as well as information about many of our opportunities and activities.
Join Us Online!
Even if you can't make it to OBC on Sunday, we hope you will still join us for worship. Our traditional service is streamed live each week. For easy access, bookmark the link below or subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
Thank you for helping us be the presence of Christ at the crossroads of life through your financial contributions. Click the button to give online.  You will be directed to a secure PayPal link which allows you to use your debit or credit card to make online contributions.
As a community of faith we grieve with one another, we endure difficulty with one another and we also CELEBRATE with one another. We invite you to share your accomplishments, milestones and other sources of good news so we can celebrate with you. Email the office (obcoffice@oaklandchurch.com) with your good news and we will share it in the Weekly Update.
Congratulations to Dr. Betty Lou Land who was recently awarded the Dr. Thomas E. Musselman Award for Service Excellence by Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education.

Nominees for this prestigious award embody the principle of service in their commitment to give back to the education community and their upholding of the values of KDP. Through their volunteer efforts with education-focused service programs, they have made difference in local, regional, or global communities and have inspired others to do the same.
November 17: Tweet Curtis-Sharpton, Deborah Blackston
November 18: Nancy Taylor
November 20: Cynthia Bishop, Dick Curry, Elizabeth Yarbrough, Deborah Curry, Brian Wacaster
November 21: Mason Womack
November 22: Kelly Scott
November 23: Jane Knight, Marty Mobley, Paula Gillman
Serving in Worship
November 17, 2019

Deacon of the Week: Faye Lucas

8:45AM Audio: Ralph Bailey & Jim Vining
11:00AM Audio: Brett Emmerton & Johnny Snipes

Acolyte: Emma Sessions
Crucifer: Lucy Ann Smith

Worship Greeters: Donna Murray, Phil Sharpton, Ann Gibson, Charles Gregory, Frank Knotts

8:45AM Childcare: Staff
11:00AM Childcare: Staff
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Click the button below to see what's happening at OBC this month.
November 10, 2019

Budget Total Receipts: $8,166.34
Budget Needed Weekly: $18,401.00
Budget Required YTD: $829,395.00
Budget Received YTD: $725,436.27
Over/(Under) Budget:$ (103,958.73)
Expenses YTD: $743,227.20
Got News?
If you have an announcement for the Weekly Update, please send it to the church office by Monday at noon! obcoffice@oaklandchurch.com
Minister On Call

If you have an emergency or need to speak with one of our ministers after 5 PM during the week or over the weekend, please call 803-328-3864 and press 0 to leave a message for the on call minister. Your phone call will be returned quickly.