Oak Haven United Methodist Church

Under the Oak: March 2012

2012-03-02T14:53:00.000-06:00

You can view this month's newsletter by clicking on the arrows at the right of the display below. Click on the image to view in fullscreen mode. Also, you can follow this link to open a copy. Please let us know if you have any difficulties.

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Pastor's Weekly Email Update

2012-03-01T10:22:00.000-06:00

We are excited to announce a new form of communication at Oak Haven. Beginning in September, our pastor will send out a weekly email that includes information, reminders, thoughts and much more.

Receiving the emails are easy. Follow this link to subscribe. And that's it! There is no fee, and you can unsubscribe at anytime; we will do our best to make you not want to unsubscribe! You can also sign up by entering your email address in the form below. After you sign up make sure to look for our emails--so to keep us out of your SPAM folder.

It is our goal to create and maintain effective communication for our members and friends. Thank you for being a part of that.

Celebrate Christmas With Us

2011-12-13T10:40:00.000-06:00

We want to wish you all a Merry Christmas! Wherever your holiday plans find you, may the peace of God be the greatest gift you receive.

If you will be in the Irving area this Christmas, please know that you are invited to celebrate Christmas with us. We would love to welcome you and your family to our Christmas celebrations.

Our Christmas Eve Candlelight is scheduled for Saturday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) at 6:30pm.
And on Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25th, we will worship and celebrate at our worship service at 10:45am.

"Christmas isn't Christmas until it happens in your heart."

That is a line from a song our church usual sings at Christmas. We believe it is true, and can't wait to have the chance to sing that song with your family. May this Christmas season be a blessing to you.

Sermon Series: Keys to Life

2011-09-09T11:26:00.000-05:00

Sundays September 18, 2011-October 4, 2011

“Be a winner at the game of life” we have often heard people say. Often, winning simply means outdoing
someone else, having the most money and nicest cars and being comfortable. Life, however, is not played, it is lived. How do we live a life full of meaning and find real purpose? God's answers might surprise you--there's nothing hidden or secret about them!

So, if you have ever lost your keys, or just know that God wants so much more for your life than we realize, you will want to listen.

A time for remembrance and healing

2011-09-09T10:36:00.000-05:00

This Sunday so much of our nation's attention will be given to remembering the tragic events of 9/11. As we all recall that day in our minds, and think about how that day impacted our lives, our church would like to invite you to be a part of a special time of remembrance and healing.

It is our belief that God was there with us all that day, as God has always been with us. Ten years later we have learned much about ourselves and the world. Now, we want to make time for us all to consider God's message of love and hope to us, even in times of despair.

Join us this Sunday at 10:45 to be a part of our remembrance and healing.

Also, at 9:30am, we are having a special presentation of the short film entitled The Cross and the Towers. You can preview the video here. This video reaffirms our hope and conviction that God is with us.

However you remember that day, please take time to pray. Pray for families directly affected by 9/11. Pray that we could prevent anything like 9/11 from happening ever again, anywhere. Pray that God's peace would be known more throughout the world. Pray, as Jesus taught us to, for our enemies.

Shake It Up

2011-06-14T14:40:00.002-05:00

Is it hot outside? If you are in Texas and it is July, then most likely it is. You know what that means? Vacation Bible School is right around the corner. We will be cooking July 11th-15th; each day we begin at 10 am and finish at noon.

Our church, with our friends from Trietsch Memorial UMC, is planning a wonderful week of fun, story-telling, games, food and singing everyone will be sure to enjoy. The theme for this year's VBS is Shake It Up Cafe. Bet you never thought of the Bible as a big recipe book! Well, join us and find out just what we mean.

VBS 2011 - Shake It Up Cafe Preview Video - Cokesbury Vacation Bible School from CokesburyVBS on Vimeo.

We would love to welcome your family, and spend this time with you. There is no charge to attend. Every elementary school (Grades K-5) child is invited to take part in this year's VBS. If you would like more information, please call our office at 972.438.1421 or simply fill out this online registration form.

Under the Oak: July 2011

2011-06-01T13:14:00.001-05:00

You can view this month's newsletter by clicking on the arrows at the right of the display below. Also, you can view it in fullscreen by clicking on the image. Please let us know if you have any difficulties.

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Partnership in Education Signing Ceremony

2011-05-17T13:46:00.003-05:00

This month our church signed a Partnership in Education with F.M. Gilbert Elementary School and the education department at The University of Dallas. We are excited to have formalized this relationship and have the opportunity to work with the students and staff at Gilbert.

The Irving ISD posted this video taken from the ceremony:

Here are two photos taken with students at Gilbert and members of Oak Haven:

We are looking forward to working side by side with Gilbert and hope you will be a part of our work, too!

Under the Oak: May 2011

2011-04-28T15:25:00.000-05:00

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Easter Egg Hunt 2011

2011-04-23T09:36:00.001-05:00

We are streaming our Easter Egg Hunt. Please wait.

