Weekend of June 21

We love our dads!

We love our dads! Father’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and thank the fathers, grandfathers, and father figures who have loved, guided, and invested in us. Join us as we recognize the men who make a difference in our families, church, and community. We’re grateful for the ways they reflect God’s care and faithfulness in our lives. This is a great weekend to invite your dad — and all your father figures — to Oaks Church with you!

Elementary families, let’s splash into summer this Friday!
Calling all K–5th grade families! Pack a picnic dinner and join us for an evening of swimming, food, and fun together on Friday, June 19, 5–7 pm at the Swim Pond at Lake Elmo Park Reserve. This is a great chance to connect with other elementary families, build friendships, and meet others in the same season of life at Oaks. We’d love to see you there! Details and registration here. Questions? Email Kayleigh Allred, kallred@oakscg.church.

Are you interested in baptism?
One of the greatest joys in the life of our church is celebrating baptisms. On August 16, we’ll gather outdoors to hear stories of God’s grace and celebrate as believers publicly declare their faith in Jesus. If you’ve been thinking about baptism or have questions about what it is and why it matters, we’d love to connect with you. Email Henry Michael at henrymw@oakscg.church to learn more and explore whether baptism is your next step.

Summer is better together.
Summer is a perfect time to slow down, enjoy the sunshine, and build meaningful connections. To help you find easy ways to connect, we’ve planned a variety of fun, simple events. Join us at our first event, the all-church picnic on June 28, 12:30 pm at Hamlet Park in Cottage Grove. Just bring a lawn chair, lunch for your family, and come enjoy the afternoon with us! Questions? Email Jennifer Fair, jfair@oakscg.church. ‍Want to see all the summer events we have planned? Click here to download the Summer Calendar Card.

Oaks ladies: connect and get crafty
Ladies, come connect with other Oaks women at our upcoming Craft Social on July 11! Bring your own craft to work on and a snack or appetizer to share! No crafting experience necessary.  If you don’t have a craft, just bring yourself and enjoy the conversation! If you have extra items to share, please consider bringing crafting paper, markers, scissors, washi tape, etc. Register by following the QR code below. Questions? Email Kellee Flansburg, kflansburg@oakscg.church.

Join us for a movie in the park
Looking for a fun and easy way to connect with others this summer? Join fellow Oakers for an outdoor movie night at Highlands Park in Cottage Grove. The park will be showing Zootopia 2 on July 17, with activities beginning at 6:30 pm. Bring your family, grab a lawn chair or blanket, and enjoy a relaxing evening of fun, laughter, and community. For more information, contact Kayleigh Allred at kallred@oakscg.church or check out the Movies With Mo website for more details: https://movieswithmo.com/.

Park playdates are in full swing
We’ve enjoyed kicking off another summer of Park Playdates and would love for you to join us—or come again! These Wednesday morning gatherings are a fun and easy way for parents and caregivers to connect with other Oaks families while kids play and build friendships together. Join us Wednesdays from 9:30–11:30 am at local Cottage Grove parks throughout the summer. Locations vary each week, so contact Holly Williams at mrshollyw@gmail.com to be added to the GroupMe and receive weekly updates.

Camp Getaway was unforgettable!
This past week, 65 middle schoolers took Wood Lake Camp by storm for Five Oaks Camp Getaway. Camp shenanigans were organized and discipled by 17 adults and boosted by 12 high schoolers who offered up a week’s time to keep these kids alive, thriving, growing in their faith, and running hard. Middle schoolers learned and grew from the teaching of Ariel Koning, who taught each day about how we see Jesus foretold in the Old Testament. We praise God for all the ways he showed up in the lives of students last week!

Student Summer Events: Mark your calendar
Youth group looks a bit different in the summer with lighter programming and an emphasis on connection and big fun at our Students Summer Events nights. These kick off on June 24 at Five Oaks Church, with a different theme each week. Mark your calendar now for June 24, July 22, August 5, 12, and 19. (Yes! These are great invite opportunities for your friends!) More details to come. Questions? Email Mindy Wissink.

Lights. Slides. Action.
Sundays at Oaks don’t just happen. They’re made possible by people like you serving behind the scenes. Our tech and media team plays a key role in helping everything run smoothly, from sound to slides. If you enjoy working with audio, visuals, or simply want to be part of what makes Sunday mornings possible, this could be a great place to serve. (Yes! We’ll provide training and support!) Interested? Email Jim Pierce (sound) or Nathan Spielman (media).

Take your next step as a leader
You influence people every day — at work, at home, in ministry, and in your community. Whether you’re just discovering that or you’ve been leading for years, the best leaders never stop growing. The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day experience designed to equip you to make a greater impact where God has placed you. Five Oaks is a host site this year — join us August 6 and 7. Details and registration here.