Oxford Presbyterian Church

March 6, 2021

Good morning everyone,

Attached are a letter and two forms that went out Wednesday via US Postal Service and so some of you will be getting these attachments twice. They are from Judy Miller, the chair of our Finance Committee. Please take the time to read them as they relate to our stewardship for the year 2021. Pledge Form 2021Stewardship Letter JudyTime and Talent 2021

The second session of the OPC Annual Lenten Bible Study has been recorded and can be viewed on our Facebook page. If you are interested in catching up with our first session, just go here à  https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/.

Our live-streamed Sunday 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.

In our livestream, Communion will be included in the liturgy. You will need to 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. The liturgy for Communion will also be sent out with the bulletin later today.

Please note, in certain web browsers sometimes our livestream does not appear due to bugs on the Facebook side (meaning they have to make repairs). So far, we have found Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari to be the most reliable browsers for our livestream (more than Microsoft Edge or Microsoft Internet Explorer). If our livestream does not appear on Sunday morning, try a different browser and see if that makes the difference. Thanks.

Our worship is also 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! Another 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:

3^rd Sunday in Lent with Communion March 7, 2021:

Scripture readings: Mark 9:30-41

Sermon title: “What were you talking about on the way?”

Thanks to Walter and Ellen Gould 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 monthly mission emphasis for March will be the Children’s Hope Alliance. The Alliance is the ministry of the Barium Springs Home for Children and the Grandfather Home for Children, two residences that provide hope and healing for at-risk and hurting children and families. Online gifts can be made here à https://www.childrenshopealliance.org/donate/.

Announcements:

• 10^th– 10:30 a.m. – Morning Scripture and Prayer (and coffee!) on our parking patio behind the church
• 11^th – 5:30 p.m. – Annual Lenten Bible Study via Zoom

During the season of Lent, our Book Club is converting to the Oxford Presbyterian Church’s Annual Lenten Bible Study. We will convene at 5:30 p.m. for five Thursdays in Lent via Zoom. Our link will be recirculated every week. Everyone is welcome! If you cannot join us you can still catch up on our conversation by going to our Facebook page where you will find the video of our study. Just go here: https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/.

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.

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

Happy Birthday to: Becky Baird – 11^th; Frances Tarry – 11^th; Cynthia Yancey – 12^th; Herb Morton – 13^th; Tristan McFee – 13^th

¹ The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
² Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
³ There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
⁴ yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
⁵ which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
⁶ Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hid from its heat.
⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
⁸ the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
⁹ the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.
¹¹ Moreover by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
¹³ Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan

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