Free TV Show from Ustream

Holy Week Schedule of Events

2011-04-18T11:59:00.001-05:00

Our church will host several events related to the celebration of Easter. We would love to have you join us. Contact our office if you have any questions.

Thursday April 21st: A special worship service focusing on Jesus' last night with his disciples with a particular emphasis on Holy Communion. This evening is also commonly referred to as Maundy Thursday. The service begins at 7 pm.
Friday April 22nd: A special worship service remembering Jesus' crucifixion. The service begins at 7pm.
Saturday April 23rd: Free Community Easter Egg Hunt. We are hiding over 2,000 Easter Eggs. We need your help to find them. Join us at 11 am.
Sunday April 24th: Easter Sunday! We will have a Sunrise Easter worship service at 7am on our front lawn followed by our regularly scheduled service at 10:45 am.

The Easter holiday is a joyous reminder of the hope of God for all our lives. We would love to have the opportunity to share this time with you.

2011 Pancake Supper

2011-02-12T17:40:00.000-06:00

The United Methodist Men are set to host their 3rd annual Pancake Supper. You can enjoy all the pancakes, bacon, sausage and juice you would like on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 from 6-8pm. Everyone is invited for this wonderful time of fellowship and fun. Bring your camera so you can have your memories of your favorite United Methodist Men cooking and serving up all the fun!

This year's cost of admission is a little different. Our church has committed to helping Irving Cares--a community resource center. The staff from Irving Cares has expressed a specific need. While they are always appreciative of all donations, families looking to the organization for assistance are in need of items like canned meat and peanut butter.

So, please your donation of peanut butter and/or canned meat as your price of admission to this year's Pancake Supper. You will be helping us ensure the families in Irving are being taken care of. Contact our office for more information. See you there.

Sermon Series: For the Love of God

2011-01-25T15:04:00.001-06:00

We love a lot of things. Kids love pizza, texting and, lately, vampires. Adults love paid bills, relaxing moments and a good movie. What about a love for God?

Do we love God the way we love a good book? Is loving others like loving our hobbies? Is it even okay to love ourselves? Reading Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in this five-week sermon series we’ll discover what it means to love God, to love our neighbors and to love ourselves.

The series begans Sunday, January 30th and lasts until February 27th. Join us Sunday mornings at 10:45 as we see God’s vision of love. Have questions? Please contact our office for more information. You can hear previous sermon by visiting our sermon page.

You can listen to the first sermon here: Blessed to Bless

Celebrate Christmas With Us

2010-12-14T15:56:00.000-06:00

The Christmas season is almost here! How will you celebrate? Click on the graphic below to find more information about our upcoming Christmas Eve services.

2010-12-13T15:48:00.001-06:00

This Sunday

2010-12-12T15:55:00.000-06:00

You are invited to a special time of worship this Sunday, December 19, 2010. Our choir is presenting their Christmas Cantata entitled I'll Be Home For Christmas. This year's Cantata is a powerful reminder of the Christmas holiday. The choir includes men and women from every generation of our church. You are sure to be blessed.

Also, Sunday evening at 7pm, we are hosting a Holiday Healing Service. For as much joy the holidays may have for many people, they are for many others a time of great sorrow. Perhaps this is the first holiday since a loved one has passed away, or is stationed away from home. Likewise, there are other sorrows we hold in our hearts that Christ offers hope and healing for. That is the true meaning of this holiday.

Please join us this Sunday. We would love to meet you, or see you again. Contact our office if you have any questions.

December Newsletter: Under the Oak

2010-12-12T10:09:00.000-06:00

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United Methodist Women

2010-09-03T17:44:00.006-05:00

UMW Officers Oak Haver UMC 2010

President--------------------------------------- Mary Lou Campbell

Co Vice Presidents ------------------------Dorene Taylor \ Stella Jones

Secretary---------------------------------------Joyce Eckles

Treasutrer---------------------------------------Bonnie Perrin

Spiritual Growth--------------------------------Rebecca Wheeler

Chair Person of Nominations -------------------Minnette Puckett\ Ann Ken

Christmas Eve Services

2010-08-30T15:30:00.001-05:00

We have three ways you can celebrate the Christmas holiday with us. We would love to have you join us for any of our services. If you have further questions, please send us an email (office@oakhavenumc.org) or call our office (972.438.1431).

Christmas Eve at Ashford Hall
We are joining with the residents of the Ashford Hall nursing home for a wonderful celebration. This is the second year we join with them. Last year, just as we were gathering the snow began to fall and everyone was excited. Santa was even impressed. The service begins at 3pm and last approximately 30 minutes. This is a wonderful way to share Christ's love with others in our community.

Christmas Eve Spanish Candlelight Service
This is our first Spanish service. We are very excited! The worship service begins at 5pm and includes a candlelight. Everyone is invited, whether you know, or think you don't know, Spanish.

Christmas Eve English Candlelight Service
Our final Candlelight service will be in English and begins at 7pm.

