Dear friends,
We have just passed the one-month mark since I first wrote to you about our response to COVID-19. In that time, I’ve written four other letters detailing our church’s response to this pandemic. Please know this is still a fluid situation; however, our staff is beginning conversations on what it will look like for us to resume church office hours and activities. In doing so, we will be receptive to advice from health experts. You can expect to hear from me in the next ten days with a more detailed plan of what it will look like to resume activities at Oakland. In the meantime, continue to take care of yourself, your neighbors, and remember you are one in whom Christ dwells.
Continued prayers,
Pastor Jeff
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It is the time of year for us to nominate and elect new Deacons. Our Constitution dictates nominations take place in April and election in May. As mentioned in previous Updates, this schedule was postponed at the beginning of April because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While we hoped our church would be back together face-to-face at this point, it is obvious we are in this for the long haul. Therefore our Fellowship of Deacons, in conjunction with our Constitution Committee, have made the decision for us to move forward with the Deacon election process using an online format. We are requesting your cooperation, knowing this will be a different method; but we also know your resiliency in adapting as a church, as made evident with the CARES Act vote earlier this month.
There are many talented individuals who would make excellent Deacons. Please take seriously this process and nominate those individuals who will serve our church best. To help you identify persons— especially from a remote location—review the church directory, scroll through the Breeze app, or take inventory of those in your Sunday School or Bible Study class.
If you are asked to serve, please give serious thought and prayer to accepting the nomination. Consider first how you can serve the families of OBC before listing barriers that would prevent you from accepting the nomination. The primary focus each year is to fill ten vacant spots as the class of 2020 rotates off the Fellowship of Deacons roster. Nominations for these 10 spots may be either previously ordained deacons or OBC members new to this Fellowship. Our process however requires several more than ten willing participants on the Deacon slate. A short list can pose a year long struggle for our Fellowship of Deacons and our church.
The timeline for this process will be as follows:
- April 23-May 17: Nominations will be accepted through a secure online format.
- May 31-June 6: Deacon Slate will be presented to the congregation.
- June 7-14: Election will take place through a secure online voting procedure.
To make nominations, click the button below labeled "Deacon Nominations." Further details about the secure voting procedure will be communicated at a later date. If you need assistance with either the nomination or voting process online please contact your family deacon for assistance.
We have a wonderfully talented and diverse membership here at Oakland and we need all of you to focus on this important Deacon election process. Please let your valued opinion count. Thank you in advance!!!
Susan York
Deacon Chairperson
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Today marks the third anniversary of Rev. Dr. Jeff Hayes serving as the Senior Pastor at Oakland Baptist Church.
Jeff, we are grateful for your service among us these last three years. And we are especially grateful for your leadership now, as you help us figure out what it means to church from a distance.
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There are many ways people are continuing to be the presence of Christ in their communities, even from a distance. Each week the Update will include three ways for you to be the presence of Christ in Rock Hill.
Over the next week we encourage you to do one or more of the following:
- All this staying at home and social distancing has certainly been challenging. For those staying at home with children, can we do more than just “endure” this season? Click here to read an article from The Fuller Youth Institute about adopting few new parenting habits that could transform family life at home.
- Support CBF as they seek to help provide food and urgent essentials to the vulnerable children and families served in the U.S. and around the world by CBF Field Personnel and partner organizations. A donation of any size is helpful and can be made by clicking here.
- Pray for CBF Field Personnel, Janee Angel and Butch and Nell Green. To catch up on their latest work, amid the pandemic click on each of their names above.
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April 22, 2020 was the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. This day was created on April 22, 1970 to bring awareness of the environment and to support ways to help make the earth clean and healthy. The members of Oakland’s “Green Team” would like to share what they do to “MAKE EVERY DAY EARTH DAY” and care for God’s creation.
Also, York County is having a virtual Earth Day Birthday this week. Look on Facebook and search “earth day birthday 2020” to find lots of interesting things for kids and adults.
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Covering OBC
Many of you have already been the recipient of a beautiful mask made by Dan and Kay Cox. To date they have made over 330 masks. These masks have been given to family, neighbors, OBC members, Pathways and Family Promise, Sullivan staff, and Park Pointe Staff .
Dan has assured us that they will
not
run out of fabric, and they want to make sure everyone from OBC who wants a mask gets one. The masks are sized for adults. To request one, click the button below.
Dan and Kay, thank you for putting your scraps of fabric, time, and talents to such a worthwhile project. The masks are greatly appreciated by many!
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New Sunday School Class
Sunday at 9:45AM
We now have an "open" Sunday School class for anyone whose class is not meeting, or who is not currently part of an adult class. Join our ministers for a time of devotion and prayer. You can connect through your computer by using a Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browser to open the following link: meet.google.com/zub-aiqp-mnp. You can connect with your phone by dialing 1-571-348-3931 and then entering the following PIN: 561 343 989#
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Worship on Sundays
While we are unable to worship together in these days of social distancing, it is important that we still pause for a time of worship each week.
