When I read it I laughed, picturing God with a big smile on His face, nudging an angel in heaven and saying “Watch this!” It was just another way that He has shown me that His hand is on the trip we will take next Monday. But it also reminded me that we have a God who is intimately involved in the lives of His children. And if we will open our eyes, we will see His reminders all around us. Even in a fortune cookie.

The members of our Cambodia team from Twin Oaks have had many “God Sightings” over the past several months as we worked toward next week’s journey. His fingerprints are all over our team as He has provided resources, vision, peace, and encouragement in so many ways. We’ve seen how He has assembled a strong team that will do good work in showing His love and bringing healing to hundreds of Cambodian children. Some of the confirmations of God’s blessing and presence have come through you as you donated cans and bottles, bought dolls or sewed dresses for them, or provided medicine for our guide’s children’s ministry. Thank you so much for being part of this mission, and for loving the girls of Rapha House through us. God appears to us in many ways, and He has made His presence clear through you. With your help we are looking forward to “…crossing great ocean waters for an incredibly rewarding experience."

Prayer team and blog – We know that many of you will go with us through your prayers next Monday. So that you may pray for us by name allow me to list the members of our Twin Oaks Cambodian team: Carolyn Atcheson, Sara Barr, Jack Catton, Jessica Chrisekos, Harvey Lucier, Tara McKee, Greg Paddock, Candi Pattison, John Perfetti, Heather Rice, Fred Vanhalla, Chris and Randy Wheeler. If you would be willing to commit to pray for us for the 10 days of our trip, please email me and I will send you a prayer request list and give you the link to our blog so you can hear about the work and get regular updates. Thank you again for all of your support.

DAVE RAMSEY – “Life. Money. Hope” – Beginning THIS SUNDAY we are excited to offer 3 messages from nationally known Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey. This week Dave will speak to us on “The Basics of Biblical Finance”. What a great time to invite a friend who could use a little good financial direction. And don’t let the fact that the messages are on video throw you. The rest of the service will be just like any other Sunday. And the Sunday before last, the most talked about part of my message was the 9 minute video clip that I used. So you’ll hear a great message from God’s Word by a powerful speaker (Just like a normal week at Twin Oaks

Ladies Chocolate Extravaganza – THIS FRIDAY – 6:30pm – Ladies, it’s not too late to sign up for one of the biggest women’s events of the year at Twin Oaks. Chocolate, soup, and fellowship galore. If you’d like to come contact Roxanne Thompson at roxanne_thompson01@yahoo.com or 313-292-4289.  

GEMS pancake Breakfast – THIS SATURDAY – 8:00am to 11:30.  Serving pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, toast and all the toppings!  We’ve moved the GEMS House of Pancakes into the worship center so there will be plenty of room. Please bring your friends and family to support the GEMS Girls Club in their 3rd annual fundraiser. Donations appreciated.

Discovery 101 Class – THIS SUNDAY – 3-5pm – If you are new to Twin Oaks and want to know more about our beliefs, history, vision, values, and ministries this is the class for you. We’ll also cover how to become a member of God’s family and what it means to be an “official” member of the Twin Oaks family. So this class is also for those who are interested in becoming members of Twin Oaks. Sign up at the Ministry Center Sunday or just email me.

Decisions for Christ – Last Sunday we celebrated as Stephanie Keffer accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized in the waters of His grace. Check out Stephanie’s photo at http://www.flickr.com/photos/46768627@N07/?saved=1 and keep her in your prayers as she begins her new walk with Christ.

Estate Planning Seminar – “THE LIVING TRUST: Leaving a legacy that makes a difference!”-Tuesday, March 16, 6-8pm. Presenter: Phil Beavers, VP of Institutional Advancement, Great Lakes Christian College. This free seminar will assist participants through the entire estate planning process from “start to signatures. Each estate plan will be done at no out of pocket cost to the individuals. In return for this service, valued in excess of $2,000, Financial Planning Ministry encourages individuals to leave a residual gift (after death) to their local church. To reserve your spot, sign up at the Ministry Center or reply to this email.

