RELATIONALLY AUTHENTIC
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
OMPC continues to be a church who invites people in and provides opportunities for people to connect with one another as they grow deeper in their relationship with the Lord. Take a moment to review some highlights in ministries from 2025!
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Strength in Weakness: Fourth year of our Women’s Ministry hosting an event where our women testify to God’s faithfulness and strength in their times of weakness, suffering, sin and difficulty.
Women’s Beach Retreat: Over 75 women traveled to beautiful 30A for a weekend of rest and connection with the Father and one another. This year’s theme verse was John 15:9 - “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”
“Can We Do It All?”: The Fall event welcomed author, theologian and speaker Kelly Kapic to discuss how our human limits are by God’s good design. This event spilled over into great discussion among OMPC Staff and Leadership and is the launchpad for our 2026 Women’s Winter Study based out of Kapic’s devotional. We had over 225 women attend this event!
Women’s Crafting & Connecting Christmas Event: Our Women’s Ministry closed the year with a light-hearted time of connecting with one another and getting a taste of the upcoming Women’s Winter Study out of Kelly Kapic’s devotional. Over 75 women were led in a fun craft by OMPC Member Vallie Pate and had the opporutinty to connect at the start of the holiday season.
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Low Country Boil: The Fall kicked off with a Low Country Boil, inviting men to connect to community at OMPC for the start of a new “school calendar” year. Over 50 men attended this event.
Men’s BBQ: Our November Event was not only a night of great BBQ Meat but also involved various breakout sessions on topics ranging from automotive and home repair to family discipleship. Over 75 men attended this great event!
Men’s Scripture & Fellowship: All throughout the year, Dax Gibson led men on Thursday mornings through a time of reading and discussing the scripture from the week’s Seeing Jesus Together Reading Plan.
Men’s BBQ Lunches: Mark Long met men monthly at Creekside BBQ for a time of relational connecting and talking through the “real stuff” of life!
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Life After College Conference: Pastor of College and Young Professionals, Walker Byrd, has a heart for helping college students transition well from “college life” to “real life,” and therefore envisioned the Life After College Conference. This was the second year he has hosted this conference in an effort to have meaningful discussion with college students to prepare them spiritually, mentally and emotionally for “Life After College”!
Young Professionals Coffee Connection: Both the men and the women gather (separately) on Thursday mornings throughout the year for relational connection and also bible study, allowing them to dive deeply into relationship with one another and understanding of God’s Word.
Other YoPro Events: Theology on Tap, The Table, Trivia Night, and more! Our Young Professionals Ministry seeks to provide meaningful, connecting opportunities and is continuing to grow deeper and wider as a ministry.
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As usual, our Forerunners Ministry was active and engaged in the church, community and beyond in 2025! From seasonal gatherings, to game nights, to ministry-combined events with youth and young professionals, the Forerunners connected deeply with one another and with others in the church! In addition, they took a few trips this year including one to the Biltmore in Asheville, NC and to Nashville for Christmas.
One highlight for the Forerunners are the Lifelong Learning Seminars that they host a few times a year.
WOMEN’S MINISTRY
BEACH RETREAT RECAP
MEN’S MINISTRY
FORERUNNERS
COLLEGE/YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
ENGAGING OUR NEIGHBORS
We were blessed with a beautiful day of weather to have our Oak Kids Eggstravaganza all outdoors this year! We had over 300 people from our church and community, and even more exciting was the collaboration between our Children’s and Youth Ministries to put on this event. While our Children’s Ministry hosted the Egg Grab and inflatables/after party, the Youth House provided hamburgers fresh from the grill to fundraise for their Summer Missions Trip!
While our Fall Fest didn’t go as planned, we were able to pivot and have a church family dinner indoors! Walker Byrd and the Young Professionals grilled us an appetizer of Conecuh Sausage and Bacon-Wrapped Jalepenos, and all families were then invited into the Gym for some Full Moon BBQ and fellowship. Despite the weather pivot, it was a great night for diving deeper into community at OMPC!
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
There is never a dull moment in Children’s Ministry - especially during the Summer! Each year we kick off the Summer with VBS, followed by 3 weeks of Crazy Days of Summer, then Bloom Creative Arts Camp for Girls and concluding with Pine Cove City! While these camps are fun-filled and action-packed, the most important aspect of every moment of camp is to plant seeds in the hearts of the children with the love of Christ and truth of gospel.
Check out some stats, photos and videos from our Summer in Oak Kids below!
Record-high, over 450 children attended VBS! (ages rising K-6th)
Over 260 Adult & Youth Serve Team members made this amazing week happen!
165 Rising 3rd-7th Grade Girls attended Bloom!
25 Adult Serve Team Members (plus Youth Counselors!)
Over 380 children participated in Crazy Days of Summer throughout the month of June!
187 children rising 1st-6th grade attended Pine Cove City
In addition, part of hosting Pine Cove City at OMPC includes OMPC families serving as “Host Homes” to the counselors who work the week. 10 OMPC Families opened their homes to Pine Cove Counselors for the duration of the week!
YOUTH MINISTRY
Our Youth Ministry is also VERY active in the Summer, with retreats for JrHi (The Edge) and SrHi (Beach Retreat) in June, and the SrHi Missions Trip in June. In addition, the Youth keeps our 7th-12th graders engaged with weekly events and Sunday Night worship gatherings. During the School Year, our Youth gather multiple times a week for JrHi or SrHi Night at the YH, D-Groups, Bible Studies, morning breakfast, and special events. Our year concludes with the JrHi Getaway Retreat in November and SrHi Winter Advance over New Years week.
The goal is for our Youth to grow in relational authenticity with one another, have opportunities to easily invite friends in to the community at OMPC, and of course to grow deeper in their relationships with the Lord.
Stats and videos below!
61 JrHi Students attended The Edge at Covenant College!
72 JrHi Students went on The Getaway in November.
85 SrHi students went on the beach retreat (compared to 71 in 2024!)
64 SrHi Students are registered for 2025 Winter Advance!
