Oxford Presbyterian Church

September 11, 2021

It was twenty years ago today that our country experienced a rapid succession of terrorist attacks on an unthinkable scale, a day that is forever marked as 9/11 in our collective consciousness. Of all the things I can recall of that day, one thing continues to stand out for me. Early that evening,  the church my family was attending gathered for the sake of praying together. Through tears we lifted up prayers of repentance, prayers of sorrow, intercessions for those who lost people they held dear, prayers of confession for trusting in Mammon and Mars instead of the cross and resurrection. I will always remember a people who gathered that evening in the name of Jesus Christ for the sake of shouldering one another’s burdens as we stepped into an uncertain future ushered in on September 11, 2001.

Worship is the irreplaceable food for the humanity that seeks to live according to the good news of Jesus Christ. And on 9/11 our church gathered to worship so that we might once again lay hold of the salvation that has come to us from heaven instead of falling into the temptation to try to save ourselves by whatever means possible. When we at OPC congregate, it is for the sake of being reminded of who we are—a people set free from the law of sin and death—and for the sake of being equipped to live as a saved people.

To that end, you are invited to participate in any of the myriad of ways we worship these days:

At 8:00 a.m. on Sundays, we have our short, outdoor worship service that meets on the parking pad behind our church. If you want to come and remain in your automobile, you may park in the office lot next door and turn your FM radio dial to 89.5 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.

16^th Sunday after Pentecost, September 12, 2021:

Scripture reading: James 3:1-12

Sermon title: “To speak or not to speak”

Thanks to Carolyn Steger, George and Cathy Yancey, and Kathy Webb for leading our music.

8:00 a.m. – Worship with communion outdoors on the parking pad behind the church

11:00 a.m. – Worship with communion 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 emphasis is the collection of donations for Murdoch Center, especially for the celebration of Christmas at Murdoch with Secret Santas delivering presents for the residents

Announcements:

• 13^th – 6:30 p.m. – Presbyterian Women’s Circle
• 14^th – 7:00  p.m. – Choir meets in Sanctuary
• 15^th – 10:30 a.m. – Book Club meets at The Strong Arm Baking Company, 117 Main Street
• 15^th – 12:30 p.m. – Midday prayer in Sanctuary
• 16^th – 5:30 p.m. – Book Club meets at the Tobacco Wood Brewing Company, 116 Wall Street, and via Zoom

Presbyterian Women’s Circle – PW Circle will resume meeting this Monday, Sept. 13, at 6:30 p.m.

Book Club – We will resume meeting this Wednesday, Sept. 15 and Thursday, Sept. 16 at our normal times and places.

Midday Prayer – We will resume meeting this Wednesday, Sept. 15 in the Sanctuary

OPC Men’s Stew returns! – After last year’s pandemic hiatus, the OPC Men’s Stew returns on Saturday, September 25. Get your orders in soon to Dudley Barnes or Jim Ingram to make sure you get some!

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

Happy Birthday to: None this week

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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