The holidays are a busy time. Please help us make these moments what they should be for our faith and lives. All are welcome and we hope to have a chance to meet you this Christmas.

2010-08-13T18:24:00.000-05:00

September 2010 Newsletter

2010-08-12T19:50:00.003-05:00

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Back to School celebration

2010-08-01T12:58:00.005-05:00

School starts again this month. There's only one way to mark the occasion at Oak Haven - our second annual Back to School Celebration, Saturday, August 14th, we have a day's worth of activities planned for everyone. Students and parents alike will appreciate the opportunities available.

First, make your plans to give blood from 1pm to 5pm. The American Red Cross will be onsite taking blood donations. It's an easy way to help others, and it's not as bad as you might think. We need at least 14 people signed up to make it a success. For more information, please call Minnette Puckett, at 972-258-6231.

Secondly, students can stop by anytime after 3pm to receive a free back to school haircut, Juanity Juarez has arranged this activity. She said parents and teachers can feel free to stop by as well.

Finally, beginning at 5pm, we are ready to celebrate. Join us for a great time of fun, games, and fellowship. This year we will have a moon jump, fun games and a special puppet show. Everything is free - Everyone is welcome. We hope you will make plans to attend.

Our church wants to make sure everyone is ready for the school year. So, on Saturday, August 22nd, during our worship service, we have planned a special back to school blessing for students, parents, teachers and others ready to start the new school year. Pass the word and we'll see you there. You don't want to miss it!!

The Busy bee

2010-08-01T12:50:00.002-05:00

Thier first project together is August 6th at 7pm. The project is easy simple quilt.

Thanks For Visiting

2010-06-17T16:30:00.000-05:00

Thank you for visiting our website.We would love to be your church, and would love this to be your church's website. So, check things out and let us know how we can make it better.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Are you ready for Vacation Bible School

2010-05-22T17:09:00.002-05:00

We are bringing Egypt to Irving July 19-23 from 10 am until 12 pm. Make your plans to join us. You can pre-register by completing the form here. Contact our office if you have any questions. We hope to hear from you.

Under the Oak: August 2010 Newsletter

2010-04-20T21:19:00.004-05:00

Use the flip buttons to turn the pages. You can also click on the image below to open a larger version. We welcome your comments.

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1,500 Eggs Gone in Minutes

2010-04-07T13:30:00.000-05:00

2010 Easter Egg Hunt

2010-03-23T23:36:00.000-05:00

2010 Pancake Supper

2010-01-26T20:45:00.000-06:00

Many people are not familiar with Shrove Tuesday. Many more though recognize it’s more familiar reference—Mardi Gras! Shrove Tuesday, also called Pancake Day, is when Christians would seek forgiveness of sins before the beginning of the Lenten season which begins on Ash Wednesday (the next day). Confusing? Don’t let it be.

In fact, let us help you sort it out. Join us on Tuesday February 16th from 5-7pm as our United Methodist Men’s group hosts it’s 2nd Annual Pancake Supper. We’ll fill you in on some of the details and you’ll help the group raise money for their ongoing support of Irving Cares. Donations from the evening will be put towards purchasing bread for families in our area.

And there’s a lot more on the menu besides pancakes. See you there!

Marriage Built to Last

2010-01-24T22:30:00.001-06:00

Getting a card on Valentine’s Day might be nice. Flowers seem to be a favorite as well. Of course, for many people it’s hard to beat a chocolate covered anything. So, hopefully you’ll get a gift like that. Maybe you’re a giver of these gifts every February 14th. What kind of lasting imprint can those gifts have (unless we’re speaking of too much chocolate)?

Our church is exciting about a new opportunity that might bring about lasting influence on many people. This month we will be hosting a free marriage seminar. It will be a five week chance to meet with other people, learn valuable insights into relationships and have a little fun along the way. You did read the part about being free, right?

The study, which begins Monday February 15th, will present topics that are common to many marriages and relationships told by real couples. Two couples you may have heard of offer their experiences into the discussion as well. NFL quarterback Kurt Warner and best-selling author, radio-host and financial planner Dave Ramsey are both a part of the series.

We hope many of you will join us and offer an invitation to others you may know. It should be a great time to think about important aspects of establishing, recovering and/or maintaining healthy relationships. Therefore, this is a study open to married couples, couples considering marriage, singles who want to learn more about relationships and anyone else willing to share their experiences in a positive, meaningful way.

So, join us Monday evenings beginning February 15th at 7pm. We will meet at the church and look forward to seeing you there.

How to Help in Haiti

2010-01-14T17:08:00.001-06:00

From the North Texas Annual Conference website:

Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe has declared the next two Sundays, January 17th and 24th, as Special Offering Days for Haiti through donations to the United Methodist Committee on Relief Haiti Emergency Response Fund. A special North Texas Conference fund number has been created for this effort, so please route your donations through NTC Fund #277. Make your church checks payable to the North Texas Conference and put “Fund 277 Haiti” on the memo line. Address is P.O. Box 866128, Plano, TX 75086. The conference will expedite transfer of contributions to UMCOR.

