Oxford Presbyterian Church

September 18, 2021

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 NRSV)

Paul’s words of exhortation to the Galatian congregation were given so that the church would not fall back into worldly habits. Tempted to judge one another when someone had stumbled, tempted to compare and to boast, and tempted to become prideful, the Galatians were under threat of “sowing” for themselves and consequently “reaping” the corruption of their lives. Paul encouraged them to “sow” for the Spirit and consequently “reap” the eternal life the Spirit gives.

The threat to our souls really never comes from outside us. Rather the threat to our souls is that we fall inside ourselves. As the great reformer Martin Luther said: humanity is incurvatis in se (“turned in on itself”). And it is in worship that this condition is reversed. In worship we are taken outside of ourselves and look away to God and the salvation brought to us in Jesus Christ. My yoke is easy and my burden in light, says the Lord to us. Let the weariness of these days be contradicted by the reality of God’s good news by the gift of worship.

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 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 who 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.

17^th Sunday after Pentecost, September 19, 2021:

Scripture reading: James 3:13-4:10

Sermon title: “The Wisdom Needed Now”

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

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

11:00 a.m. – Worship 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

There will be Pennies for Hunger collected at both services so please bring your spare change!

Announcements:

• 21^st – 7:00  p.m. – Choir meets in Sanctuary
• 22^nd – 10:30 a.m. – Book Club meets at The Strong Arm Baking Company to discuss The Plague by Albert Camus
• 22^nd – 12:30 p.m. – Midday prayer in Sanctuary
• 23^rd – 5:30 p.m. – Book Club meets at the Tobacco Wood Brewing Company and via Zoom to discuss The Plague by Albert Camus
• 25^th – OPC Men’s Annual Stew at the Granville County Shrine Club

Book Club – Has resumed meeting on Wednesdays and Thursdays at our normal times and places. We are discussing The Plague by Albert Camus, a moving story about human response and meaning-making as a deadly virus sweeps through an Algerian city in an epidemic. This novel, perhaps more truly than any other, holds up a mirror to us as we ourselves are tasked with response and questions of life’s meaning amid our own pandemic.

Midday Prayer – Has resumed meeting Wednesdays 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! Stew will be available for pick up early afternoon at the Granville County Shrine Club, 706 Roxboro Rd.

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: Sawyer Sharon – 21^st; Jean Ingram – 22^nd; Jim Ingram – 25^th; Lauren Yancey – 25^th

Remember to utilize our website! – www.oxfordpres.org.

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¹ Save me, O God, by your name,
and vindicate me by your might.
² Hear my prayer, O God;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
³ For the insolent have risen against me,
the ruthless seek my life;
they do not set God before them.
⁴ But surely, God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
⁵ He will repay my enemies for their evil.
In your faithfulness, put an end to them.
⁶ With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
⁷ For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies. (Psalms 54 NRSV)

All blessings in Christ,

Alan