Location

The Oakland Christian Church is located at 25 W. Montgomery St. (on the northwest corner of the town square) in Oakland, Illinois. Oakland is on Illinois Route 133, approximately 30 miles west of the Indiana border, and 14 miles east of Interstate 57.

Worship Services

Our Sunday service schedule is as follows:
• 9 a.m., traditional worship service;
• 10:15-11 a.m., Sunday school and small group studies;
• 11 a.m., contemporary worship service.

Our traditional service attendance ranges from 80 to 125, and our contemporary service ranges from 40 to 75. Sunday school attendance normally runs from 60 to 75 people.

Other regularly scheduled activities are as follows:
• prayer meeting;
• small group adult Bible studies in homes;
• a variety of youth activities for children, preschool through high school (wee worship, Friends, and Jr. High and High School youth groups);
 • a men’s group (Men of Character); and
 • ladies' groups (BCL, Ladies Aid, Moms Group).

Doctrinal Position of the Congregation

Oakland Christian Church is an independent, Bible-believing church with local leadership provided by a board of Elders and a board of Deacons.

Our guide is the Bible. We believe the model for the Church is found in the New Testament, and our desire is to reproduce in doctrine, life, and practice the church founded by Christ. We plea for the unity of all followers of Christ. This is not only a good idea, but also the master plan of Jesus himself in John 17:21.

Our desire is not to separate by names or titles, but rather to unite under the cross of Christ. Our goal is to return to New Testament Christianity and to unite together under the cause of Christ, seeking only that "to God be the glory." To that end, we refuse to take part in foolish controversies or denominationalism. Instead, we strive to maintain the love and unity that Christ prayed for in John 17.

We can accomplish all of that by remembering not what kind of church we are, but whose we are. To that end, we wear no name but the one in the Bible for the followers of Christ – Christian (Acts 11:26). We accept no creeds but Christ (Matthew 16:16). We adopt no rule of faith or practice, but God’s Holy inspired Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We practice only those ordinances commanded by Christ. Our motto is, "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent. In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love." The Oakland Christian Church believes that the Scriptures tell us that immersion is the only method of baptism, and we hold firm to this belief. The Lord’s Supper is offered each Lord’s Day as we feel Jesus directed the New Testament believers, and all believers are welcome to participate.

Mission Statement

The mission of the body of believers in Oakland is to exalt Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, through the preaching of the Gospel to the lost. This is accomplished by equipping the saints in order to restore and maintain Christian family values from the Word of God, by the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit.

Leadership

OCC leadership is based on the New Testament Scriptures. We believe that the Elders' responsibility is to care for and protect the members of the congregation as a shepherd protects his flock. Therefore, the Elders serve in all matters spiritual. We further believe that Deacons serve to take care of the physical needs of the congregation.

An in-depth study of the Scriptures, along with input from leadership professionals, assisted the church leaders in implementing a biblical selection process for Elders and Deacons. Potential leaders are recommended to the Elders, who consider these men based upon prayer and their Biblical qualifications. A course of study developed by the Elders is then completed, and new potential leaders enter a mentoring program. These new leaders are presented to the congregation of believers, and a length of time is allotted for church members to confer with the Elders privately concerning any Biblical reason that would prevent these men from serving. These men are "set apart" after they have completed their mentoring process and will serve the congregation continually until they withdraw from their office, or become Biblically unqualified.

Elders work together to meet the needs of the congregation by calling on shut-ins, taking communion and prayer to those unable to attend due to illness or physical condition, and making hospital visits. Elders rotate into this function officially on a weekly basis.

In addition, OCC has developed several "ministry teams" that deal with day-to-day operations in the areas of property, missions, worship, evangelism and outreach, family life and Christian education

Education

Sunday School classes are held for youth of all ages, and several adult classes are held in which adults choose, on a quarterly basis, which studies they would like to attend.

We have a director of children’s ministries who oversees Sunday School classes from preschool through sixth grade. This person also administers a fall and spring after-school program for first- through fourth-grade students. This 10-week program is by Group Publishers and is titled "Faith Weavers – Friends." Children are picked up at school by volunteers and brought to OCC for the program. Last year, we had approximately 35 to 40 children in this program. The director of children’s ministries also plans and schedules Vacation Bible School each summer. VBS is held for preschool through fifth-grade students; in 2006, we had approximately 50 children attend.

The leadership at OCC is very supportive of our youth programs. At this time, we hold youth group meetings for junior high and high school separately, both meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. each Sunday evening.

