Oak Level Baptist Church

Church News

Sharing the Journey

Greetings in the name above all names, the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Welcome to the final newsletter for the year 2024. Can you believe that as quickly as 2024 got here, it’s almost over? We have been experiencing some rich blessings over this year and I know we will experience even more in the coming year! As we come to the November/December newsletter we are in anticipation of the holiday season coming up and all the things that come with that. We are so thankful that we get to see the end of another year; we know not what the new year will bring but we trust God the whole way.

That being said, I want to encourage everyone to make prayer a priority. Being as how Veteran’s Day is in November I want to quote the story of Patton’s prayer. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Patton” you’ve seen the fictionalization of this prayer, but I feel it’s necessary that we know the whole story and how it can help our prayer life.

In the latter days of World War II, December 1944, a rainy and foggy weather situation was hampering the Third Army’s efforts to break through and relieve the city of Bastogne. General Patton called on his chaplain, Chaplain (Colonel) James O’Neill, to come up with a prayer for the weather. If there was to be a victory, the weather would have to cooperate. Chaplain O’Neill searched a number of prayer books and couldn’t come up with a suitable prayer, so he wrote the following prayer: Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we’ve had to contend. Grant us fair weather for battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.

In a talk with the chaplain, General Patton emphasized the importance of prayer, no matter where or under what circumstances. The “end of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say, is that the weather broke, and the Third Army was able to relieve the city of Bastogne.

Prayer is not a substitute for effort and work, but it is an indispensable ingredient in our life. If we are to achieve victory, deliverance, and blessing, we must be a people of prayer. May we end this year in prayer thanking God for His blessings and invoking His presence in every aspect of our lives.

Daniel
Philippians 4:13

**You can read the entire story of Patton’s prayer by going to the following website: http://pattonhq.com/prayer.html

Operation Christmas Child
Collection and blessing of the Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes will be Sunday, November 3. OLBC has assembled 60 shoeboxes to ship to children around the world. We still need funds to ship the shoeboxes. We only have funds to ship about 40 boxes. If you have not given to this effort, please consider donating a monetary gift. Each box cost $10 for shipping.

VETERANS DAY SERVICE & THANKSGIVING MEAL
On Sunday, November 10, there is a special service planned to celebrate Veterans and the Thanksgiving season. Be sure to invite any veterans you know, so we can honor their service to our country. Please provide the name of a veteran currently serving or has served you’d like to be included in the Veteran’s Day Sunday bulletin insert. Email Pastor Daniel or Sheila by Sunday, November 3. A covered dish Thanksgiving meal will be held after the worship service. Bring your favorite dish or dessert to share. Ham will be provided by the church.

DISASTER RELIEF FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICAN HELENE & MILTON
Please consider ways to help to connect with our BGAV missions partners Impact Disaster Response (formerly Virginia Baptist Disaster Response). Impact Disaster Response continues to respond in Damascus, Virginia and surrounding areas. They are completing the cleanup and chainsaw jobs and shifting to repair and rebuild as homes that were damaged dry. Trained chainsaw teams are being sent to North Carolina and trained flood recovery teams to Florida. Continue in prayer for these efforts and continue to help by giving or volunteering in any way you can. OLBC will take up a special offering on Sunday, November 17, to send to the BGAV efforts.

PANCAKES WITH SANTA
OLBC will be hosting a community event on Saturday, December 7, from 9-11:00 am with “Pancakes with Santa.” We will be serving pancakes and Santa will be our special guest. Bring your family and neighbors for this time of fellowship. Don't forget your camera for those pictures with Santa. A special invitation is being mailed to the Oak Level community to join the church family for this event. Mark your calendar and make your plans now to attend!

WMUV
Meetings
Tuesday - November 26– 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday - December 17 – 6:30 p.m.

HOPE PACK FOR THE GOOD NEWS JAIL MINISTRY
It is the season, and we are preparing to kick off our annual “Hope Pack” effort for inmates and staff for this holiday season. Each Christmas season your Chaplain and Chaplaincy Support Team coordinates a ministry of the community to touch inmates and staff at the Martinsville City Jail and Henry County Adult Detention Center. We collect funds to purchase items to fill a small gift bag for the inmates, and to provide some candy bars and chocolates for the staff as well. Your donation will purchase items to go into a small bag to share God’s Love with inmates. There will be some practical hygiene items like socks, toothpaste, soap, Shampoo, & deodorant, as well as some candy and snacks, The Correction’s Staff receive bags too, but the Chaplain’s Chocolate and snacks continue to be given out to officers in the following weeks as a reminder of the chaplain’s ministry. I hope you will prayerfully consider adding this outreach to your Christmas list! Again, this year we have begun taking monetary donations for Hope Packs and will assemble and deliver those in late December. I hope you will be able to provide hope to an inmate again this year with your help, gifts, and cards.
In Christ, Joe Collins, Chaplain

*OLBC will collect a special offering on Sunday, December 8 to support the “Hope Pack” ministry.

JESUS IS THE REASON
”For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
Isaiah 9: 6-7 (KJV)

SCHOOL CLOSINGS FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER
The Wednesday evening service is NO LONGER tied to the notice of schools closing for inclement weather. The church office will send out an email IF there has been a decision to cancel Wednesday services or you can call the office or a deacon to verify the cancellation. For announcements concerning Sunday Morning Services, listen to B99 FM radio or watch TV Stations, WDBJ, Channel 7 or WSLS, Channel 10, for possible church cancellations.

THE GRACE NETWORK OF MHC
OLBC is just one of over one hundred congregations and other groups that partner with Grace Network to help families in crisis in Martinsville and Henry County. “Grace Network strives to give short-term assistance and to help find long-term solutions.” Each month we can help needy families by giving nonperishable food items, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and paper products. Check out the church bulletin to see what OLBC has pledged to give. You can be a part of this ongoing mission when you donate to this worthy cause. Visit their website at www.gracenetworkmhc.org to learn more.

Sharing the Love
Each week our folks are visiting friends throughout the community to let them know we love and care for them. Sometimes it is to sit and pray with someone suffering from injury or illness and unable to get out. At other times it's to get to know neighbors in the area and to introduce them to the ministries of Oak Level, if they do not have a church home of their own. In every instance it is another opportunity to go in the name of Jesus in order to be an ambassador of love. If you have never experienced the joy of visiting others or meeting new friends in this way, please know that you are more than welcome to join us. Visitation times are flexible according to your schedule, and there are plenty of folks that you already know who would be honored to go with you. Contact any deacon or the pastor for more information.

Newsletters
We publish our newsletter at Oak Level Baptist Church every two months. If you would like to have a copy, please feel free to download one of the newsletter PDF files.

For older PDF newsletters, please click to visit our Archive page.

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