Oxford Presbyterian Church

December 12, 2020

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 on Sunday 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 Third Sunday of Advent, December 13, 2020:

Scripture readings: Isaiah 61:1-11 and Luke 1:46-55

Sermon title: “Joy”

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

On our livestream you will see several beautiful poinsettias that decorate our chancel for the next couple of weeks. Thanks to those who purchased them in honor and in memory of loved ones and friends. The attached PDF is a list of the dedications, so be sure to open it.

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:

• 16th – 10:30 a.m. – Morning Scripture and Prayer (and coffee!) on our parking patio behind the church
• 18th – 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.

On Friday afternoon, the Presbyterian Women’s Circle will meet via zoom. Be looking for an email that will provide you with instructions regarding how to attend via a computer or telephone link.

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:  Betsy Sanders – 16th; Sue Bryant – 17th; Emily Hamilton – 19th

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.

¹ When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
² Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
³ The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
⁴ Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
⁵ May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
⁶ Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves. (Psalms 126 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan

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