Please know that 100 percent of your contributions will be given to this cause, and nothing will be taken out for administrative purposes or overhead.

You can follow the United Methodist Church's role in the relief efforts here: Earthquake in Haiti: The Church Responds

Covenant Renewal Service

2010-01-09T23:04:00.001-06:00

Often, the covenant prayer of John Wesley is incorporated into special worship services within the church; it is an important element of the Methodist understanding of Christian discipleship. This month we will offer a time of worship using Wesley’s prayer. Join us Sunday evening January 24th at 6pm for a Covenant Renewal Service. We will share in a deep Methodist tradition Wesley often found great joy and blessing from. Our service will be a time for each of us to strongly consider our walk with God, and requires a commitment of ourselves to God. To help prepare for the service, over the course of the next several weeks pray Wesley’s prayer (United Methodist Hymnal #607) often. This can be a meaningful time in the life of our church; hope to see you there.

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

Christmas Eve

2009-11-30T18:43:00.000-06:00

Christmas Cantata

2009-11-30T18:41:00.000-06:00

2009 Ham Smoke

2009-11-09T19:36:00.000-06:00

Churches in Our Community

2009-08-28T16:40:00.000-05:00

It is our belief your participation in a church will add tremendous value to your life. To that end we want you to know there are plenty of churches that would love to welcome you into their family.

Of course, Irving is full of faithful churches that would love to have you join them. Perhaps this list will grow to include all of them. In the meantime here is our incomplete, always growing list of churches in our community you might consider being a part of.

Meadowbrook Baptist Church
First United Methodist Church
Plymouth Park United Methodist Church
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
First Covenant Church
Yullin Global Mission Church

September 6th and 13th

2009-08-27T16:25:00.000-05:00

There may be a list of reasons YOU believe in Christ and are a part of his church. YOU’ve seen God work in YOUr life and know exactly what God has done for YOU. Someone told YOU something like, “For God so loved (YOUr name here) he gave his only begotten son….” Praise God if YOU have (Go ahead; do it)! Now, think about this: Do you know some of the struggles the person sitting in the pew in front of you has endured and what are some of the lessons God has shown them?

This month we have asked some of our members and friends to share their faith stories with us. September 6th and 13th, during our worship services, we will do just that. Join us for a time of worship and remembering how God has moved in the lives of those in our church? Actually, we’ll be doing more than sharing; we’ll be giving God the praise!

You can pre register today!

2009-08-05T17:10:00.000-05:00

Please complete the form below to pre register for Egypt.

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3 Simple Rules

2009-07-23T20:03:00.004-05:00

A group of people once approached John Wesley. The group wanted Mr. Wesley to spend time praying with them and advise them the way to “flee from the wrath to come…” It began that John Wesley and the group would meet weekly for those purposes. It did not take long, however, before the number of people participating in these groups grew considerably. These larger groups became known as the United Society.

To ensure everyone was taken care of, the societies were later divided into smaller groups called classes with about (12) people in each class. One condition was required to participate in the classes: “a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins.” To demonstrate their want of salvation, Wesley formulated three simple rules for each class member to follow that would shape their lives as Christians. Do you know those rules?

Join us Sunday evenings in August as we rediscover the Christian life as John Wesley taught. Beginning August 9th at 6 PM we will consider the implications of these simple, powerful rules of living. Via DVD, Bishop Rueben P. Job will discuss what Wesley intended the 3 Simple Rules to mean. There will be four weeks of music and snacks, fellowship and prayer. We hope you will make plans to join us!

You can a review of Bishop Job's book here: Book offers blueprint for Wesleyan way of living

Its A Date

2009-06-18T16:23:00.003-05:00

Mark your calendars. July 27th-31st we will host a Vacation Bible School for the children in our community. Children K-5 are invited to have fun, make new friends and learn important lessons about faith and God. The fun begins each day at 10 AM and finishes at 12 PM. There is no charge to attend.

Parents may pre-register by calling our office, emailing your information or leaving a comment here on this post. We look forward to meeting you and spending the week with you! Our church is working with the UTH Kwior of Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church to bring this event to our community.

Bring a friend and get ready for a lot of fun!

North Texas Annual Conference

2009-06-06T08:12:00.002-05:00

Click on the link below for more information about this week's North Texas Annual Conference session. Our pastor and lay delegates will be attending the conference; please be in prayer for the work of this annual meeting. If you have questions about Annual Conference please contact our office, or leave us an email.

NTC Annual Conference

Site Offline

2009-04-28T13:58:00.003-05:00

Our website will be offline from 8:00 pm, Saturday, May 2 through 6:00 am, Monday, May 4, 2009. The General Board of Global Ministries, which hosts this site and countless other Methodist affiliated sites, will be having electrical repairs to their building completed during this time.

