Oxford Presbyterian Church

December 19, 2020

I am so excited for worship this week. First, tomorrow morning our congregation has the great pleasure of witnessing the baptism of Merritt James Taylor. We hope that you will tune in to watch. Members of session will be present to take congregational vows on our behalf where we commit to loving Merritt and supporting Laura and Will in word and in deed as witness to God’s love for them. But you can partake in your vows by tuning in and confessing them yourselves.

Second, on Thursday afternoon we will celebrate Christmas Eve worship with our brothers and sisters of Timothy Darling Presbyterian Church. At 3 p.m., we will have a “drive-in” worship service in the vacant lot next to the Timothy Darling building at 123 W. McClanahan St. From our cars, we will hear the Christmas story read from the prophets and Gospels, offer up prayers of thanksgiving and praise, and light our candles. Please come and join your brothers and sisters in the celebration of the incarnation of Jesus Christ!

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 Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 20, 2020:

Scripture readings: Luke 1:26-38

Sermon title: “The Right Question: How can this be?”

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

10:00 a.m. – Worship with baptism of Merritt James Taylor 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.  You are free to collect them after the worship hour.

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:

• 23^rd – 10:30 a.m. – Morning Scripture and Prayer (and coffee!) on our parking patio behind the church
• 24^th – 3:00 p.m. – Drive-In Christmas Eve Worship at Timothy Darling, 123 W McClanahan St

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.

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:  None this week

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, Donnie Messer, Ally Milton, Jacob Parkin, Greg and Dottie Price, Mike Reavis, Lynn Stone, Kathy Webb, and Alice Evans Woodlief.

¹ I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
² I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
³ You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to my servant David:
⁴ ‘I will establish your descendants forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’”

 ¹⁹ Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:
“I have set the crown on one who is mighty,
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
²⁰ I have found my servant David;
with my holy oil I have anointed him;
²¹ my hand shall always remain with him;
my arm also shall strengthen him.
²² The enemy shall not outwit him,
the wicked shall not humble him.
²³ I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
²⁴ My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;
and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
²⁵ I will set his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
²⁶ He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’ (Psalms 89:1-4, 19-26 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan

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