MOPS (Mothers of Pre-schoolers) – Begins next Thursday, Feb. 25^th from 9-11Am and meets the 2^nd and 4^th Thursday through May 13^th. MOPS is for mothers with children from birth to Kindergarten and exists to encourage, equip, and develop every mother of preschoolers to realize her potential as a woman, mother and leader in the name of Jesus Christ. Invite your friends to attend with you!  Childcare is provided along with light refreshments.  For more information, please contact Rhonda Dolunt at (313)383-4332 or rhdolunt@yahoo.com.

MOPS childcare volunteers needed – We still need a few more people to care for the pre-schoolers on the 2nd and 4th Thursday mornings of each month from 8:45 to 11:15AM while the moms have Bible study and fellowship. Are you retired? Working evenings? Not working right now? Have Thursdays off? Have you been looking for a way to serve God at Twin Oaks but don’t know where you fit? If you like pre-schoolers and have Thursday mornings off this could be your place to serve at Twin Oaks and help make our body stronger. Contact Rhonda Dolunt today to volunteer – (313)383-4332 or at rhdolunt@yahoo.com.

Missing Bible – If anyone found a brand new black and brown NIV Thinline Bible (or took it home by mistake) on January 31^st please contact Linda Conner at 313-291-8570 or nana48180@att.net.

Ladies Dining Out – The next ladies dining out will be Wednesday March 3. They are going to La Dolce Vita on Fort Street in Riverview. They will meet there at 6:15. All ladies are invited for a relaxed evening of good food and great conversation. Sign up at the ministry center starting this Sunday. Questions? Contact Carol Horn. 764 675 4829 or chorn9351@hotmail.com .

New Online Directory – We have a new online church directory to make it easier to update and keep up with the growing family at Twin Oaks. This directory is only accessible with a password which I can give you when you request it. In requesting a password you are promising that you will not share the password or the information in the directory with anyone else or use the addresses for business purposes (solicitation, etc) Most of the photos were taken last Mother’s Day. If you are not yet in the directory (and most of you aren’t) and would like to be, or if you would like to change your photo, then email a photo to me along with your address and phone # (If you want those in there) If you want out of the directory please let me know that as well.

Joke of the week – A father noticed that his kids love going to the Web, and they keep track of their passwords by writing them on Post-it notes. He noticed their Disney password was "MickeyMinnieGoofyPluto," and so he asked why it was so long. "Because," his son explained, "they say it has to have at least four characters."

Have a great week and I’ll see you (and your guests) Sunday,

Randy

One of the men had asked me to pray that he’d get his act together and be the kind of father he hasn’t been up till now. After we’d talked for awhile I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said “You’re doing it.” When I pressed him to be more specific he got tears in his eyes, motioned to the tv, the fireplace, the dining area and the army of volunteers and he said “This. You are so good to us.” And you are. You are extending the love of Christ to these 30 or so people who need a little help and comfort and pampering right now. Monday night a swarm of middle schoolers filled the foyer to serve our guests. Last night there were more volunteers than there were people to serve. I’m sure the other nights will be the same. Each morning more of you show up to do their laundry. Sunday morning some of you will come extra early help get the church ready for worship. But worship is really happening all week – because Jesus said “When you do it for them, you’re doing it for me. “This is the kind of week Twin Oaks was created for!” And once again I am so proud of you.

THIS SUNDAY we will continue our “WHY>” series with the question: “Why is the World So Messed Up?” If there is a loving and powerful God watching over us, why did Haiti happen? Why are there starving and abused children? Why do Christians lose their jobs and houses and spouses? Why do they get cancer, if God is real, and loving, and powerful? Tough question. And we’ll tackle it Sunday so be here, and bring a friend who may be asking those same questions.