Please make note of this and share the information with others. Our site will be functional again after this work is finished. Thank you for your consideration.

Help Us Find the Eggs

2009-04-05T01:02:00.001-05:00

Something to do for Lent

2009-03-09T19:26:00.002-05:00

Our church is hosting a special Lenten study. Join us Sunday evenings for a course entitled Soul Tending. During the six weeks of Lent we will explore several spiritual disciplines and look to strengthen relationships between participants.

This will be a great time for fellowship and learning how to seek encounters with God. Make your plans to join us each week; the sessions begin ever Sunday evening at 6:00 pm.

Each week, among other things, we recite our purpose for gathering:

Because we long for Christ to be formed in us, we make this covenant to tend the fires of our souls so that our longing for Christ may never be extinguished and that our lives will be set ablaze with his love.

UMM News

2009-03-09T19:07:00.003-05:00

The UMM had a successful Pancake Supper on Tuesday, February 24 that garnered over $500 in donations. Come look at the photos of the event on display on the UMM bulletin board in the rear hallway.

That money was used to help pay for the recent $7,000 resurfacing of the front driveway entry. We encourage you to take advantage of the improvement and park up front on Sunday mornings. It would help make our church more visible to those traveling through our neighborhood.

Oak Haven's UMM continues with its commitment to supply $50 per month to the Irving Cares food pantry. For those interested in helping, there is a bread-collection box located on the coffee table in the fellowship area.

All men are welcome to join us as we have our covered dish meetings at the church on the third Thursday of each month at 7 pm. Oak Haven United Methodist Men: We're doing more than smoking hams.

Church Sign

2009-03-09T19:05:00.008-05:00

Don't pass us by! Each week we'll upload a picture of our marquis. Look for our sign and we'll see you inside.

UMM Pancake Supper

2009-02-03T23:15:00.004-06:00

It’s been a long time coming! Our United Methodist Men’s group will be hosting a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday which begins the church season of Lent. Celebrating Shrove Tuesday is a long standing tradition in the Church. The word shrove comes from the root word shrive which in earlier times meant to confess. Lent is a season of penitence; so, this idea makes sense in that regard. Other names for Shrove Tuesday are Fat Tuesday and Pancake Day (Tuesday). On this day the last of all fats is to be used for cooking since it will not be used during Lent. You can find more information about Shrove Tuesday (or whatever you want to call it) here.

Make plans to celebrate and eat with us. The date is Tuesday February 24th from 6pm-8pm. Your donation of any size will cover you and/or your family. The men are raising funds to help support future community projects in Irving. They’ll be preparing pancakes and sausage for everyone to enjoy. We would love to have you join us for a good time and in so doing be a part of our outreach work.

The only people that cannot come are those who haven’t heard about what we’re doing. So, let’s help each other give an invitation to someone new today! We’ll see you there.

Ash Wednesday Worship Service

2009-02-03T23:07:00.000-06:00

Ministry & Fellowship

2009-01-14T18:59:00.007-06:00

Our church is always looking to create ways for our members to be in ministry and fellowship together.

There are several activities or groups you can be a part of at Oak Haven. Review the list below and consider where you might want to be involved.

United Methodist Women: The UMW meet monthly for spiritual growth and mission outreach. The work of the UMW serves as one of the largest mission efforts within the United Methodist Church. Their meetings are usually scheduled the third Monday of the month at 7:00 pm.

United Methodist Men: The UMM meet monthly to discuss ways to be in misison with the church. For over (40) years the men's group has sponsored Oak Haven's annual Ham Smoke for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Their meetings are normally held on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm.

United Methodist Youth Fellowship: Our youth group is beginning its work. We will begin meeting on Sunday evenings. More information will be provided soon.

Weekly Thursday Bible Study: Each Thursday a group meets for a time of Bible study and discussion. The meetings begin at 10:00 am.

Dinner & Discussion: Once a month an Oak Haven member hosts a time of discussion. Topics usually cover a variety of aspects of spirituality. These meetings begin at 7:00 pm on the third Fridays of each month.

Monthly Dinners: Each second Sunday of the month we host a church luncheon following our worship service. Everyone is invited to stay and eat. We also have a recognition of birthdays for each month. Also, an Oak Haven member hosts a monthly dinner for everyone. We meet every second Tuesday at 6:00 pm.

There are a lot of firsts, seconds and thrids of the month to remember. If you have any questions about any of these times please contact us.

Welcome to Our Website

2009-01-14T18:19:00.004-06:00

Thank you for visiting our website. We have been offline for a while, but are excited to be back on the web. Please feel free to look around. We would love to be your church, and would love this to be your church's website. So, check things out and let us know how we can make it better.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by. Pass on our new website info.

2009-01-01T17:07:00.000-06:00

Everyone in the Irving community is invited to our Back 2 School celebration. The fun begins at 5pm this Saturday. Everything is FREE! See you there. Contact our office for more information.