Wednesday night prayer meeting at the church and Wednesday and Thursday night adult Bible studies are conducted by volunteer leaders.

Missions

OCC has a very active "missions team." We provide funding for local and worldwide organizations. We have been one of several core churches who have financially supported a missionary in Zimbabwe for more than 20 years. Our team monitors those missions that we sponsor, asks for updates and makes recommendations to the board on additions or cancellations. We budget at least 10 percent of the church income to missions.

Demographics of the Congregation

We also have an average of six to eight shut-ins that we visit and help care for.

History and Physical Properties

The concept of the Oakland Christian Church originated in 1882, and the first church building was constructed in 1890. The current building was constructed in 1930, and expansions were completed in 1964, 1970 (with the acquisition of the adjacent Presbyterian church, which now serves as our "annex") and 2006.

The main church, which is generally in good repair, houses the sanctuary on the top level; the baptistry is located at the front of the sanctuary. The lower level includes four classrooms, a secretary’s office, nursery and two small restrooms.

The basement of the annex – connected to the main building by a concrete tunnel – houses our fellowship hall and kitchen. The sanctuary of the annex was remodeled in 2003 and became “The Hub," a youth center that is opened on weekends and at various other times.

After years of prayer, discussion, congregational input and professional studies, construction started on the new addition in the spring of 2005. The resulting new building addition – which was dedicated in February 2006 – is a tri-level that ties to the older church building on the upper and lower levels. All levels are accessible via stairs or a three-stop elevator. The addition contains a foyer and library at ground level; elsewhere, there are two offices, three classrooms and restrooms. Also included is a new unfinished basement, which we plan to complete as a new fellowship hall and kitchen at a later date. The project cost nearly $500,000, and upon the addition's completion, we felt blessed to have acquired a debt of only $122,000, which is being repaid at present (as of August 2006).

Parking is on the street around the square, but handicap parking and an unloading zone are provided for those with physical difficulties. OCC is one of the dominant properties on the Oakland square, along with approximately six to eight businesses, the post office and two banks.

Budget and Finances

The 2006 budget for OCC is approximately $155,000. The budget is developed by a ministry team, chaired by our church treasurer, a volunteer member of our church board. We use a "line item" format that includes the categories of administration, personnel salaries/benefits, education, evangelism, property, and youth. These categories are broken down into 20-25 sub-categories. The treasurer keeps track of expenditures on a monthly basis, distributes this information to the board and makes it available to the congregation.

Our income is derived by weekly contributions. We print the amounts of our weekly needs and weekly income each week in our church bulletin. Our income has remained stable and has been sufficient to meet our needs for many years. We do not subscribe to a philosophy of building up a church savings, but also are realistic in the need for a reasonable reserve in the case of unforeseen circumstances.

We had been debt-free for many years and only acquired a debt load in 2006 with the completion of our new addition. As explained earlier, this was a $500,000 project; we are working to pay off a loan that currently stands at $122,000 (as of August 2006). We would like to see funds become available to complete our new kitchen and fellowship hall in the new addition, but are intent at this time on extinguishing our debt. Our building fund payment is included in our budget.

Office and Staff

The senior minister’s office is located in the new addition of the church. It is approximately 15’-by-15’ and includes a large closet. There is room for a small conference table in the office. It is wired with the most up-to-date technology. The minister is supplied with a computer and a DSL Internet connection.

OCC has a part-time secretary who is overworked, underpaid, and does a great job like most church secretaries. She does the weekly bulletins, monthly newsletters, monthly calendars, and schedules servers. She coordinates closely with the senior minister, but does not do his typing, filing or office work.

We have a building custodian from the congregation who has 26 years of experience. She completes the normal duties of custodian, including cleaning, monitoring the buildings and coordinating repairs of building problems to the right people. She is well-known and appreciated in the community and even more importantly serves as a witness and ambassador for OCC.

As described in the education section, we have a church member who is our Director of Children’s Ministries. This lady is a full-time school teacher, and she provides this service on a part-time paid basis.

Jr. High and Senior High youth groups are being provided by volunteers at this time. We are re-organizing these programs in an effort to do a better job at reaching these age groups.

Song worship leaders for both services are volunteers and have been in the positions for many years. The 9 a.m. traditional service utilizes piano and organ, and the 11 a.m. contemporary service has a five- to seven-person praise band that includes guitar, drums and keyboard. We also have a church choir that presents special music for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and occasional other events. The choir director and members are volunteer church members.

A husband-and-wife team oversee the operation of The Hub Youth Center and schedule events and volunteer help. They provide this service as volunteers.

