Debra Lucas, Pastor

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For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not harm, to give you a future with hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NRSV

These words from Jeremiah reflect the spirit of Three Oaks Fellowship. Trusting God's nudging us to relocate from Southeast Roanoke to the Hardy areas, our faith community lives-out its hope in God on a daily basis. Through worship, prayer, study, fellowship, and mission outreach we nurture our hopeful spirit and strive to be a voice of hope for our neighbors who live in Hardy or on the other side of God's world.

Debra Lucas became pastor of Three Oaks Fellowship in the summer of 2002. Challenged and excited about the prospect of relocating an existing faith community, and beginning a new one, she believes that God promises a hopeful future to all. At Three Oaks Fellowship all people are welcomed and accepted within this community of hope.

In 1996, Debra graduated from Emory University's Candler School of Theology with a Master of Divinity. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies and Theology from Eastern Mennonite University. Prior to her ministry with Three Oaks Fellowship, Debra served Bon Air UMC in Richmond as an associate pastor for five years.

Debra lives in Vinton with her husband Boyd. She can be reached at drlucas562@aol.com.

AUGUST 2008

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God- what is good and acceptable and perfect.
-Romans 12:2

While reading through articles about the important, but often overlooked, connection between the transformation of our minds and our faith development, I came across an article by Bob Kaylor, pastor of Park City Community Church (United Methodist) and Senior Writer for the preaching journal, Homiletics. An excerpt from the article follows.

For Paul, real transformation comes not through blind faith but through "the renewing of the mind." In other words, Paul says, you can't be a Christian and think as the world thinks, nor can you be a Christian and neglect the intellect…John Wesley would have said the same thing… Wesley's understanding of how one grows in the knowledge and love of God involved the use of one's reason. In Wesley's understanding, Scripture was the primary source for the life of faith, but Scripture needed to be read through three important lenses: human experience, the tradition of interpretation and through human reason. In other words, you can't read the Bible or understand faith if you check your brains at the door! For Wesley, Christian faith was a marriage of head and heart. As we know so well, we become what we think. Beginning in August and September, studies to think about God through scripture and small group study and our United Methodist Church will be offered. Through these studies, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can work at the renewal and transformation of our minds so that we can discern God’s will for our lives and for Three Oaks Fellowship UMC.

For more detailed information about these studies, see page two of the newsletter.

Pastor Debra