Contact Information

2008-12-16T16:58:00.010-06:00

Oak Haven United Methodist Church
Reverend John Fletcher

Physical/Mailing Address
1601 N. Irving Heights
Irving, TX 75061

Email:online@oakhavenumc.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/oakhavenumc.org
Twitter:www.twitter.com/oakhaven

Office Phone Number:
972.438.1431

Fax Number:
972.554.1686

People to Meet

2008-12-16T14:00:00.002-06:00

You're bound to run into any one of these members and friends of Oak Haven. Tell them you saw them here!

Upper Room Daily Devotional

2008-12-16T13:32:00.002-06:00

Click on the link below to read today's devotional from the Upper Room.

Links of Interest

2008-12-13T23:01:00.012-06:00

The following list is never complete. We are always looking for new sites to add that may be beneficial for you. This list has been compiled to start your web browsing in the right direction. Please report any broken or out of date links to us.

United Methodist Links
The Upper Room Online version of popular daily devotional. Includes archives and much more.

Walk to Emmaus Extensive resource regarding the Walk to Emmaus.

MethodX Christian connection for young adults to share faith in God and build relationships.

UMTV UM Communications innitiative for "making meaningful television."

Texas Methodist Foundation Methodist Financial Resource

United Methodist Church Official web site of The UMC

General Board of Global Ministries Mission "instrument" of the UMC

Cokesbury Online resource for Cokesbury material.

UM Volunteers in Mission "UMVIM provides opportunities for service by developing and nurturing relationships..."

North Texas Annual Conference North Texas Conference of the UMC News and Information.

Christian Educators Fellowship Program resources, networking information and continuing education for anyone thinking vocationally about Christian education.

United Methodist Women Information and resources regarding the United Methodist Women

Discover the UMC A quick look at the UMC.

The Wesleys andTheir Times A bried look at the Wesley family.

UMC General Board of Church and Society The purpose of the board shall be to relate the gospel of Jesus Christ to the members of the Church and to the persons and structures of the communities and world in which they live.

Wesley Rankin Center Wesley-Rankin serves a community where persons encounter the challenges of poverty, crime, and despair every day.

Community Links

Irving ISD Online publication
for Irving Independent School District

City of Irving City of Irving website

Irving Chamber of Commerce

Irving Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Irving RamblerCommunity Newspaper

Irving PD Irving Police Department website

Ministry Links

Spiritual Gifts Use this link to begin exploring your spiritual gifts.

Lay Speaking Provides practical information regarding the ministry of lay speaking. Perfect for anyone needing information in this area.

Workshop Rotation Model A new way to look at childrens Sunday school.

Kairos Prison ministry

Biblegateway Popular online Bible resource

Sermon.net It is our goal to flood the internet with the Word of God and provide your church the means to do it. FREE!

Updating

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Please check back for updates to the Oak Haven United Methodist Church website.

Downloads

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Questions You've Asked

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We have provided additional information in the form of common questions we receive. If you have a question/concern that is not addressed, please contact us or leave a comment.

What do I wear to church?
We are a “come as you are” church. Please do not feel like you need a new wardrobe to be here. There are those in our church who wear blue jeans and/or khakis, some who wear collared shirts with or without a tie, dresses and even some who wear suits.
Can the pastor visit me?
Our pastor would love the opportunity to visit with you. If you would like to schedule an appointment contact our church office. Also, let us know if you will be in the hospital; our pastor will take time to pray with you before your medical procedures or visit you during your stay.
Can my kids stay during the service?
Yes. Children are always welcome to stay for the entire service. We do have a Children’s Church that is entirely optional.
What do I bring for services? You may bring a Bible for your own benefit. However, we have Bibles available. So, it is not mandatory you bring anything.
Do you record the services?
We do not record the entire service. Our sermons are recorded and uploaded here.
What about Communion?
Communion is how we remember and experience again God's saving acts in Jesus. You do not need to be a member of our church or any particular denomination to join with us. Communion is celebrated every 1st Sunday of the month. Everyone can participate.
How long are your services?
A typical Sunday morning worship service lasts one hour (10:45am - 11:45am)
What type of worship services does your church have?
The common classifications for church services are contemporary or traditional. Ours could be considered traditional. We follow a liturgy and use a hymnal (song book). However, some in our congregation regularly share their music abilities; they bring their guitar or use the piano.
Do you have hearing impaired devices?
No. We regret we do not currently have these devices (but our preacher is pretty loud!).
What about lunch?
Once a month we host a luncheon immediately following our morning worship service. Everyone is invited to stay and eat. You are welcome to bring your favorite dish or dessert. However, forgetting (or not knowing) to bring something is NO EXCUSE for not eating with us. Everyone is invited.
Do I have to be a member to participate?
No. Our services and other activities are open to everyone.
Parking?
We have two parking lots. Each has its own entrance way. The north side (flag pole side) is larger; it is also just a tad longer walk. The south side parking lot is wheelchair accessible.
How can I make an announcement?
Our church prints announcements in our weekly Sunday bulletin. If you have an announcement to print please contact our office on or before each Thursday. The bulletins are printed on Fridays. You may also include important announcements in our monthly newsletter.
May I use the church building for activities? The church is available for weddings, meetings and other events members and friends may be involved with. Please contact the pastor for more information.
Where can I find more information about the United Methodist Church?
You can speak with our pastor for information about the UMC. The UMC website offers a tremendous amount of information as well. Visit their site at www.umc.org.
Nametags?
We provide nametags for members and friends that would like to wear them. They are not required and are only to help us remember each other. If you would like yours made contact our office.
Does Oak Haven have a newsletter?
How do I become a member of Oak Haven?

