Oxford Presbyterian Church

December 17, 2021

Good evening everyone.

Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. In addition to the sanctuary beautifully decorated with greenery, the lovely poinsettias we have all ordered will again be on display. Be sure to come and pick up the poinsettias you ordered and take them home after our 11 a.m. worship service.

We invite you to participate in one or more of the following worship opportunities:

At 8:08 a.m. on Sundays, we will once again have our early worship service that now meets in the sanctuary. If you want to come and remain in your automobile, you may park on Gilliam Street and turn your FM radio dial to 89.50 and you will be able to listen to the worship service.

At 11:00 a.m. we will gather together in our sanctuary for our Service for the Lord’s Day.

 Our 11:00 a.m. service is also be broadcast via Facebook Live if you are unable to join us. Our livestream had no sound last Sunday (one solitary button not pressed!), but the problem has been rectified. 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.

At 3:00 p.m., our worship is also broadcast on WCBQ 1340 on the AM radio dial. 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. Please note that as we have returned to in-person congregational worship, the radio broadcast of each service is aired the following Sunday.

The Sunday worship bulletin for those who are unable to join us 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. 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/. Sermons are posted the Tuesday following the Sunday they were preached.

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/).

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.

Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 19, 2021:

Scripture readings: Micah 5:2-5a and Luke 1:39-56

Sermon title: “Warning: Christmas is Coming”

Liturgist: Anna Parham

Lighter of the Advent Candles: Rachelle Messer

Thanks to Carolyn Steger, Judy Miller and Cathy Yancey, and Kathy Webb for leading our music.

7:00 a.m. – Faith 4 Five available for viewing on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/

8:08 a.m. – Worship in sanctuary and Pennies for Hunger collection with shortrange broadcast on 89.50 FM

11:00 a.m. – Worship in sanctuary and Pennies for Hunger collection also broadcast 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

Cathy Yancey will be installed as ruling elder during our 11 a.m. worship service.

Mission of the Month – Our December mission emphasis 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:

• 21^st – 12:30  p.m. – Midday Prayer meets in sanctuary
• 24^th – 2:00  p.m. – Christmas Eve worship at Timothy Darling Presbyterian Church also broadcast via Facebook Live.

Hey Kids! Advent is here! Don’t you want to know “Who is on the way?” There is an Advent Activity Packet made just for you. You can learn about some symbols of Advent and have a little fun along the way. Some activities are on paper and some will show up each Sunday morning on Facebook Live’s Faith 4 Five! (You can watch here: https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/.) Request your Advent Activity Packet by calling or emailing Ellen Gould. Copies will also be available for pick up at the church. Activities are appropriate for school-age kids and all former kids. Don’t miss out on the Advent fun!

Pennies for Hunger – Will be collected during both worship services.

 Book Club – Will resume meeting in the New Year on Wednesdays at Strong Arm Baking Company and Thursday at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company and via Zoom. Come join us as we will jump into a new book!

Midday Prayer – Will meet this week on Tuesday, December 21^st.

Prayers for: Frank Anderson, Becky and Isabella Baird, Betty Baynes, Michael Boyd, Cynthia Broaddrick, Linda and Mike Diamond, Randy Downey, Julie Gaydon, Marlene Grenier, Millie Hartford, Heather Hightower, Randall Hightower, Hannah Hobgood, Cotina Jones, Barbara Laurent, Wiley Leonard, BK McCloud, Donnie Messer, Laura Messer, Jeanette Owens, Jason Parkin, Greg and Dottie Price, Mike Reavis, Kelly Ann Sterner, Lynn Stone, Melvin Weaver, and Alice Evans Woodlief.

Happy Birthday to: Emily Hamilton – 19^th

Remember to utilize our website! – www.oxfordpres.org.

Also, if you are on Facebook, please friend us here:

And if you are on Twitter, please follow us here:

¹ Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
² before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!
³ Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
⁴ O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
⁵ You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
⁶ You make us the scorn of our neighbors;
our enemies laugh among themselves.
⁷ Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved. (Psalms 80:1-7 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan