A Word of Thanksgiving

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 28:7(NLT)

Oasis may be a group of nomads with no permanent home for our name but we have a name and God knows where we live.

Cheryl and I are so grateful to be one of the growing numbers of people who joyfully find themselves a part of the team named Oasis. We are a group, under the leadership of Jesus, who seek to share, tangibly and intangibly, the awesome love of our Creator God.

Near the beginning of our time together Oasis began with the purpose statement:

Oasis seeks to:

    Grow with God

        Share with others

            Celebrate God's successes

This purpose statement is catchy to the ear, easy to remember, and filled with meaning. It was developed nearly four years ago on a stormy weekend on the Oregon coast by a small group of Oasis members. By the time the weekend was over we were bathed in both bright sunshine and "son shine." But that statement of purpose is only a nice slogan if it has no substance. The substance comes when the members of the team allow God to work through them to give it life.

From what we have witnessed and participated in directly this year our purpose statement, " Oasis seeks to Grow with God, Share with others and Celebrate God's successes," is filled with life and substance.

Please consider just a few of the highlights from this year:

  • The excursions to feed the homeless of Vancouver and Portland.

  • Setting a goal and on track to attain it; collecting five thousand pounds of food for the needy.

  • Subsidizing eighteen children with tuition assistance to enable them to attend our schools. We have ten students in Columbia Adventist Academy and eight in Meadow Glade.

  • For parents who make the financial sacrifice to put their students in private Christian education.

  • Our new members that were baptized or joined Oasis by profession of faith because of the influence of a member or members who reached out in love.

  • Countless strangers who visited Oasis and didn't feel like strangers because of the warm welcome of our awesome greeters and friendly members that reach out to those they don't recognize.

  • Invitations that were extended for people to come home for lunch on Sabbath. Most notably a member who invited the whole congregation one Sabbath.

  • For the Christian ministry of "True !mprov" that brings in so many unfamiliar faces and puts smiles on them.

  • For many new babies that have come into the world and have been warmly welcomed to Oasis.

  • The behind the scene heroes who faithfully open, set up, take down, clean up and lock up the building every Sabbath and for special events.

  • Our teachers who faithfully prepare lessons weekly for children and adults.

  • Music teams and technical support that get out of bed early on Sabbath morning to give OASIS PRAISE its distinct joy and celebration of God's love.

  • The outpouring of care to the families who lost loved ones this year. We miss our dear friends Alfred Andrews, Julie Bartram, and Bruce King.

  • For encouraging notes, e-mails, invitations to share a meal, and abundant love shown to this pastor and his beloved wife---Thank you all so much.

    • There is so much more but I will allow you to share that around your family table as you share in your Thanksgiving meal this year.

    We will enter 2010 with great anticipation and thanks. God has been very good to us in the extremities of this age we are entering. The time is filled with opportunities and challenges. May God's love continue to bind us together as a force that will make a "Kingdom Difference" in the years to come!

    We thank God for Oasis! Thank you, one and all, for your commitment to Grow with God, Share with Others, and Celebrate God's Successes.

    With grateful hearts,

    Rick & Cheryl New  24 Nov 2009

    Oasis Christian Center - A Seventh-day Adventist Fellowship
    Help PO Box 871748 Vancouver, WA 98687 (360)882-1842 - Contact Us

    Copyright© 2005, 2006 by Natural Art Media Inc.