There is probably something we left off. If you have further questions please email or call our office.

How to get to Oak Haven

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Our physical address is:

1600 N. Irving Heights
Irving, TX 75061

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Prayer

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If you wish, you may leave your prayer requests here for our pastor. Click on "Post a Comment" below to write in your prayer needs. All requests are screened prior to posting. So, you may indicate for your prayer request to stay with the pastor and not made available for everyone to read.

Groups

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We value the importance of Christian Education in the life of our members and friends. "Members of small groups will build their knowledge of the Bible, the Christian faith, The United Methodist Church.." and small groups "shall provide people with opportunities for practicing skills for faithful discipleship.." (The Book of Discipline 2004 ¶256.1 pg 163) Please consider being a part of one of the groups listed below. We'd love to have you.

United Methodist Women

The organized unit of UNITED METHODIST WOMEN shall be a community of women whose PURPOSE is to know God, and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.

United Methodist Men

The United Methodist Men meet for breakfast each second Sunday of the month at the O.S.T. for breakfast. All men of the community are invited and encouraged to attend. Our group has recently began to reform itself. So, we are looking for new ways to become a more active group in our church.

The Cut Ups

The Cut Ups meet every Tuesday to work on craft projects. There's always something to be done when these lively ones get together. Most of the work done by this group go to mission activities and/or other organizations.

Generation X UMYF

Generation X meets weekly to learn and grow from each other. We have positive Christian influence and teaching to help guide younger Christians to a deeper walk with Christ. We welcome you to be a part of our youth ministry.

Ministry

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Have you ever wondered what you could do for your church? There are several ways to be a part of ministry of Bandera UMC. The following ministry areas (Worship, Education, Outreach, and Fellowship) are all vital and valid parts of our congregation. Please prayerfully consider your participation in of the following areas. Want to do something that isn't listed? No problem! Contact Rev Boyce or Rev Fletcher for more information, or to share your ideas.

Worship

be an usher
be an liturgist
communion steward
acolyte
sound engineer
assist with worship projection (PowerPoint etc)
Bell Choir
Chancel Choir
Praise Band

Also, you can join us in prayer prior to each service; we meet in the Chapel.

Education

Sunday School classes designed for every age group
United Methodist Women meet every 2nd Thursday of the month
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
Confirmation Classes

Consider leading a study, volunteering for VBS, assisting with confirmation etc. We are always open to new ideas for studies.

Fellowship

5th Sunday luncheons
Coffee and refreshments between worship services
Annual Picnic
Auction (Fundraiser and Fellowship)
BBQ (Fundraiser and Fellowship)
Softball Game
Cutups (Crafts group) Tuesdays @ 1:00 in the Fellowship Hall
Kids for Christ (elementary youth group)
Generation X (junior high and high school group)

Outreach

3rd Sunday nursing home worship service
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
Blood Drive
Christian Pre-School (Kid's Kingdom).
Prayers, Packages and Greetings (College students and military)
Youth mission trips
Letters to military servicemen

You can assist Helping Hands community efforts, participate in mission activities, and/or other planned activities. There are ways to help with our website. And why not join our newsletter team.

Every 3rd Sunday, during our worship services, we have our "Noisy Pots" offering. (The children take pots throughout the congregation to collect change), and the first Sunday of the month is our Communion rail offering. Last, but certainly not least, we make it a point to pay our church's defined apportionments. All these offerings help in many ways, both directly and indirectly.

About Us

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We are a United Methodist congregation. The Methodist tradition is Christ centered and follows structures and teachings of John Wesley. There is on overwhelming amount of information you can find on John Wesley and the United Methodist Church. We can provide you with some of that information or point in the right direction--click here to visit the United Methodist Church website.

Our church believes in and learns from the life of Jesus, the Son of God, found and revealed in the New Testament of the Bible. However, we also acknowledge and assert the value of the Old Testament as God’s Word as well. Therefore, our church teaches from both and considers both to be sacred. We profess a belief in the work and presence of the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus.