“Love. Money. Hope: Biblical Advice in Difficult Times” with Dave Ramsey – February 21^st, 28^th, and March 7^th. Many of you know Dave Ramsey from the Financial Peace University courses we’ve offered, or from Fox News, or WMUZ. With the country in a deep recession Dave has produced 3 Biblical messages of hope and offered them free of charge to churches to use. Large churches around the country are using these videos in their Sunday morning services to teach and encourage the congregations how to survive economic challenges. So mark these dates on your calendar and invite your friends to join you for this practical, encouraging series. These services will be just like our normal services, music, communion, etc. except that Dave will bring the message (via video) instead of me.

ChristNet clean-up help needed – We need 15-20 people with servants’ hearts to be here from 6:30-8:30am Sunday to help clean up and move beds after ChristNet week. If you can help please contact Cass Simpson at csimps10@ford.com or John Perfetti atjohnp4tocc@aol.com to volunteer.

Financial update – In an effort to keep you apprised of our finances let me just say that even though we trimmed our budget for 2010 our general fund offerings this month have averaged over $2,000 per week below our needs. I don’t tell you this to make anyone feel guilty over what they can’t do, but rather to challenge each person who calls Twin Oaks to do what they can do to help us continue the work of Christ at Twin Oaks. With each person tithing we will have more than enough to meet our needs. Please include this in your prayers for Twin Oaks.

“Queen of our Heart" Dinner – February 13th, 7pm – The men of Twin Oaks are preparing a special evening for the women of Twin Oaks .This will be a relaxing evening of pampering and fine dining, and best of all the men will do all the work! Guys, invite that special someone – wife, mom, sister, sister in the Lord, grandma (adults only please). Then pick up a registration form from the ministry center and hand it in to the church by February 7th, with the payment (you are treating them). Then, you will be contacted on how you can help serve that night. Ladies, remind the guys to do the steps above then just show up and enjoy your special evening (PS- You don’t have to have a guy “sponsor” in order to come)

Ladies’ Dining Out – Tuesday Feb 2, 6:15 pm – We’ll meet at Little Daddy’s (on Eureka- next to Southland). All ladies are invited to join us for a relaxed evening of good food and good conversation. Please sign up at the Ministry Center. Any questions call Carol Horn 734 6754829 or email chorn9351@hotmail.com.

TOCC MOPS – We are excited to announce the first Twin Oaks MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) meeting!  Thursday, February 25th from 9am to 11am.  MOPS is for mothers with children from birth to Kindergarten and exists to encourage, equip, and develop every mother of preschoolers to realize her potential as a woman, mother and leader in the name of Jesus Christ. Invite your friends to attend with you!  Childcare is provided along with light refreshments.  Rhonda Dolunt(313)383-4332 orrhdolunt@yahoo.com

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We also need 10 volunteers to care for children on the 2nd and 4th Thursday mornings of each month. By offering your time you’ll provide these mothers who attend MOPS a chance to grow as mothers and in Christ.  For more information, please contact Rhonda Dolunt at (313)383-4332 or rhdolunt@yahoo.com

GEMS PANCAKE BREAKFAST – Can you just imagine the smell of a freshly prepared breakfast of Pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, and toast?  Well the GEMS girls would love to serve you breakfast at our 3rd Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser, Saturday Feb. 20th from 8:00 – 11:30.  We’ve moved our "GEMS house of pancakes" into the worship center to offer more seating so bring your family, friends and neighbors!  Donations appreciated.

Discovery 101 Class – Sunday, February 21st,  3-5pm – If you are new to Twin Oaks and want to know more about our beliefs, history, vision, values, and ministries this is the class for you. We’ll also cover how to become a member of God’s family and what it means to be an “official” member of the Twin Oaks family. So this class is also for those who are interested in becoming members of Twin Oaks. Sign up at the Ministry Center Sunday or just email me.

Joke of the week – Before celebrating a baptism, the deacon approached the young father and said solemnly, “Baptism is a serious step. Are you sure you’re prepared for it?”
“I think so,” the man replied. “My wife has made appetizers and we have a caterer coming to provide plenty of cookies and cakes for our guests.”
“I don’t mean that,” the deacon replied. “I mean, are you prepared spiritually?”
“Oh sure,” came the reply. “I’ve got a keg of beer and a case of whiskey.”

Have a great week and I’ll see you Sunday,

Randy