Saying Goodbye to Pastor Bob and Pat Hines - an open letter from your church

Dear Pastor Bob and Pat,

This was not the plan! We were supposed to say goodbye in person, with celebrations, handshakes, and hugs. There should be a sanctuary full of people on your last Sunday - with standing ovations and thanksgiving to God for having been blessed by your leadership for almost 19 years. It seems God has other plans, however, and we have to say goodbye the best way we can under the current circumstances of this pandemic.

So as briefly as we can, we’d like to say thank you.

Thank you, Pat: for being an inspiring woman of God. You have shown grace, kindness, compassion, and love in your service to Oakland Presbyterian Church. You have generously shared your gifts with us from producing the Boar’s Head Pageant to giving your expert reading picks in the monthly Book Nook column. We will miss your calm presence (and your hats), your voice raised in song, and your welcoming smile. Thank you for the years of friendship you have provided to so many.

Thank you, Pastor Bob:

From your staff: thank you for being a calm presence in the ups and downs of ministry. Your leadership style is empathetic, patient, and thoughtful. Thank you for guiding us in such a way that you always seem to be helping us find a solution instead of telling us what to do. You are always sure to talk to us about more than just the work of the church, and we all enjoy your sense of humor and intelligence. We will miss you very much.

From your congregation: thank you doesn’t seem like enough. You are, for many of us, the best preacher we’ve had the privilege of hearing in the pulpit. You have seen us through births, baptisms, sicknesses, marriages, divorces, promotions, job losses, and deaths. And no matter the situation, your presence made a difference in how we handled ourselves. Thank you for your constant encouragement, honesty, support, generosity, and empathetic kindness. We have been proud to have you serving as Pastor of Oakland Presbyterian Church for so many years. You have taught us so much about the Bible and how to be a good Christian. We thank you for reminding us every Sunday that we are forgiven through God’s grace. As you know, we have a long memory here at OPC. 20 years from now our members will probably be telling the new pastor, “Well, Pastor Bob used to do it this way …”

So thank you for your service and leadership. We wish you and Pat well in the future and pray that you will be blessed with health and happiness in the years to come.

- The congregation of Oakland Presbyterian Church

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

- Isaiah 52:7

May 1, 2020 The Oakleaf

Giving Options Available

There are multiple ways to give without being physically present in church on Sunday mornings. Here are the ways in which you can continue to contribute to the mission of our church:

• Mail your giving to us at PO Box 38, Oakland, FL 34760

• Give online at oaklandpres.org/give - there are options to choose on the giving page for those who want to give one time, set up an account, or return to an account already in place

• Text to Give: our newest option lets you give with your smartphone. Simply text OPC2020 to 73256.

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Financial Report

2020 Jan.-Mar. Contributions:

$115,905

2020 Jan. - Mar. Expenses:

$106,112

Balance:

$9,793

Sermons and Readings for May

Pastor Bob’s final sermon series is titled “What I Have Learned in Ministry.” Join us in May for the following messages:

• May 3 - Ecumenical Work Is Hard Work

Ephesians 4:1-16

• May 10 - You Can’t Do What You Can’t Do

Exodus 15:19-21; Philippians 4:10-13

• May 17 - Know Who You Are and Embrace Who You Are

1 Peter 2:4-10

• May 24 - We Serve a Parade of People

Hebrews 12:1-3

• May 31 - Trust God

Jeremiah 29:10-11; Matthew 28:16-20; Psalm 23

From the Pastor

Here it is—the column I have dreaded to write for many months: my last column written as your pastor. Of course, that fact fills me with mixed emotions.

Some may be wondering why I decided to retire at this point, with the current situation. I actually made the decision to retire at age 66 when I was much younger, and I started the wheels in motion weeks before the world changed. After announcing my decision in January, I thought it would be a disservice to the church to change my mind.

I believe it is time for a new voice in the pulpit and new leadership in ministry programs. A new pastor will bring both to Oakland. My retirement is not related to any health issue. We had hoped to travel a lot in the early stages of our retirement, but those plans are on hold for now.

I feel good about the Oakland church as Pat and I take our leave.

• Financially the church is strong;

• OPC has good lay leadership;

• The building is in good shape;

• The staff is dedicated and gifted;

• There are several thriving ministries;

• And Session has hired a very capable interim pastor who will start June 1.

That’s not to say OPC isn’t facing some challenges. The pandemic may create problems that haven’t been seen for a while, perhaps new ones that have never been seen in our country. But I have confidence in this congregation’s ability to cope and move forward, with the help of our mighty God.

So, the most important thing Pat and I want to say is thank you:

• Thank you for all the support and encouragement given through the years.

• Thank you for putting up with all my idiosyncrasies and foibles.

• Thank you for responding positively to so many of my suggestions.

• Thank you for forgiving my mistakes.

• Thank you for listening to my preaching and teaching.

• Thank you, most of all, for welcoming us into your hearts and lives.

