Oxford Presbyterian Church

November 21, 2020

Christ the King Sunday is tomorrow. It is a relatively new feast day in the church calendar, having been instituted in the early 20^th century by both Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church who sensed a need for a renewed witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over the world. Nation-states had fought one another in World War I with devastating consequences, and Christ the King Sunday was a liturgical response to a world that increasingly defined itself by nationalism and secularism. Jesus Christ lives and reigns, and it is to our peril when we forget his loving rule.

At Oxford Presbyterian Church, we have made it our habit to thank our out-going elders for their service on the Session, to ordain and/or install our-incoming elders to leadership, and to recognize those who have joined our church in membership during the past year. We will do so again this year, but will have to postpone the reception we have following worship where we celebrate our elders and members. Please tune in as we say thanks to Jim Ingram and Paul Shelton, as we install Judy Miller and Margaret Harris, as we ordain and install Kathy Webb, and as we recognize and meet Woody and Adrienne Morton.

Our live-streamed worship will 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 next posting of Faith 4 Five, the five-minute weekly video that is specially produced for you, will be tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. I encourage each of you to tune in every week and watch. It is five minutes of fun! 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:

Christ the King Sunday, November 22, 2020:

Scripture readings: Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon title: “A King-Oriented Identity”

9:00 a.m. – Pennies for Hunger and ACIM donation drive-by

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 November mission emphasis continues to be donations to Area Congregations in Mission (ACIM). Both monetary and food donations are welcome.

Announcements:

Last Sunday, November 15^th, at 3:30 p.m., Jessica and Joe Sharon welcomed Dellarose Faith Sharon into the world. She weighed 9 lbs., 3 oz., and was 19 inches in length. There will be a rose visible in the Livestream on Sunday morning in honor of Dellarose.

Also, the lovely cornucopia of fruit that adorns our worship table right now is once again the gift of Mary Ann Antley.

Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, there will not be Weekly Prayer on Wednesday or Book Club via Zoom on Thursday. They will both resume the following week at their normal times.

The OPC Missions Committee will again sponsor the traditional Angel Tree ministry this December. Because of restraints brought on by COVID-19, the process will be simplified greatly. Those wishing to may support the ministry which provides Christmas gifts and needed items to selected children and senior adults. To facilitate the Angel Tree this year, church family members are asked to make monetary donations through the regular tithes and offerings. Funds will be allocated to purchase Wal-Mart gift cards for the ”Angels.”  If you have questions, please contact Angie Arnold or Ellen Gould.

As customary, we will decorate the chancel with poinsettias for Christmas. If you would like to purchase one in memory or honor of a loved one please let Carol Barnes know by December 10th. You can text her, call her, email her or leave a message in her box at the church. Her contact information is in the church directory.  The poinsettias will be purchased from Fishing Creek Nursery for $12.00 each. We want to support our small local businesses as much as we can. The flowers will be in church on 12/13 and 12/20. After those Sundays, you can pick them up to take home for Christmas.

 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: Doug McFee – 22nd; Ann Currin – 25th.

Prayers for: Frank Anderson, Becky and Isabella Baird, Betty Baynes, Michael Boyd, Cynthia Broaddrick, Ann Currin, Larry Delfs, Linda and Mike Diamond, Charlene Dickey, Randy Downey, Julie Gaydon, Marlene Grenier, Fred Heath, Hannah Hobgood, Marie Hobgood, Terry Hobgood, Cotina Jones, Barbara Laurent, Carlis Laws, Sherry West Lanham, Donnie Messer, Ally Milton, Jacob Parkin, Greg and Dottie Price, Mike Reavis, Lynn Stone, Kathy Webb, and Alice Evans Woodlief.

Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 6:23-24 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan

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