In This Issue:
  • May 10 Worship Service
  • Weekly Devotional
  • Fourth Covid-19 Directive
  • One Great Hour of Sharing
  • OBPC Helps at Beach Food Pantry
  • Sympathy & Prayers
  • Assistance from Church
  • OBPC on Facebook
  • Online Giving
  • Anniversaries and Birthdays
  • Click the button above to watch worship services live streamed on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. or watch any past services on demand.
May 10th Worship Service

            Psalm 31:1-5, 9-10, 14-16, and 23-24 . The Psalmist calls upon the Lord as
our refuge, the solid rock upon which we stand. The psalm honestly acknowledges our
real struggles, but finds true comfort and solace in our Lord. Will we rely on the Lord’s
steadfast mercy and care?

            The flowers in the Sanctuary on May 10th are placed by Jason K. Evans in honor, love, and appreciation of his mother, Arlene H. Evans.
Devotional From Rev. Dr. Jody Moore

            Most of my devotionals thus far have focused on the COVID-19 virus, its impacts on our church and our personal lives, and how we can seek God’s presence during this challenging time. This week, I instead wanted to focus on Mother’s Day, which will be this Sunday, May 10 th . This will be a bittersweet Mother’s Day for some people who had planned to visit with their mothers and are now not able to be with them in person due to the pandemic. We also lift up on Mother’s Day the painful emotions for all those who are grieving for their mothers or grandmothers who have died or for those who have longed to be a mother but have been unable to have children of their own.

           I wanted to lift up the contributions of our mothers in this week’s devotional. I found an illustration that speaks to some of the ordeals that mothers have to face on a daily basis. Jane Vajnar writes, “My friend’s four boys were young and bursting with energy, especially in church. But the sermon her minister preached on turning the other cheek got their undivided attention. The minister stressed that no matter what others do to us, we should never try to get even. That afternoon, the youngest boy came into the house crying. Between sobs he told his mother he had kicked one of his brothers, who had kicked him in return. His mother replied, ‘I’m sorry you got hurt, but you shouldn’t go around kicking people.’ The tearful child replied, ‘But the preacher said he wasn’t supposed to kick me back.’” I’m grateful for the patient love of mothers even when children don’t really understand the lessons that they are supposed to learn. 

            Scripture: Isaiah 66:12-13 :   For thus says the Lord . . . “You shall nurse and be carried on her arm, and bounced on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.”  

           In the New Testament, Jesus called God his Father, indicating the kind of nurturing parental love that God offers. It wasn’t only Jesus who could pray to the Father: he invited all of us to connect with the Creator of the universe as our own personal Heavenly Father. The Scriptures not only describe God as our Father. They also point to the ways that God nurtures and provides for us as a mother does. Jeanne and I have recently been watching nature shows that show the remarkable diversity of animal life that our Lord has created. One of the things that has impressed me while watching the footage in these shows is the remarkable lengths that mothers will go to ensure that their children are protected. Isaiah tells us that as a mother comforts her child, so will our God comfort each of us. 
           
           Years ago, National Geographic magazine told the story about how after a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesque on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live. Psalm 91:4 states, “God will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” Of course, we see the ultimate example of God’s willingness to suffer and die for our redemption in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who willingly gave his life on the cross so that we might inherit new, abundant, and eternal life in his name. 

Prayer :
           Mother and Father God, we thank you for our mothers. They have raised us, sacrificed for us, and guided us throughout life. We are grateful for their love. We remember fondly those mothers who have passed away and we ask you to watch over them for us in your great heavenly kingdom. We mourn with our mothers who have suffered because of the loss of one of their children. Grant that every mother would be given an extra measure of strength, patience, and endurance. We pray for those who are preparing to be mothers. Lord, we recognize that, for some, Mother’s Day is a reminder of pain. We pray for those who have strained relationships with their mothers. If possible, we pray for reconciliation.

            We continue to lift up all those impacted by the COVID-19 virus. We thank you for the efforts of all those who are working to preserve life, from those wearing masks, to those staying home, restocking the grocery shelves, and providing essential medical care. We pray for you to comfort and offer hope to those who are troubled or filled with worry in these difficult days. We pray for healing for those infected with the virus. We pray for you to unify us in a collective common commitment to save lives and help limit the spread of the virus. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
 
Grace and peace,
 
Jody Moore 
Fourth Covid-19 Directive

On April 29, the Session approved the Fourth Covid-19 Directive based on recommendations from the Covid-19 Task Force. The Session extended its existing directives for church facility usage, office practices, electronic communications with the Congregation, and live-streamed, recorded Worship Services through May 22, 2020. To read the the complete text of the Fourth Directive, click here .
One Great Hour of Sharing

