Oxford Presbyterian Church

January 16, 2020

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4 NRSV)

Perspective is everything to people of faith. And Paul’s exhortations to the Colossians is every bit as relevant to us today. May we too set our minds on the things that are above, so that our hearts and our minds might be shaped and guided by the heavenly reality of Jesus Christ risen, ascended, and ruling as Lord of world.

Our live-streamed worship will once again be broadcast 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.

As always, 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! More  Faith 4 Five is on the way. The video will be posted 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:

2^nd Sunday after Epiphany, January 17, 2021:

Scripture readings: 1 Samuel 3:1-21, Psalm 139, and John 1:43-51

Sermon title: “What Side?”

Thanks to George and Cathy Yancey and Kathy Webb for providing our music.

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 January and February mission emphasis will be our annual blanket drive with Church World Service.  More information on this critical ministry can be found here: https://cwsblankets.org/.

Announcements:

• 20^th – 10:30 a.m. – Morning Scripture and Prayer (and coffee!) on our parking patio behind the church
• 21^st – 5:30 p.m. – Book Club meets via Zoom to discuss the movie The Shawshank Redemption

On Wednesday mornings, we will continue 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.

Our Book Club has reconvened and will be reading Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory. However, this week we will be discussing the movie The Shawshank Redemption. The movie will be on AMC this Monday, January 18 at 8 p.m. and Tuesday, January 19 at 5 p.m. The movie can also be rented from Amazon Prime and Apple TV. To me, it is the film that is the gift that keeps on giving with regards to its storyline, themes, and motifs. And so I have decided to have our January 21 meeting be a discussion of the movie. Please watch the movie if you can, and even if you cannot you are still welcome to our discussion on Thursday. (The movie has been on so many times on so many different channels over the last quarter-century that I’ve rarely met anyone who has not seen it, and if you saw it ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago, I think you will still find the discussion quite interesting.)

 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:  Peggie Strother – 21st; Peyton Tarry – 21st

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, Francis Kirly, Barbara Laurent, Donnie Messer, Ally Milton, Ade Omokunde, Sowande Omokunde, Jason Parkin, Greg and Dottie Price, Mike Reavis, Lynn Stone, and Alice Evans Woodlief.

¹ Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
² I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
³ As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
⁴ Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.
⁵ The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
⁷ I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
⁸ I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
¹⁰ For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
¹¹ You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan

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