Oxford Presbyterian Church

November 20, 2021

Good morning everyone on this chilly North Carolina morning. The Magna Carta of human identity is from Paul’s letter to the Galatians:

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

When humans are hurting, it does not take much to turn them against each other. Our culture right now is witness to this phenomenon. The church is the true counter-witness to a society that fractures along differences of all kinds. Jesus Christ is the one that truly transcends difference and unites human beings to one another. In him is found true righteousness, justice, and love. He is the true hope of humanity. He is the good news among competing versions of bad news.

It is in light of this that I urge you to worship. Worship is our true response to the truth of Jesus Christ and his cross and resurrection. Worship is the thing that equips us to be in the world but not of the world. Worship is the thing that lets us maintain our freedom to love each other and our neighbor and our enemy at a time when our culture is building fences to separate us from one another.

Thus, you are once again invited to participate in one or more of the following worship opportunities:

At 8:08 a.m. on Sundays, we 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 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. 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.

Christ the King Sunday, November 21, 2021:

Scripture reading: Ruth 4:1-22

Sermon title: “Reasonable vs. Right”

Liturgist: Michelle Koeneke

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

8:08 a.m. – Worship in sanctuary with shortrange broadcast on 89.50 FM

11:00 a.m. – Worship with brief Annual Meeting in sanctuary 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

Mission of the Month – This month, our mission emphasis is the collection of donations and foodstuffs for Area Congregations in Ministry (ACIM).

Announcements:

• 23^rd – 7:00  p.m. – Choir meets in Sanctuary

Hey Kids! It’s almost Advent. 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! 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!

Book Club – Will not meet Wednesday or Thursday this week, but will resume the following week at our normal times and places.

Midday Prayer – Will not meet this Wednesday, but will resume the following week in the Sanctuary.

On Sunday, November 28^th, there will be a congregational meeting that will run through both worship services for the sake of electing our elders for the class of 2024. Cathy Yancey will be standing for election.

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

Happy Birthday to: Rachelle Messer – 21^st; Doug McFee – 22^nd; Jackson Barnes – 23^rd

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 The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved;
² your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
³ The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
⁴ More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
more majestic than the waves of the sea,
majestic on high is the Lord!
⁵ Your decrees are very sure;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore. (Psalm 93 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan