Casual, Contemporary Church Update

First of all, I apologize this Oasis-Church-NJ.com update has taken so long to write. The only excuse I can give is that God has done so many amazing things in the past few months, that I have had a difficult time keeping up. That’s a great problem to have!

So what has been going on? Well I  retired on 12/31/09, and have been able to devote myself full time to our Oasis church plant! Let me tell ya, when you take a faith filled leap in  a new direction God will honor that!

What We Have Going For Us

• First of all, we have a ton of  big mo (momentum) and enthusiasm on this no frills, imperfect but amazing TEAM God is growing here!  I LOVE these people! And these guys are actually stupid (or is it smart?) enough to believe God works wonders in ordinary, broken people.  Imagine that!
• Second, since we last wrote we have had  5 more monthly services, and have approached 200 folks (mostly unchurched) in attendance twice in the process.  We are really not about numbers (we intend to grow deep before we grow large), but as a church plant that has started from squat in Spring 2009,  I’d be totally lying if I said numbers mean nothing.  Hey, you can’t transform people if you don’t have any people.  Duh!  We have a least 10 baptisms to do this Summer, and that number is just gonna grow. Fact is, we have very little money in the kitty for marketing or anything else for that matter.   But we’re hungry and scratch and claw our way and celebrate over every hungry soul that darkens the door of OC, and finds Jesus.  I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way because we have had to totally rely on Jesus instead of our pocketbooks for success.
• Third,  we just finished another successful Alpha Course that has helped us grow yet another  (our 6th) Connect Group, and now meet in these at different locations on Sundays (there is a youth group here too), Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday Evenings. Feel free to join us at one of these locations!
• Fourth,  Jesus has  answered our prayers about the holes that needed to be filled in our systems by providing us with another great worship leader, an awesome visual/media specialist,  a person with administrative gifts, a wonderful sound tech and a teaching pastor! All these were on our wish list that last time we wrote. Is God amazing or what?
• Fifth, on account of these wonderful provisions , we have been quite comfortable in implementing our next phase strategy leading up to our Grand Opening on 9  /19/10, which is  having regular weekly services the first 3 Sundays of each month. We began this strategy on Easter Sunday.  On the remaining Sundays of each month when we are not having regular services, we will be taking church to the streets by planning fun activities  geared toward meeting and reaching out to those in our surrounding area. Sounds good?

What Still Sucks

While so much great stuff is happening in this casual new NJ church there are some things that still hinder us:

• One is in the area of our children’s ministry. While we offer three Sunday morning classes (Infants to 2 year olds, 3-4 year olds  and K thru 4th grade) we still need  about 50%  from the outside to help staff those classes on a weekly basis.  So please pray for us  in this area? Or maybe you want to volunteer? Thanks!

Overall, I guess that’s about it for now.  Before we leave, let me just say something to those who may be reading about OC  here for the first time, and are wondering what we’re about.  Quite simply, we are a newly forming church that is made up of imperfect, hungry and broken people who are simply doing their best to love Jesus and help others along the way know Him too.   If you’re on a spiritual journey looking for God and a place where you can come as you are, then this is “it”. There is no need to  hide your scars or act like you’re  “perfect” around us, because we won’t act that way around you. Deal?

More About this NJ Church:

Our Mission
Our Core Values
Our Beliefs
Have a Prayer Request?
Times & Directions

Oasis Church Home

Fear of Shame: Oasis-Church-NJ.com Podcast

Oasis-Church-NJ.com presents its second installment of “Fear-What Keeps You Up at Night?”, with Pastor Vince Gimmelli speaking from John 4 where Jesus met the woman at the well who was living a life of brokeness and shame…until she met Jesus face to face!

Oasis Church-4/25/10 Worship at 11AM-Echo Lake Park Picnic 12:30 pm

Yeah, we’re warmly inviting EVERYONE to our first Oasis Church Picnic on 4/25/10 at 12:30 PM. But before that, we are meeting at 11AM at 1180 Spruce Dr in Mountainside for some great worship, and a time of sharing from folks on our TEAM about what our vision for Oasis is all about, and our plans for the future leading up to our September 19, 2010 Grand Opening!

At the picnic which follows there will be fun stuff planned (volleyball, horseshoes, games) and a chance to meet and mingle with not only others at OC, but also those,l in the community around us. Each person or family should bring picnic lunch and join us for some fun!

Echo Lake Park Directions

From Elizabeth:

From Westfield Avenue, take Galloping Hill Road.
Galloping Hill Road will turn into Boulevard in Kenilworth, and then it will turn into “Springfield Avenue through Cranford and Mountainside.
Pass Lenape Park and Nomahegan Park, and about 1/4 of a mile before reaching Route 22, turn left onto Park Drive and proceed into Echo Lake Park.

From Staten Island:

Cross the Goethal’s Bridge and follow signs to Bayway Avenue (NJ 439).
Follow Bayway Avenue and at traffic circle go 1/2 way around and continue straight. Bayway Avenue will turn into Elmora Avenue.
Turn left onto Westfield Avenue (White Castle will be on the left).
Follow directions FROM ELIZABETH above.

From New York City (Route 22 Westbound):

Take the New Jersey Turnpike South to Exit 14.
Follow signs for Route 22 West.
Take Route 22 West approximately 8 – 10 miles to Springfield Avenue.
Take the Springfield Avenue jug handle from the right lane and follow it around,
up and over Route 22.
Take Springfield Avenue approximately 1/4 mile and turn right onto Park Drive.
Proceed into Echo Lake Park.

From West New Jersey (Route 22 Eastbound):

Take Route 22 East into Mountainside.
Pass the Mountainside Municipal Building on the right (just past New Providence Road) and bear right toward Mountain Avenue.
At the Mountain Avenue stop sign, proceed straight into Echo Lake Park.
Follow Park Drive to the other end of the park.

Fear of Failure-Oasis-Church-NJ Podcast

Oasis-Church-NJ.com began it’s Fear Series-”What Keeps You Up at Night?”, by discussing one of the most debilitating forms of fear-the fear of failure. Even spiritual giants like Moses suffered from this, but God is in the business of using people even when we have this kind of phobia.

Sunday 5/16/10 @ 11AM at Oasis-Church-NJ.com

Fear! What’s keeping you up at night? Fear of death? Fear of losing your job? Fear of failure in your relationships?  Fear can be healthy, but without faith it will paralyze you. Join us at 1180 Spruce Dr in Mountainside on 5/16/10 at 11AM as we discuss THE FEAR OF THE FUTURE and find out how to rest easier with what scares the daylights out of you as we tackle this delicate issue. Feel free to invite friends for a time of great contemporary Christian worship, a practical message you can use in real life and some mingling and meeting new friends.

Note: Just a reminder we now meet weekly at OC  for regular services on Sundays at 11AM the first three Sundays of each month. On the 4th Sunday, 4/25/10 at 11AM, we still gather at Oasis for a time of worship and mingling, but then then we “take it to the streets” for fun community outreach projects to help others in our area. On that particular Sunday we are having a picnic at Echo Lake Park.

Oh yeah, if you wanna reach us immediately, you can dial us up at 732-406-7821

More About this NJ Church:

Our Mission
Our Core Values
Our Beliefs
Have a Prayer Request?
Times & Directions

Oasis Church Home

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Easter Message of Hope

Oasis-Church-NJ.com celebrated its first ever Easter Sunday morning with Pastor David Butler sharing his story of how Jesus became real to him. This is a message of hope for everyone. Enjoy!

More About this NJ Church:

Our Mission
Our Core Values
Our Beliefs
Have a Prayer Request?
Times & Directions

Oasis Church Home