PCUSA had a special offering collection that was supposed to be on Palm Sunday, titled “One Great Hour of Sharing” (OGHS). Unfortunately, we were not able to be in church to collect the offering. We encourage you to still donate, as this offering is very appropriate for what we are going through now. This collection is for natural disasters, alleviating hunger, and support towards the development of poor and oppressed communities. If you'd like to contribute, please send your offering to the church office -- PO Box 2199, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 -- and write OGHS on the memo line or use the specially designated envelope in your box of offering envelopes so that we can credit the donation to OGHS. Thank you! 
OBPC Helps at the Beach Food Pantry

Challenging times call for thinking outside of the box! This past week, 16 volunteers from our church delivered hand-picked groceries to people in distress at the Beach Food Pantry. Allowing for social distancing and personal protection, we worked in pairs to shop for folks waiting in their vehicles in the parking lot. Via cell phone we informed the clients of groceries and hygiene items available and then bagged their selections and delivered them to their vehicles! Thanks to Nonie Booth, Deborah Telthorster, Jeanne Martie, Gayle Waldmann, Barb Nowland, Kathy Gunther, Robert Gunther, Susan Furlough, Karen Lurie, Helen Gauvreau, Ron Campbell, Maggie Snyder, Bob Snyder, Ellen Carrico, Tom Carrico and Dot Landis. 

As you can imagine, the need for food in these times is enormous, much more than usual. 890 families have been helped since March 16! The cost of procuring foods for distribution has skyrocketed as well. Any and all financial contributions, as well as contributions of food, to the Beach Food Pantry are very much appreciated! You may make a monetary donation by credit card online by  clicking here . Or, you may mail a check to: Beach Food Pantry, PO Box 468, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949.
Sympathy & Prayers

Several members of our congregation have passed away in April. Please keep the families of Judy Dempsey, Howard Miller, and Marge Bennett in your prayers.

 Marge Bennett
Marge was living near her daughter in Pennsylvania and had suffered a stroke recently. She passed away on April 29th. To read Marge's obituary, please click here .

Judy Dempsey
Judy Dempsey was living in Arizona with her daughter. She passed away on April 22nd. Her death was fairly sudden--she had been admitted to the hospital, but her family was expecting her to recover. Judy was very involved at our church: she was a member of the choir for many years, tended to the Bible Garden, and was one of our church's Stephen Ministers. Judy's family wants to have some kind of service here on the Outer Banks once things open up this summer. Judy's ashes will be placed in our Bible Garden.

Howard Miller
Howard Miller died on April 22nd after a recent bout with bladder cancer. He had moved to South Carolina about a year ago to live closer to his son Scott. Howard served as an elder on the OBPC Session. The family would like to have a Service of Witness to the Resurrection for Howard here on the Outer Banks after things open back up---maybe in late June or early July. Click  here  to read Howard's obituary.
Assistance from Your Church Family

Two important resources to remember during this time are our Prayer Team and our Assistance Coordinator.

  • If you have any request that you would like the prayer team to lift up, please share it with the prayer coordinators. Our prayer coordinators are: Jean Basnight and Rosalyn Pugh and you may share a request with them by phone at 252-480-1028 (Home) or 252-619- 7661 (Cell).

  • Elder Barbara Nock is coordinating services and requests by members and friends who need any type of assistance. Twenty-four people have volunteered to help. If you or someone you know needs assistance with groceries, pharmacy pick-up, or anything else, please contact Barbara at 252-255-5979 or nocktwice@embarqmail.com.
Do you have a Facebook account? If so, we invite you to join OBPC on Facebook. Just Click on the button at the left, log on to your Facebook account, and select "join" on the OBPC group page. Some things you will find there include:
  • Information from Tom Carrico about the Adult Sunday School Class that is discussing Reza Aslan's book Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization.
  • Updates from Hollie Writtenberry about Children's Church.
  • Comments from members of the congregation.
Online Giving

There are two ways to give to the church during this temporary closure. You may mail pledges and donations to the office at PO Box 2199, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948. Or, you may give online. Just click on the Give Now button to go to our website, then click the button on the home page and follow the directions for online donations.
Anniversaries & Birthdays

Janice Van Ee's birthday is on May 13th.
There will be a May edition of our monthly newsletter mailed early next week. All birthdays and anniversaries during May will be listed in the newsletter.
Outer Banks Presbyterian Church
907 S. Croatan Highway, Milepost 8.5
PO Box 2199
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

During this time of irregular office hours,
you may reach Pastor Jody or administrative staff
by calling the office at 252-441-5897 and leaving a message or by sending an email to