Everything you need for Worship and Sunday School will be available on our website by 7AM each Sunday.
You will find links to a Worship Guide, a recording of Worship, and Sunday School material for children, youth, and adults by clicking below on the button labeled"Worship." You can access the links to prior weeks by clicking below on the button labeled "Worship Archive."
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Prayer and Encouragement
Wednesdays at 6PM
You are invited to join our ministers online on Wednesdays for a time of pray
er and encouragement. You can connect through your computer by using a Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browser to open the following link:
meet.google.com/knr-vaxk-xez
.
You can connect with your phone by dialing 1-516-654-4631 and then entering the following PIN: 487 500 557#
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We Are Here For You!
If you need to speak with someone, please reach out to a minister or your deacon. Also, you can still use the minister on call number (803-328-3864, Ext. 0). We are here to listen and help in ways that we are able.
For those in need of grocery assistance, we have set up a delivery system. We understand that elderly and vulnerable individuals may not feel comfortable venturing to the store. Please let the church office know if you are in need and would like groceries delivered to your home.
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Connecting through Facebook
If you are interested in creating a Facebook account but are not sure where to start, here are a few YouTube tutorials that could be helpful.
Do not let these videos overwhelm you. It is not necessary to immediately upload a profile picture or fill in information, such as your high school gradation date. The important step is signing up so that you can join our OBC Facebook Community.
Once you have created a profile,
click here to connect to our page.
Under each post there is a box that says, comment here. We encourage you to comment! We want to hear from you as we seek to continue being a community from a distance.
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It's a BREEZE
Have you connected with us on Breeze, our Church Management software? If not, click the button below and connect today! Breeze gives you easy access to people's phone numbers and emails. It also allows you to give online and easily view our events calendar (which is currently empty).
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The Ministry Center drop box is closed until further notice. Please hold your donations until our volunteers are able to be back together to receive and sort them. As always, thank you for your continued support of this great ministry.
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Save the date for a special ONE Worship and luncheon on July 12 as we celebrate 70 years of Oakland Baptist Church being the presence of Christ at the crossroads of life. Rev. Dr. Jay Kieve, Coordinator of CBF SC will be preaching. Please click "Sign Me Up" below if you plan to join us for lunch.
Sunday School: 9:30AM
Worship: 10:30AM
Lunch: Following Worship
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Retreat With Us!
We hope you will take advantage of opportunities to retreat with your church family this year. Below are three opportunities. Please mark your calendar and let us know if you plan to attend.
- Soul Training Retreat: POSTPONED
It's a stay-cation retreat. We will gather at OBC on Friday evening and Saturday morning for food, fellowship, and faith development. James Bryan Smith's
The Good and Beautiful
trilogy is intended to be a catalyst for lifelong change. Throughout the weekend we will work on our own soul training plan which will guide us as we live as those in whom Christ dwells.
- Marriage Enrichment Retreat: September 25-27, 2020
Join us for a weekend of renewal as we worship, fellowship, and study. Our sessions will be led by Rev. Dr. John Roy who is the senior minister at Pelham Road Baptist Church in Greenville, SC . We will be staying at the beautiful Terrace Inn which is surrounded by mountains and overlooks the lake.
We have NINE rooms left
. Sign up today to claim one of the remaining rooms. The cost is $350/couple. Please submit a $50 deposit to the church office to secure your spot.
- Women's Retreat: October 23-25, 2020
Our 2020 Women's Retreat will be at Montreat Conference Center. We will be staying in the beautiful and historic Assembly Inn, enjoying the food, shopping, and nature that makes Black Mountain special, making new friends, strengthening relationships with old friends, and most importantly growing in our faith. The cost of this retreat is $150/person.
Please click the button below to sign-up for the retreats you plan to attend.
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#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.
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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 link which allows you to use your debit or credit card to make online contributions.
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April 26: Shelby Sapp, Hayes Gladden
April 28: Mary Gee, Jackson Shaw
April 30: Angela Williams, Josh Flores
May 1: Bob Shrum, Kristin Sessions, Meredith Lee, Eric Freeman
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Click the button below to see what's happening at OBC this month.
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April 12& 19, 2020
Budget Total Receipts: $42,676
Budget Needed Weekly: $18,389.00
Budget Required YTD: $
294,224.00
Budget Received YTD: $
274,089.80
Over/(Under) Budget:$(
20,134.20)
Expenses YTD: $
200,959.35 (as of 4/5)
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Minister On Call
If you have an emergency or need to speak with one of our ministers after office hours 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.
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