Oxford Presbyterian Church

December 5, 2020

Tomorrow is the Second Sunday of Advent, the day we will light the candle that symbolizes love. For the church, love begins not inside ourselves but outside of us. Love comes to us in the action of God in Jesus Christ. With tomorrow being the first Sunday of the month, we will also celebrate communion, the supreme act of Christian worship where the offering that is made is not what we give to God, but what God gives to us: “This is my body, given for you; my blood, shed for you.” This is the love that the candle symbolizes.

In all of our worship mediums (livestream, radio, PDF, and live in the sanctuary) communion will be included in the liturgy. How are we to share one loaf and one cup from the table when we are separated? Easy. Simply furnish your own elements of bread and cup and then at the appointed time in the liturgy, partake in the elements you have. For the sake of continuity it is recommended that you have bread and wine (or grape juice). If you find yourself without those elements simply use a reasonable substitute—if a Christmas cookie is all that is available, better that than no element at all! The liturgy for communion will also be sent out with the bulletin later today.

Our live-streamed worship will again be broadcast from the sanctuary via Facebook Live. Worship begins at 10:00 a.m. If you have a computer or tablet or smartphone with an internet connection, you should be able to receive the stream. You do not need to have a Facebook account to participate. Our stream appears on the church’s Facebook page which is here à https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/. If you miss the broadcast, the service will remain on our Facebook page for the next several days. If you have prayer requests or announcements, please email them to me (opcpastor@ncrrbiz.com) or text them to me (919-323-7192) and they will be included in the worship.

Our worship is also being broadcast on WCBQ 1340 on the AM radio dial at 3 p.m. on Sundays. If you are not a computer hound, then the radio broadcast of our worship is an easy way to listen in and participate. If you know of someone in our community that does not do computers or finds them frustrating to use, please let them know of this alternative.

The Sunday worship bulletin will appear in your emailbox late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, complete with hymns and sermon so that you may have your own house-church worship. Worship is always critical, but especially at a time like this. Our faithful witness in this difficult time and world is nourished by lifting our hearts to the Lord. As always, you can listen to sermons through our website right here à https://oxfordpres.org/media/#sermons, and at The Oxford Exchange, found here à http://theoxfordexchange.blubrry.net/.

Hey kids! The Advent series of Faith 4 Five continues in the morning. As always, the video will be posted tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. Continue to tune in every week and watch for five minutes of fun and learning about God’s love. The video can be viewed on the church’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/. You do not need to have a Facebook account to watch.

Our website, www.oxfordpres.org, has calendars, newsletters, the OPC WEEKLY, sermons, and even ways to give your offerings (right here à https://oxfordpres.org/give/). It is a great resource in times like these.

Oxford Presbyterian Church also has an offerings drop-box situated next to the door on the back side of the church at the top of the ramp if you want to drop off an offering. Or, you can mail offerings to Oxford Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 652, Oxford, NC 27565. They will be collected and deposited.

Here is our schedule for the week:

The Second Sunday of Advent, December 6, 2020:

Scripture readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8

Sermon title: “Where is the love?”

9:00 a.m. – Faith 4 Five video posted at https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/

10:00 a.m. – Worship via Facebook Live. The stream can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/

3:00 p.m. – Worship broadcast on WCBQ 1340 AM

Mission of the Month – Our December offering is the annual Christmas Joy Offering that supports retired Presbyterian ministers here and current Presbyterian ministers abroad. For more information go here à https://specialofferings.pcusa.org/offering/christmas-joy/.

Announcements:

• 9th – 10:30 a.m. – Morning Scripture and Prayer (and coffee!) on our parking patio behind the church
• 10th – 5:30 p.m. – Book Club discussion of Paper Angels by Jimmy Wayne via Zoom

On Wednesday mornings, we are gathering for a brief time to read scripture and to pray. If you would like to join your brothers and sisters, we ask that we each bring a chair if possible (if not you can use a folding chair from the church), that we observe our distance (6ft from each other), and that we mask. Please come and take the opportunity to safely fellowship, and to lift up one another and our world to God in prayer.

The book club is meeting Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. We are continuing discussing Jimmy Wayne’s Paper Angels, a story inspired by his own experience of being gifted by an Angel Tree ministry. Please let Alan know if you are interested in joining the group.

Thanks to the usual suspects that have decorated our church with greenery for the Advent season, and thanks to any new partners in blessing that joined them in their loving ways.

Our dear friend Ann Williams Currin passed away last evening after a brief stay at Granville Medical Center. Ann was a tremendous friend and companion in the faith to so many of us for a very long time, and she so missed seeing all of you while she was shut in at Whitmore Retirement Center these past several months. She deeply loved the people of Oxford Presbyterian Church. Ann’s funeral is a private graveside service today at Elmwood Cemetery due to COVID concerns, and her family regrets the necessity of these arrangements but is grateful for our understanding. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Ann’s name may be made to Oxford Presbyterian Church. Ann’s obituary can be read here: https://www.eakesfuneralhome.com/index.php/2020/12/04/ann-williams-currin/.

The OPC Missions Committee will again sponsor the traditional Angel Tree ministry this December. Because of restraints brought on by COVID-19, the process will be simplified greatly. Those wishing to may support the ministry which provides Christmas gifts and needed items to selected children and senior adults. To facilitate the Angel Tree this year, church family members are asked to make monetary donations through the regular tithes and offerings. Funds will be allocated to purchase Wal-Mart gift cards for the ”Angels.”  If you have questions, please contact Angie Arnold or Ellen Gould.

As customary, we will decorate the chancel with poinsettias for Christmas. If you would like to purchase one in memory or honor of a loved one please let Carol Barnes know by December 10^th. You can text her, call her, email her or leave a message in her box at the church. Her contact information is in the church directory. The poinsettias will be purchased from Fishing Creek Nursery for $12.00 each, a local business that we are able to support. The flowers will be in church on December 13^th and December 20^th. After worship on the 20^th you can pick them up to take home for Christmas.

Volunteer opportunity: ACIM (Area congregations in ministry) is in need of volunteers who can unpack boxes of food and place food items on shelves. Times to serve are Tuesday and Thursday at 6PM. Saturday mornings are also a possibility. If you would like to serve, please call ACIM at 919-690-0961.

Happy Birthday to:  Paul Hesse – 6th; Ashlee Morgan – 9th; David Barnes – 10th

Prayers for: Frank Anderson, Becky and Isabella Baird, Betty Baynes, Michael Boyd, Cynthia Broaddrick, Linda and Mike Diamond, Charlene Dickey, Randy Downey, Julie Gaydon, Marlene Grenier, Fred Heath, Hannah Hobgood, Marie Hobgood, Terry Hobgood, Cotina Jones, Barbara Laurent, Carlis Laws, Donnie Messer, Ally Milton, Jacob Parkin, Greg and Dottie Price, Mike Reavis, Lynn Stone, Kathy Webb, and Alice Evans Woodlief.

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps. (Psalms 85:8-13 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan

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