These past 18+ years have given me great satisfaction and meaning. While we have enjoyed every church and community we have served (this being our third), Oakland has been our favorite.

With warm regards and a grateful heart,

Pastor Bob

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From Preschool Director Laurie Templin

Mayprilarch the Twentyteenth- in the world of Preschool

During “normal” times I would be writing to you of all the wonderful events that the Preschool has on the schedule for the month of May. Unfortunately these are exceptional times, and the Preschool family has been safe at home since March 13th when we began our Spring Break. During that time, the world of activities we enjoyed, including school, began to truly close down.

The Preschool will not meet again physically during this 2019-20 school year.

We have a private Facebook page for the Preschool families and teachers to keep in touch daily with book reading, singing, or just sharing their smiling faces while they’re safe at home or social distancing.

We are working to make our VPK Graduation a reality, although a “virtual” reality through ZOOM. We look forward to Pastor Bob’s message to his last class of Preschool graduates.

We would like to express our gratitude to the church and all the friends of the church who support the Preschool throughout the school year. We appreciate all your enthusiasm, your prayers, your financial contributions, and your warmth.

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May 4-8 would have been Teacher Appreciation Week. During the pandemic, teachers are doing more than ever to keep our children engaged in learning. Please don’t forget to send your child’s teacher(s) a big thank you in whatever way you can!

Faith Formation with Tiffany

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Congratulations, Ben!

Congratulations to Benjamin Stark, who graduates this month from Lake Minneola High School!

Ben is the son of Marc and LA Stark and brother to Alyssa and Jonathan. He plans to attend college, but is still in the decision-making process. He has been very active with swimming at NTC Aquatics and at Lake Minneola High.

COVID-19

Time Capsule

Graphic designer Natalie Long created this wonderful activity to do with your children. The activity is meant to help children process feelings and to document their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click HERE to download the time capsule.

Children’s Choir and Music Camp Update

With schools closed through the end of the year, we had to face an unwelcome early end to our Children’s Choir program this year. Ms. Bonnie is spending her time at home helping her two grandsons with distance learning. She is also optimistically planning Music Camp activities for this summer. We are still accepting registrations (available on our website HERE), but we do not ask for payment at this time. If a decision is made to cancel camp, we will let you know as soon as possible.

Summer Camps at OPC

At this time, no decision has been made concerning Vacation Bible School. When the decision to cancel or continue with plans for VBS is made, we will share the news.

LEGO Camp HAS been canceled for this summer (both weeks). That decision was not made lightly, but ultimately the leaders of LEGO camp had to make the call to cancel. Many factors went into that decision. Refunds will be issued quickly to those who were registered.

Because this is my last Book Nook, I have featured books that focus on saying goodbye and moving.

Emergent Readers (PK and K):

• Before I Leave by Jessixa Bagley. This book shows the difficulty of moving away and leaving a best friend.

• Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! By Cori Doerrfeld. Using the friendship of two children, Doerrfeld shows the transition of how saying goodbye, or closing one door, can open a new opportunity, or a new hello.

• Goodbye House by Frank Asch. A young bear is moving and must say goodbye to his house. Although goodbyes are hard, the memories stored up within a place, or with people, can be forever preserved inside of us.

Primary (Grades 1 and 2):

• Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3 by Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan. Mrs. McBee employs various ways to help her students prepare for her upcoming departure (perhaps retirement).

• Oh No! Time to Go! A Book of Goodbyes by Rebecca Doughty. A young boy shares the many ways people say goodbye before telling about his worst goodbye ever.

Intermediate (Grades 3, 4, and 5):

• Ira Says Goodbye by Bernard Waber. Ira’s best friend, Reggie, is moving to a new town. This makes Ira sad, especially when Reggie brags about how great the move is going to be.

• A Long Line of Cakes by Deborah Wiles. Emma Alabama Lane Cake is part of an itinerant family that moves from place to place and sets up bakeries. It seems that every time she makes a true friend, her family is uprooted. Emma is tired of always saying goodbye and goes about trying to get her family to stay put.

Family Reading:

• Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss. This story, told in rhyme, encourages everyone to continue proceeding in life no matter what.

“ You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!”

~ Dr. Seuss

The Book Nook with Pat Hines

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The Session of Oakland Presbyterian Church is still taking precautions and following guidance set forth by national and local leaders. Until further notice -

• Worship will be online only at 11:00 am via Facebook live stream. Sermons are also added to

our You Tube channel. Be sure to check for links and worship resources in the Friday emails. If you are not on our email list, please let us know you’d like to subscribe by emailing Stacey at welcome@oaklandpres.org.

• Meetings, activities, and events continue to be canceled.

• We will celebrate virtual Communion on Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 10). Stay tuned for details!

• Our staff will continue to work from home and we are all doing our best to stay in contact. If

you have any questions or concerns, you can still call us on the church number. As the Session makes decisions about what comes next, we will be sure to update you through every communication channel we have at our disposal.