Oak Haven UMC has a strong history in the Irving community. For many years this congregation has served a positive role. Below you will find sections of a document entitled “A Brief History” from our church records:

In 1905 a Mrs. Matthews …donated (1/2) acre of land on the west banks of the Trinity River, some 7 or 8 miles west of Dallas, TX for the use of a church to service the Union Bower Community. Under the leadership of the Rev.W.E. Hawks of Dallas a building was soon erected thereon. The Rev. Mr.Hawks had been conducting services for the Union Sunday that had been in operation since 1887. In April of 1907 the building was dedicated as the Hawks Chapel Methodist Church, and Brother Hawks names as its pastor.

In the early 1930s the Church changed the name to Union Bower Methodist Church. The old frame building was torn down in the late 1940s and a new Stucco Building was erected under the pastoral leadership of Rev. J. L. Hyde. In 1954, a new education building was added to the rear of the Church building.

During the 1950s the Church enjoyed a steady and marked growth in attendance and membership due to the growing population of the Union Bower and Irving communities. The Rev. Maxi Burch was appointed as the first full-time pastor of the church in 1958…On April 12, 1959 the Church voted to sell the property at Easy Grauwyler and Quillan Road and move to a new site in the eastern part of Dallas…a 3.4 acre tract at East Grauwyler and North Irving Heights—which was later given to the Church.

On February 28, 1960 the Union Bower Methodist Church voted to change the name to the Oak Haven Methodist Church of Irving,TX. The new named church was incorporated as the Oak Haven Methodist Church on July 15, 1960.

Now, we are a church learning more and more what it means to love God, to love others and to love ourselves. We are blessed to have families that were a part of the early years of our church's history and and those families that have recently joined us in ministry. We would love to be able to welcome you as well.

Welcome to Oak Haven

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Hello. My name is John Fletcher; I am the pastor here at Oak Haven UMC. My wife Gloria and I would like to take this brief moment to welcome you to the website and to our church.

Who would have imagined years ago that someday websites, email and texting would be real ways for us to stay in touch. Sure, I understand and can explain 0’s and 1’s, signals, and html, but it’s still pretty fascinating to me how we are able to communicate. Here we are; you’re at home, work or school (or wherever) reading this message I prepared on my laptop just for this moment (oh, and I’m here too in that computer generated image on the side). You and I may never share a “Good morning” or “Did you catch the game?” but we are sharing this time now.

Our church has prepared this website to provide an open invitation to you to be a part of Oak Haven. Please don’t get the wrong impression about our intentions. We love God. That love compels us to serve and love others as well. We aren’t looking for people to help pay our bills or boost our attendance numbers. When you come to Oak Haven we want you to experience the love of God. Perhaps that experience will come through a handshake, a song, sermon or a donut—all of which we have an abundant supply of.

If you’re in our neighborhood, I hope we’ve already had the chance to meet. If not, I can’t wait. Maybe you’re planning a trip to the Irving area; well, we’d love to have you visit. Use the other sections of this website to find out specific information about the church.

For what it’s worth, if you never end up at Oak Haven that is okay. My prayer for you would be that you find a church family that encourages, supports and teaches you about the life-saving message of Jesus. If you do that here, great. If not, one day I know we’ll see you in Heaven.

Blessed Beyond Belief,

P.S. You can keep up with me here: Another John Dot Com

Worship Services

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We hope you will be our guest this Sunday at 10:45am. During our worship service we sing, pray, hear special music and scripture. Our children visit with our pastor each morning right before their children's church. And we hear sermons that help us understand more what it means to follow Christ. Our worship service is a place to not only connect with God, but also with others who are nurturing their faith walk. You can listen to our weekly sermons by following this link.

Everyone is invited to attend our service, and also encouraged to participate. There are a number of ways to be involved in worship.

First, everyone is given the opportunity to take time to pray at the altar railing.
We celebrate Holy Communion once a month.
We also take joy in baptisms and welcoming new members.
You can volunteer to read from the Bible, lead special music or lead a skit. Contact the pastor for more information.

There are occasional evening services throughout the year. These include Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and other prayer services. In church you will also hear about special Sunday evening studies offered. For more information on any of these services please contact our church office.

We hope you will consider joining us for any of our services. This is an easy way to get to know members and friends of the church, and, of course, grow in your faith.

Sermons

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Once the media player loads below, click on a sermon title. Sunday sermons are listed by date. After you have selected a message use the play function to begin hearing the audio recording. We can also provide a link to download a sermon--this applies to most of our sermons. If you experience any difficulties please contact our church office.

Also, we recommend reading the corresponding Scripture passages for context to each message. The passages are listed directly under each sermon title.

Subscribe to our weekly sermon podcast

Sunday School

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We believe Sunday School is for everyone--not just for kids! Sunday School is a vital and key way to make disciples. Consider yourself and your family always welcome to any of our classes. All classes begin at 9:45 am each Sunday.

There are three adult classes; each class meets downstairs. Junior High and Senior High students meet together in one class upstairs. Finally, elementary students participate in a rotation Sunday school model (their class location 'rotates' each week ).