September 4, 2020
In preparation for worship at home,
we encourage you to read the Scripture passage
and reflect on what God’s word might be to you.

Youth Sunday
Scripture: Romans 13:8-14
Including the Sacrament of Holy Communion

JOIN us for WORSHIP from your HOME.
Click Live-stream to join us for worship
on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

to enhance your worship experience

Click Sunday School to connect with teachers
and activities to nurture faith

(Note on above image: The youth of OPC collecting toiletries for the Women’s Dayton Correctional Center with the Rev. Sara Palmer. November 2019)
Ministry News and Upcoming Events
Join Us for Virtual Youth Sunday on September 6!
Our middle school and senior high youth will be leading us in a pre-recorded worship service on Sunday, September 6 for a special Virtual Youth Sunday! The worship service will be streaming on our church Facebook page beginning at 9:50 a.m. We will be observing the Sacrament of Communion. As you prepare to worship with us from home, we would encourage you to prepare bread, grape juice, wine, water, etc. so that you may participate in communion with us together from home.
Latest Worship Update
Watching. Praying. Planning.

The Taize Christian Community in France is known for very brief songs that draw one into the heart of the matter. One such chorus repeats the lines:
Stay with me, remain here with me;
watch and pray, watch and pray.

For months we've watched, prayed and planned for the day when local health conditions permit us to worship together in conditions as safe as possible. Additionally, for some weeks we've explored the possibility of an outdoor worship service. Through mid August, local health conditions seemed to signal it would be safe for us to gather together for worship in the near future. Then local positive COVID-19 cases began to climb. 

Since August 21 cases reported by Miami University number 833 with 555 cases reported in the last week. Butler County is now in a Level 3 (Red) Public Health Emergency on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System.  

In the midst of this spike in local cases, we continue to watch, pray and plan. 
We watch. Every week a team of staff members and church officers assess the latest health data. 
We pray without ceasing. 
We plan for outdoor worship opportunities and worship in the sanctuary as we continue the weekly worship livestream. Our Body of Christ is committed throughout this pandemic to offer everyone the deep peace, abundant grace and genuine freedom to make the best and healthiest choice as we grow in faith.  

For the latest information on the Phased Opening of the ministry of Oxford Presbyterian Church, please click here for Pastor Lawrence's September newsletter article.
My Savior and My God


"A gift from the music ministry of Oxford Presbyterian Church during this Season of Pentecost - "My Savior and My God" sung by Aaron Garner.
Nominate the Next Generation of Congregational Leaders
Seeking God...Serving Others... Sharing Christ's Love with All
That is our mission at Oxford Presbyterian.

The creative, faithful, and committed leadership of Deacons, Ruling Elders and Trustees brings this ministry to life.
Now, please take a prayerful moment. 
Who in our congregation does the Holy Spirit bring to mind as you hear our mission statement?
Who in this Body of Christ deepens this mission and serves as Jesus served?

Prayerfully consider who you will nominate today. 
To nominate Elders, Deacons and Trustees, please click here.
If you have any questions please reach out to the co-chairs of the Nominating Committee, Buzz Green or Ginny Layton.
COVID-19 Emergency Outreach Fund
Lately we’ve heard from our community mission partners such as the Family Resource Center (FRC) that pandemic related challenges for our neighbors are on the rise.  

With the expiration of the eviction moratorium and the supplement to unemployment benefits, an increasing number of families and individuals throughout the Talawanda School District are facing a crisis as they try to stay in their home or pay for utilities and other significant expenses. 

As our ministry receives a greater number of larger requests, Mission and Outreach asked Stewardship and Finance if a COVID-19 Emergency Outreach Fund might be created. This fund will enable us to support local individuals and families through our community mission partners with an immediate and flexible response.

The COVID-19 Emergency Outreach Fund will be dedicated to responding to pandemic related crisis while ensuring that the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund continues to be a resource in emergency community assistance for non-pandemic related requests.

Knowing that our income may be also impacted by this pandemic, we invite those with extra resources to consider making a special gift to the COVID-19 Emergency Outreach Fund. Gifts may be made by mailing a check to the church with “COVID-19” in the memo or by calling our Financial Secretary, Nick Fears, at 513-523-6364. One hundred percent of your gift will go to help those who need emergency help making ends meet. 

During this time, when more people are experiencing income, housing and food insecurity, our ability to assist the most vulnerable in our community becomes gospel living indeed!
Offices Closed

In Observance of Labor Day OPC offices will be closed Monday, September 7.

Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, September 8 at 8:30 a.m.

Stay safe and healthy!
Administrative Assistant's Vacation
Bridgite Dickerson, our Office Administrator, will be on vacation beginning Monday, September 14 until Friday, September 18. Worship bulletins for Sunday, September 13 and September 20 will be prepared on Tuesday, September 8. Please turn in all announcements for bulletins and Friday's Voice (September 11 and 18) by 2:00 pm on Wednesday, September 9th. Cia Beal will be covering the office Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
MS / Senior High Youth Group: 21-Day Challenge
Following off of our summer book discussion series, Stamped, MS and Senior High Youth Group will be participating in a 21-Day Challenge beginning on Sunday evening, September 13th at 6:30 pm. Each week (beginning with the week leading up to 9/13), each youth will be challenged to choose a short article, podcast or film clip from this list on the topic of race, equity, and equality curated by Presbyterian pastors and social justice advocates. Each Sunday evening for three weeks, we will gather together at 6:30 P.M. via Zoom to discuss which item on that list they chose, what they learned, what challenged them, what made them think, and what did they find themselves learning (or unlearning)?

Our 21-Day Challenge is a commitment to continue our own growth, development, and transformation as people and as disciples of Christ. OPC will be offering small group options for adult groups as well, so check this space for more details!
OPW Circles
Due to the pandemic we are unable to meet together, but want to continue with the Bible study for this year, “Into the Light, Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament”. How fortuitous that Horizons chose a study of lamentations when we have so much to lament this year!

The Pastors have agreed to lead an on-line study with us. Both Circles will meet together with Zoom on the second Monday of the month at 1:30 pm with the first meeting on September 14. If you wish to join this study please let Sue Wilson know. If you already have the study guide with your Horizons subscription, you are set. You can order your guide through the PW website, or if you wish, Sue will order for you. Each guide will be $10 and the large print version will be $15. Please let Sue know if you wish to have her order your study guide.

Please call Lynn Cronk if you wish to be part of this group, limited to 10. You may study on-line on the 14 and will have an opportunity for fellowship and discussion on the 15. Please bring a beverage and your Bible. Reserve your Study Guide thru Sue Wilson or order your own on-line.
 
If you have questions call Lynn Cronk. Sorry we have to limit the group to 10- so please call to reserve a place.  And be sure to wear your mask!
Confirmation Class
If you are in 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th Grade and are interested in learning more about confirmation this year, please contact Pastor Marc. This year's teachers will be Pastor Marc, Carla Blackmar Rice, and Carrie Ann Sherritt. An informational meeting with calendar and lesson information will be held in September, so keep your eyes open for that date coming soon. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more, please contact Pastor Marc to add your name to the list.
Chancel Flowers
Although in-person worship has not resumed, we still need flowers for the altar. Max Stacy will deliver them to the church. After the service, they will be delivered in a safe way to our shut-ins by the deacons. If you wish to have your own flowers, we could make an arrangement for that. The Sundays needing flowers are Oct. 11 and Oct. 18.
 
Please call or email Marge Smith to place an order. Phone: 513-523-3895 or email: smithme2010@hotmail.com. The cost of the flowers is $20 and payment can be mailed to Nick Fears (our financial secretary) at the church. Thank you, for your support.  
Lamentations of the Father
Our church's good friend and representative to our Russian Mission Partnership for the past seventeen years, Igor Maksakov in Chelyabinsk, Russia, announces the marriage of his daughter Polina, and his utmost sadness at losing his little girl.

Aside from a few masks, the wedding certainly has elements of what we see today in American weddings. 

Igor writes, "I'm still in shock! Our Polina is no longer mine ... all this is strange and sad. And it's sad. Polina left. I don’t know what to do."

Certainly Igor exposes the depths of the famous "Russian soul," but what American father of an only daughter would not feel the same way?

We wish Polina and her husband the very best in starting out life in trying times, and our hopes for a happy new life, in its way, for Igor and his wife, Nona.
Living Into Hope

God speaks to us through the language of everyday events. 
Each new moment of life, each new situation, 
the present condition of a person or community, 
of events, time, place, people, and circumstances 
- all hold clues to God's call. 
Thus we often find our calls in the facts, circumstances, 
and concrete experiences of daily life.

- Suzanne G. Farnham
Oxford Presbyterian Church | 101 N. Main Street, Oxford OH 45056