• Session has hired Rev. Dr. Paige McRight as our interim Pastor effective June 1, 2020. We will

introduce her to our church family in the June newsletter and through our other communication channels.

• The retirement celebrations to honor Pastor Bob and Pat are postponed until a date in the

future yet to be determined.

Miscellaneous Church Updates

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Donations to the CSC Doubled Now Through May 15

Donate to the Christian Service Center this month! The CSC

serves our local community through its Daily Bread, Love Pantry, and Emergency Services. Now through May 15, 2020 all donations made to the CSC will be doubled up to a goal of $50,000 through the Chloe Memorial Matching Gift. This matching gift serves as a legacy to 5-year-old Chloe by helping to prevent homelessness, alleviating hunger, and bringing hope for the thousands of impoverished families and individuals who turn to the CSC in their time of need.

For more information on the CSC and/or to make a donation, visit their website HERE.

*All contributions made between April 1 and May 15 will be automatically assigned to and doubled by the Chloe Memorial Matching Gift. If you have any questions about this timeframe for giving, please call the CSC at 407-425-2523 ext. 230.

There is one more thing I want to share as I wind up my ministry here at Oakland. I want to express my deepest gratitude to my wife, Pat, who has been my constant companion in ministry. Had we been able to do some kind of a farewell event, this is something I would have shared. Pat has been my biggest cheerleader and encourager, as well as the voice of sound reason when I wanted to do something stupid. She saved me on many occasions from doing something I would have regretted.

As we raised our kids, she was a stay at home mom, doing most of the cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. She was there to welcome the kids home from school when they got off the bus and to hear all about their day. We sacrificed income for that to happen, but that was our choice. Most of the time, we believe it was the right choice for us. If you know our kids, you quickly realize they get their smarts from their mother. And she has become a wonderful grandmama to our three grandkids.

Pat has managed our finances in such a way that we were always able to take a month-long vacation when our kids were in

school. We even went to Scotland one summer and did a pulpit exchange. We had our kids in 48 states before they graduated from high school. Truth be told, we often had to camp in a tent to take those vacations - and she is done with camping, to be sure. But we always did a big family vacation because we felt that was important for our family.

Though she willingly stood in my shadow, Pat is not without great talent and ability herself. She has written two books that were published (not self-published!), three Christian drams that were published, and one children’s Christmas musical that was published (music and lyrics). She also wrote countless articles as a “stringer” for a newspaper in Ellwood City.

After we moved to Oakland, she found work as a librarian or media specialist in local schools and did an amazing job in a field where she excelled.

She was deeply involved in the communities where we lived in Ohio and Pennsylvania through Women’s Clubs. She served as a county and state officer for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs while we lived in PA. And since we have lived in Oakland, she has sung with the Praise Team, taught adult and children’s Sunday school classes, and directed the Boar’s Head Pageant for the five years it ran at OPC. Her latest endeavors include organizing the Family Faith Walks and contributing the Book Nook articles for the Oakleaf. She is no slouch!

I like to tell people that I was a nerdy kid in high school (and I was!). Most of the cheerleaders (who were part of the “in crowd”) in my school wouldn’t talk to me except as a kindness. None of them would give me a second look as a dating option. When I met Pat in college, I quickly discovered that she had been a cheerleader in her school. I didn’t think I stood a chance with her. But I knew I was going to marry her the first time I met her (true story). It took me almost a year to convince her to go steady with me, but at las she gave in to my persistence, and we have been together ever since. I am sure some of my classmates wondered, “What does she see in him?” In fact, one of our church members often said to me, “How did you get so lucky to marry such a beautiful woman?” And several times people have assumed she is my daughter! I just laugh to myself and conclude that God is good and I am the most blessed man alive.

So, for all she has done for me and with me through the years, I want to thank my beautiful, intelligent, loving wife - the mother of our children, my constant companion, and life-long sweetheart.

- Pastor Bob

One More Thing

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The Oakleaf is the monthly newsletter of Oakland Presbyterian Church. We welcome all visitors to worship on Sundays!

Early Service: 8:45 am * Traditional Service: 11:00 am * Sunday School: 9:45 am

218 E Oakland Ave, Oakland, FL 34760.

Office phone: 407-656-4452 * Office fax: 407-656-8201

Web: https://.oaklandpres.org * Email: welcome@oaklandpres.org

Reverend Dr. Robert P. Hines, Jr. - Pastor

Derek Blakeslee - Treasurer

Diane Flagler - Organist/Pianist

Stacey Gillespie - Office Administrator

Tiffany Goggans - Director of Christian Education

Jim Gordon - Property Manager

Bonnie Litteral - Director of Children’s Choirs

Michael Shortal - Director of Music

Alecia D. Spence - Business Manager

Laurie Templin - Preschool Director

Heidi Wingard - Youth Director

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious … and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

- Walt Disney