Current Programs

The Beatitudes

An 8-week Journey Series (January 19th - March 9th, 2025). This program will consist of weekly Sunday services, and small groups meeting throughout the week. Email here if you'd like to join a small group.

When Jesus stood before a crowd of people to deliver His most famous sermon–the Sermon on the Mount–He began by calling out blessings for eight different groups of people. These blessings, later called the Beatitudes, set the stage for some of Jesus’s most important teachings about life, heaven, and God. Over these eight weeks, we will look at each one of these beatitudes in its own light and hear a story from the Word that illustrates each one. How can we see ourselves in all eight of these groups, and what messages do they send us about how we can grow closer to the Lord? Let’s find out together. 

This Sunday we will kick off our 8-week series on the Beatitudes with an offering of Holy Supper. The service will focus on the first beatitude: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of God." We will hear a story from the Gospel of Luke that compares two men and shows the value of being "poor in spirit." How does approaching the Lord with humility open us up to receiving life from Him?

Discussion Questions for Week 1: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

Which of the beatitudes do you identify with the most?

• They are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake
• Have you identified with different of these groups at different times in your life?

What can we do if we find ourselves feeling “better” than others?

• How can we catch ourselves and try to replace that feeling of pride with some humility?

What are ways that we can try to cultivate humility in our lives?

• Humility doesn’t seem like a “skill” but it is something that takes practice! What are some things we can do to help us focus on humility?

Week 2 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted

Week 3 – Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth

Week 4 – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled

Week 5 – Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy

Week 6 – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God

Week 7 – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God

Week 8 – Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Previous Programs

“Rise Above It” - Spiritual Development Through the Ten Commandments

This spiritual growth program, developed and refined over the years by a New Church minister and his wife, is a spiritual guidebook for modern daily life.  This practical, inspiring program shows how each commandment occurs in all the major world religions and how we can apply it to our own modern daily lives.  Fascinating, thoughtful comments and stories from years of participants in many walks of life are included.

The first part of this 6-week program ran in January & February of 2023, and the second half in Winter of 2024..

Participants can follow along on their own with daily readings and weekly Sunday services. The daily readings are from the book "Rise Above It" by Ray & Star Silverman. Available for $10 from the Oak Arbor front office.

Contact us for more information

New Church 101.

What is the purpose of life? Who is God? Is life eternal? If there is a heaven, how do we get there? Does life get better than this?

The core teachings of the New Church do provide some really wonderful and satisfying answers to these questions. Perhaps more important than the answers themselves, however, is the attitude we have in seeking them. In the New Church, we endeavor to seek truth for the sake of truth, and good for the sake of good, asking the Lord to help us maintain an "innocent" state of mind. True innocence is defined by our willingness to be led by the Lord.

Would you like to learn more about the New Church and its core teachings? hen consider signing up for the six-week introductory program! Whether you are brand new to Oak Arbor, or have been around for years and want a refresher, this program, and companion workbook provide for an engaging and satisfying exploration of the New Church system of theology.

These classes have ended for 2021-2022. Please contact Pastor Steven if interested in future classes.

“When You Pray” 

A 4-week Small Group Journey Program.

This took place January 23rd - February 20th, 2022 

If you'd like to work through this on your own, you can download the workbook and watch the services below.

Program Description

Jesus said: “When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray your Father in Heaven who is in the secret place.” (Matthew 6:6)

There is an interesting assumption when Jesus said this just before teaching His disciples the words we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. By saying “when you pray” He assumes that we are praying. Do you pray? Regularly? Mornings and evenings, and at meal times? When you pray, what is your practice of prayer like? Does it help? 

If you are like a lot of people, prayer is something that you know is useful, and you do it sometimes, when you remember or are reminded, but most likely the full purpose and use of prayer remains a bit mysterious. Prayer, however, is one of the most important things we can do for our spiritual life and emotional stability. Prayer is a very powerful and necessary part of our reformation and rebirth, and one of our greatest tools in caring for our neighbors. 

“When You Pray” takes a deep dive into the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus taught it, and on what His Word teaches us about prayer and how to pray, and it seeks to help participants establish a meaningful practice and habit of prayer.