Geographic Area

Oakland is located in Coles County in east-central Illinois in a prime agricultural area. Oakland, governed by a system of a mayor and aldermen, is a village that seems much larger than its population of 1,000 indicates. Oakland is very independent, due in large part to the fact that it is 16 miles from any large city. As a result, Oakland offers many services, including its own police department, volunteer fire department and ambulance service staffed with EMT's 24 hours a day. The city has an excellent water/sewer and street department. Until recently, Oakland had maintained a grocery store for generations. It recently closed, but efforts are under way by the Chamber of Commerce and many local individuals to acquire a store again.

Oakland has two gasoline filling stations, two banks, barber and beauty shops, insurance offices, a furniture and carpet store, hardware and lumberyard, car wash, laundromat, two restaurants, a doctor’s office, a paint store, a noodle manufacturing business, a sausage company, a weekly city newspaper, a public library and an active senior center that includes home meal deliveries through the Peace Meal program. Oakland has three other churches in the community, one United Methodist and two Baptist.

Much of Oakland’s economy revolves around agriculture. Most farming is cultivated grain crops, but there are also some livestock farmers remaining in our community. Oakland is the proud home of two of the most prestigious Angus beef cattle herds in the country. Oakland has several agri-based businesses as well. We have one of the largest farm machinery distributors of Case-IH equipment in the area being run by second- and third-generation members of the founding family. In addition, we have a newly renovated, state-of-the-art fertilizer plant that sells and custom-applies all types of farm chemicals. We have a grain elevator and commodities office owned and managed by ADM Company. Oakland also has a wholesale distributorship of all types of grain handling and storage equipment, in addition to a separate retail business that sells grain-handling equipment. One of the largest overhead door companies in east-central Illinois is also located here.

Just recently, announcements were made that Oakland is being considered for a state-of-the-art $1.8 billion facility that will mine local coal and transform it into bio-diesel fuel. If this becomes reality, the plant will employ approximately 600 people.

Oakland has its own independent K-12 school system, which provides approximately 400 students a quality education in a small-classroom environment. Our administrators and teachers assure our graduates are prepared for the work world and college when they graduate. The school also provides a variety of extracurricular activities to the students such as drama, football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf and band. The students are able to become involved in a variety of clubs and organizations as well. The school is the largest employer in our community, is fiscally sound and is managed by our local residents through the board of education. 

Oakland offers many recreational activities as well. It has an excellent nine-hole golf course that is renowned within a 50-mile radius, and a newly renovated public swimming pool and snack bar. Little league and pony league baseball, tee-ball, girls’ softball, and co-ed softball are popular on Oakland Park District ball fields. The Oakland Park District also oversees the activities at two small city parks. The historic Hiram Rutherford home has been maintained to allow people to tour this Civil War-era home that belonged to a prominent physician who was involved in the Underground Railroad. A historical museum on the town square hosts revolving exhibits throughout the year and was one of only six locations in Illinois that displayed a Smithsonian Institution exhibit, "Borders and Fences," in 2005. Walnut Point State Park is only 3 miles north of Oakland and is a beautiful park that offers a restaurant, boating, fishing, hunting, camping and hiking. It is well-managed, clean and safe. Lake Shelbyville and Mill Creek Lake are within an easy hour-or-less drive from Oakland to those who enjoy bigger water opportunities.

Oakland is 16 miles (20 minutes) northeast of Charleston. Charleston, the county seat, has a population of approximately 24,000. It is the home of Eastern Illinois University, which is consistently named one of the top Midwestern public universities in its class by U.S. News & World Report. EIU offers its approximately 12,000 students excellent educational opportunities.

Lake Land College is in Mattoon, approximately 35 miles southwest of Oakland. Many Oakland residents have received education and training at this highly rated community college. Oakland is 14 miles east of Interstate 57, the main north-south route that runs from Chicago to southern Illinois.

Champaign-Urbana is 45 miles north of Oakland, and many people drive to Champaign for work or to attend school at the University of Illinois. With a population of about 100,000, Champaign-Urbana offers all types of cultural, dining and social activities and opportunities. 

Many outstanding health-care facilities with excellent reputations for patient care are available in the area. Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital is a large, full-service facility that is located 25 miles from Oakland, between Charleston and Mattoon on Illinois Route 16. Carle Clinic, Carle Foundation Hospital, Christie Clinic and Provena Covenant Medical Center are in Champaign/Urbana, approximately 45 minutes from Oakland.